RIO DE JANEIRO (JTA)—Jules Sauer, a refugee from Nazi Europe who became one of the world’s leading gemstone and jewelry authorities, has died.

Sauer, who was nicknamed “Gemstone Hunter” after discovering Brazil’s first emerald mine in 1963, died Wednesday, Feb. 1 in that country. He was 95.

After finding the mine, German and English experts refused to recognize the stones as emeralds until Sauer turned to the Gemological Institute of America for a final verdict. He was vindicated and earned the new moniker, according to the website Metropoles.

“Gemstones are a one-time harvest,” he used to say.

In 1966, his high-end company Amsterdam Sauer was the first South American jeweler to win the Diamonds International Award, the most prestigious recognition in international jewelry. The Amsterdam Sauer Museum, in Rio, exhibits the largest private collection of precious gems in Latin America.

In 1939, the 18-year-old Frenchman fled the Nazis, first to Portugal and then to Brazil, where he would establish his firm. He opened his first store in 1956 beside the legendary Copacabana Palace hotel in Rio.

“I went to school until the day Hitler invaded Belgium on May 10, 1940,” Sauer told the Person’s Museum project. “I lived at my uncle’s house in Anvers, but that day my uncle was in England and I was alone. I had two bikes; I got the best and I left. Goodbye Belgium. I went to Lisbon by bicycle.”

Israel’s honorary consul, Osias Wurman, called Sauer “a pioneer in teaching gemstone faceting in Brazil.”

“He educated hundreds of young people in this noble profession, he just wanted to teach them a profession,” Wurman told JTA. “He was a humanist with touches of a philosopher.”

Sauer’s late wife, Zilda, was president emeritus of the Women’s International Zionist Organization in Brazil.

Rabbi Mayer Abramowitz, who opened the doors of his Miami Beach synagogue to waves of Cuban exiles beginning in the early 1960s, has died.

Abramowitz, who served Temple Menorah for 45 years, died Thursday, Feb. 2 at his home in Miami Beach. He was 97. He ministered to hundreds of young Jews who arrived in the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan, a mass exodus of over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors from 1960 to 1962.

Cuban exiles continued to call Temple Menorah their spiritual home over the years, earning Abramowitz the title “the father of the Cuban Jewish community.”

“Rabbi Abramowitz was so well known in our Cuban exile community because he tried hard to build bridges between different groups,” U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., told the Miami Herald. “He was especially helpful in the tough early years when so many Cuban refugees were coming over and we were so unfamiliar with how to find a job, get help for the elderly, or feed young children. The faith community, as always, really helped so many Cuban refugees. And Rabbi Abramowitz set the tone for others like him to emulate his kindness. A real mensch.”

Abramowitz credited an early trip to Cuba to his lifelong interest in the beleaguered island nation and its people.

“I don’t know who took me to Cuba because I never took a vacation, but it was probably God,” Abramowitz told the Miami Herald when he retired from Temple Menorah in 2009 at 90.

Abramowitz, a Jerusalem native, came to New York in 1928. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Yeshiva University and rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1944, according to the Herald. As a chaplain and first lieutenant in the U.S. Army stationed in Europe, he served Schlachtensee-Templhof, a displaced persons camp in Berlin, where he met his future wife, Rachel, a Holocaust survivor. He was also active in the Bricha, the underground effort that helped Holocaust survivors escape post-World War II Europe to Palestine.

After the army, Abramowitz served as chief emigration officer for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Italy. In 1951, he and Rachel moved to Miami.

Abramowitz is survived by his wife, three children, 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. (JTA)

Sunday, March 26, 1-4 pm, Simon Family JCC

Camp JCC invites parents and their children, two years old through 11th grade, to experience a “taste of camp.” The children will become happy campers with a fun-filled day of arts and crafts, mini golf, Israeli dodgeball (Gaga), basketball, snacks and more.

A juggling demonstration and workshop will be on the site, as well as inflatable bouncy rides, and the opportunity for parents and children to don swimsuits and splash into the indoor pools.

For more information and to view Camp JCC’s brochure, visit www.CampJCCVB.org.

Through March 31

Dozens of handmade posters from the 5th Annual Israel Poster Contest presented by the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater were on display in The Leon Gamily Art Gallery through March 10.

Designed by first through 12 graders, the posters depict cool facts about Israel.

The top 10 poster finalists are now online at JewishVA.org/CRCIsraelPosterContest, awaiting votes. One vote is allowed per day.

The winning poster (the poster with the most online votes) will be announced on Monday, April 3 and will be professionally framed and hang permanently at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, joining previous winners. In addition, attendees of the Israel Festival on Sunday, April 30, will receive a copy of the poster.

For more information visit www.JewishVA.org/CRCIsraelPostercontest.

Wednesdays, March 29, April 5, April 26, May 3
12:30-1:30 pm, Simon Family JCC

While commonly translated as ethics, Mussar is really much broader. Dr. Alan Morinis, founder of the Mussar Institute, recently spent a weekend in Tidewater as the guest scholar for the Milton “Mickey” Kramer Scholar-in- Residence Fund’s 4th Annual Tidewater Together presented by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Tidewater Synagogue Leadership Council.

During an extraordinary weekend, Morinis explained that “Mussar is a path of contemplative practices and exercises that have evolved over the past thousand years to help an individual soul to pinpoint and then to break through the barriers that surround and obstruct the flow of inner light in our lives.” Ethics may ask no more of us than being a kind person. Mussar gets in touch with our inner souls to improve how we act, as well as who we are.

The goal of Mussar practice is to release the light of holiness that lives within the soul. The roots of all of our thoughts and actions can be traced to the depths of the soul. Often, our emotions and desires get in the way of those holy thoughts, causing us to act in ways that are less than ideal. By reconnecting with our inner soul, we can become the best people possible, who we want to be. The result is not only becoming more ethical people, but also holier and more spiritual.

While Mussar has been around for thousands of years, the formal study of Mussar did not become widespread until the Mussar Movement in the 19th century, which was started by Rabbi Israel Salanter of Lithuania. He arranged for the republishing of the classic Mussar works and established Mussar as part of the regular curriculum in his yeshiva (rabbinical school). Since then, Mussar books have been printed in many languages and remain an important part of the daily study of many of the rabbinical schools throughout the world. They have also become popular in synagogues, schools, and homes.

Although I have been a student and teacher of Mussar for many years, Morinis’s visit introduced me to a new approach to Mussar study. Not merely an educational resource to study the intellectual aspect of Mussar, the Mussar Institute has created a system to take those ideas and implement them into daily lives, inspiring people to become better and holier. Turning inspiration into action is often difficult, but the Mussar Institute has solved that problem. Through bi-weekly vaadim (group meetings), daily messages, practice assignments, chavruta study, and follow up, a Mussar series is bound to change how you act, as well as who you are.

I am proud to partner with UJFT, Simon Family JCC, and the Mussar Institute to facilitate A Taste of Mussar in Tidewater.

To register for A Taste of Mussar, visit the Simon Family JCC front desk or call 321-2338. For more information, email mgoldberg@simonfamilyjcc.org.

- Rabbi Gavriel Rudin

Thursday, April 13, 7:30 pm
Sandler Center for the Performing Arts

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. In this return engagement at the Virginia Arts Festival, Perlman will perform music from famous film scores with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta.

Perlman has performed for major film scores including his unforgettable, emotional rendition from Schindler’s List, as well as other films including Fantasia 2000 and Memoirs of a Geisha. In this performance, he will play these themes, as well as music from Sabrina, Cinema Paradiso, Scent of a Woman, Out of Africa, Far and Away, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and As Time Goes By from Casablanca.

Born in Israel in 1945, Perlman first showed interest in music as a toddler growing up in Tel Aviv. He began his studies at the Shulamit Conservatory and at the Academy of Music, giving his first public recital at age 10. When he was 13, he was invited to appear on one of early television’s most popular shows, The Ed Sullivan Show, where an audience of millions discovered the gifts of this great violinist. Since then, he has performed with the world’s great orchestras as both soloist and conductor; has created a legacy of recordings, garnering 15 Grammy Awards as well as the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; and has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, National Medal of the Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. A major presence in the performing arts on television, Perlman has also been honored with four Emmy Awards.

Perlman continues his busy performance schedule of solo recitals, concerto performances, and conducting. In addition to teaching at Juilliard and running his summer academy—the Perlman Music Program—he dedicates himself to causes of lifelong interest of diversity, inclusion, and breaking barriers. In May 2016, he attracted international attention when he took a stand for equality in cancelling his North Carolina show. One month later in June 2016, he was awarded the “Jewish Nobel” 2016 Genesis Prize in Israel by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Perlman distributed the $1 million Genesis Prize funds to disability and music education organizations.

Tickets for the Virginia Arts Festival performance are $59-$125 and may be purchased online at www.vafest.org, by phone at 757- 282-2822 or by visiting the Virginia Arts Festival box office.

Friday, March 24–Sunday, March 26
The Main, Norfolk
This weekend of visual and performing arts, fine dining, and luxurious accommodations hopes to raise $1 million for Hampton Roads Arts organizations.

Susan Hirschbiel and the Honorable Paul Fraim are the event’s co-chairs. To learn more about performances, ticket packages, and benefit information, go to TheMainNorfolk.com.

Monday, June 5, Heron Ridge Golf Club
Early Bird Registration Deadline: April 30

Raising funds for children’s programming at the Simon Family JCC, as well as experiencing a fun, relaxing day of golf are two of the goals of the Simon Family JCC’s 7th Annual Presidents’ Cup Golf Tournament. The third goal is to honor the commitment and dedication of those who have served as JCC president.

The tournament is open to all, regardless of skill level.

Through generous sponsors and players, the Golf Tournament raises funds to support Camp JCC, Kids Connection’s before and after school programs, infant and toddler care, teen programing, and a vital special needs summer day camp. Portions of these funds also provide camp scholarships opening the door for children who otherwise would not be able to afford Camp JCC’s enriching summer camp experience.

Gene Ross, president of Loan Care Servicing and a past JCC president said at a previous tournament, “With proceeds largely directed toward children’s programming, it’s easy to acknowledge the significance of this event.”

One of the beneficiaries is Yachad (Together in Hebrew), the new name for Camp JCC’s special needs shadow program. Shadows are trained counselors who follow campers throughout the day offering support if needed. Camp JCC provides shadow assistance to campers with a variety of physical, emotional, intellectual, and developmental needs. Unique to the area, this fully inclusive summer camp program enables children of all abilities to enjoy the activities Camp JCC offers.

Desiree, a mother of a six-year-old camper in the Camp JCC’s shadow program says, “They have been amazing! They make me feel safe to have her there. They know her name and watch her every moment. I had reached out to several day care centers that were not willing to include my daughter. We are very grateful for this program.”

The Simon Family JCC will have a full, exciting calendar year of children’s programming, as well as hundreds of happy campers, because of the tournament.

For more information, visit: simonfamilyjcc.org/about-us/support-your-jcc/presidentscup/ Call 757-321-2337 or email Corrie Lentz at clentz@simonfamilyjcc.org.

Tamarac , Fla .—Florine M. Landau, formerly of Portsmouth, Va., passed away surrounded by her family on February 28, 2017, at her residence.

Florine was born on June 22, 1923 and was the daughter of the late Morris and Minnie Marcus. She grew up in Portsmouth and graduated from Woodrow Wilson high school. On August 20, 1944, she married her soulmate, Norman Landau, and they were happily married for 72 years. Florine worked as a loan consultant at Life Federal Savings & Loan for many years, retiring in the late 1980s. After retiring, she and Norman moved to Sunrise, Fla.

Florine was a faithful member of Temple Israel in Norfolk where she was a member of the Sisterhood. She was a longstanding member of City of Hope in Sunrise for many years and was very involved in their activities.

In addition to her parents, Florine was predeceased by her sister, Adele Blum. She leaves behind, to smile in her memory: her loving husband, Norman Landau, her daughter, Helene Landau of Edenton, N.C.; her son, Barry Landau of West Palm Beach, Fla.; her grandson, Michael Hermelin (Julia); and her great-grandchildren, Bethany and Grayson Hermelin of Columbia, S.C.; and her grandson, Brad Hermelin (Imelda) of Virginia Beach. Florine also leaves her sisters, Myra Coplon and Sareta Jones, and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held at Star of David Memorial Gardens in North Lauderdale, Fla.

Virginia Beach —Caroline Miller, age 76, died suddenly of natural causes on March 11, 2017.

She is survived by her sons Joseph Miller and his wife Carol, and Daniel Miller and his wife Amy, and her daughter Rachel Stern, her brother Michael Ashe and his wife Mitzi, her sister Arleen Kluger, her sister Ernestine Adelman and her husband Howard, her sister-in-law Rosalie Walner and her grandchildren Meredith Stern, Anna Stern, Dalya Miller, Hayden Miller, Max Miller, and Emmi Miller, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents Sidney and Adele Ashe, and her husband Bernard Miller.

She was a lifelong member of B’nai Israel congregation and loving daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother.

A brief memorial service was held at the Norfolk Chapel of H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., followed by a graveside service at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. Donations to the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad or B’nai Israel Congregation. Online condolences may be offered at hdoliver.com.

New York City —Stephen Weinstein, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, died Saturday, March 4. He was 83.

Mr. Weinstein worked as an architect for many years with Ehrenkrantz Associates before branching out on his own. He worked on innovative and flexible designs for buildings, including laboratories and hospitals, as well as on restoring lighthouses and fire stations. As a solar energy expert, he designed the solar energy system for the White House and toured the country giving informative and entertaining talks to technical audiences.

A life-long New Yorker, Mr. Weinstein moved from the City to Virginia Beach in 2012.

He was predeceased by his wife Grace (of blessed memory) and is survived by his children, Lawrence Weinstein (and Carol Downing) and Janet Mercadante (and Rick), both of Virginia Beach; his grandchildren, Lee Weinstein, Rachel Downing, and Samantha and Jared Mercadante; a sister, Margot Baron; and his partner, Carol Schneebaum.

The funeral service was held at Temple Emanuel, Virginia Beach. Interment followed in Princess Anne Memorial Park. H.D Oliver Funeral Apts. Online condolences may be made to the family at hdoliver.com.

LOS ANGELES (JTA)—Leah Adler, the mother of director Steven Spielberg and a well-known restaurateur, has died.

Adler, also a former concert pianist and accomplished painter, died last month at her home in Los Angeles. She was 97.

Most of America and the world first heard her name when Spielberg kissed her and described her as “my lucky charm” while accepting an Academy Award as director of the film Schindler’s List.

Although invariably linked to her famous son, for the past four decades Adler earned almost equal renown as proprietor, greeter and presiding presence at The Milky Way restaurant, a strictly kosher eatery in Los Angeles that was popular with Orthodox rabbis, show biz luminaries and tourists.

Born Leah Posner in Cincinnati, she was raised during the Roaring Twenties and the subsequent Depression. At 5, she learned to play the piano and studied at her city’s music conservatory.

Shortly before the United States entered World War II , she had a single date with Arnold Meyer Spielberg, corresponded with him while he served with the Army Air Corps in the Pacific, and married him following his discharge in 1945. Over the next 10 years, the couple had four children— on Steven and daughters Anne, Sue and Nancy—all raised in a somewhat chaotic home environment that encouraged their different talents. As Arnold Spielberg evolved into one of the pioneers in computers and system engineering, he moved frequently from city to city, taking his growing family with him. Along the way the family encountered the prevalent anti-Semitism of the times. For instance, in Scottsdale, Arizona, a neighboring family used to stand outside the family home chanting “The Spielbergs are dirty Jews.”

One morning, Adler recounted, she received a hysterical phone call from the neighbors. It seemed that 10-year-old Steven had sneaked out of the house during the night and smeared all their windows with peanut butter. Characteristically, the mother did not scold her son for this prank. As she recalled the incident later, she commented, “Wasn’t that ingenious of Steven? I was so proud of him.”

Also in Arizona, Adler often did piano solos and performed with chamber music groups. She also owned The Village Shop in Scottsdale, showcasing the works of local artists.

Leah and Arnold Spielberg divorced in 1965 and two years later she married Bernard Adler. In the late 1970s, the couple opened The Milky Way restaurant, with the husband handling the business end and his wife as hostess, greeter and reigning presence. She was also in charge of the hallway art gallery, featuring posters of each of her son’s movies. The petite hostess became a popular, frequently quoted public figure who counseled foreign tourists on the fine points of kosher cuisine and on general life problems.

Leah Adler is survived by her four children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Arnold Spielberg turned 100 this month. Bernard Adler died in 1995 at 75.

Violins of Hope (Violins of the Holocaust-Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour)
James A. Grymes
Harper Perennial, 2014
319 page, $15.99

Author James A. Grymes is a noted professor of musicology at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte who grew up in Virginia Beach.

His latest book, Violins of Hope, is a unique contribution to Holocaust literature. It is dedicated to those whose violins made a difference at a time of monumental challenge, when Nazism sought to silence the free flow of humanity’s transforming music and the arts.

The meticulously researched account by the academic author is far from dry. The reader will even shed tears—beginning with the Weinstein family in Tel Aviv, Israel, whose second generation continues to repair violins, along with broken hearts. The violins serve as eloquent, though bruised witnesses not only to the Holocaust’s vast tragedy, but also to the power of music to save lives and even move ardent Nazis.

Moshe and Golda Weinstein, who moved to then Palestine from Lithuania as professional musicians in 1938, lost their entire families in the Holocaust. The crying absence of the many slaughtered relatives was deeply felt at holiday time, when Moshe, Golda and their children Amnon and Esther sat at a table along with “four hundred ghosts.”

Upon Moshe’s passing in 1986, his son Amnon took over the business and later grandson Avshalom was trained to become a luthier as well. Amnon repressed the Holocaust for years following his traumatic exposure early on to the nightly cries of the refugees who were housed in his home. He changed course when approached by a survivor who played his violin in Auschwitz, but had not touched it since. The man, who finally decided to give it to his grandson, wanted Amnon to restore the damaged instrument. Upon opening the violin, Amnon shockingly found human ashes that had blown into it from Auschwitz’s crematorium. Still it was only in the 1990s that he felt the need to find and restore those special Holocaust violins. A well-received 1999 presentation by Amnon in Drezden, Germany, before the Association of German Violinists and Bowmakers, would spur him on in his sacred world-wide project of collecting and restoring Holocaust related violins.

The unidentified ones are most dear to him, representing the many unknown victims. The simply built violins are priceless to Amnon, testimony to the ordinary Jews who lovingly sustained their culture.

“Amnon has never known the names of any of his uncles, aunts, and cousins who died in the Holocaust. Since they were buried in mass graves, there are no graveyards to help him piece together his genealogy…his only way of connecting with his family is through the craft his father taught him: repairing violins… each violin is a tombstone for a relative he never knew.” The author was motivated to write this book following a week’s visit with Amnon and his wife Assi in Tel Aviv in February 2011. Assi, a journalist, is the daughter of one of the heroic Bielski brothers, the fighting partisans immortalized in the book and film, Defiance.

There is a theory that the violin, featured prominently in Jewish cultural life and Klezmer music, was created by Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 who ended in Italy. Some Jewish violinists such as Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, and Isaac Stern, acquired universal acclaim. Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, and Shlomo Mintz are acknowledged virtuosos.

Following the Holocaust’s heavy losses some anguished musicians destroyed their German-made violins, with others practically giving them away to Moshe Weinstein. At the declaration of the founding of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, the Palestine Orchastra, founded by Jewish violinist Bronislaw Huberman, played the national anthem, Hatikvah (The Hope) of a reborn people. Indeed “Wherever there were violins, there was hope.”

—Dr. Israel Zoberman is the founding rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim.

Virginia Beach —Judith H. Baker, 72, passed away peacefully on March 28, 2017 surrounded by her loving family.

Judy was a loyal and devoted employee of Towne Bank Mortgage for many years. She was preceded in death by her husband Melvin Baker.

Left to cherish Judy’s memory are her two sons Barry (Debi) and Marc Baker; grandsons Joshua and Noah Baker; her loving sister Roz Drucker; niece Robin Stromberg (Burle); nephew Stephen Drucker (Diane Walkout); and many great nieces and nephews.

The funeral service was held at Woodlawn Funeral Home with Rabbi Israel Zoberman officiating. Burial followed at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Visit www.woodlawngroup.com to share a memory with the family. Memorial contributions to The American Cancer Society.

Norfolk —Jerry Brittman, died March 22, 2017 in Norfolk. He was the son of Barney and Blanche Brittman.

He was a member of Temple Israel and was a Master Mason with Norfolk Masonic Lodge #1.

Funeral Services were held in Forest Lawn Cemetery by Cantor David Proser.

Memorial donations may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts.

Virginia Beach —Anne Verner (Burg) passed away Sunday, March 19, 2017, peacefully with her family at her side.

A native of Montreal, Canada, she was pre-deceased by her parents Harry and Esther Leon, her sister Lya Joy Boles, and her two loving husbands, Harold Verner and Fred Burg. Anne was a graduate of Holy Name College and the Detroit Institute of Fashion and Interior Design. She resided in Virginia Beach since 1965. Anne was a trained lyric soprano who used her music both as a volunteer and in a paid setting in her youth.

Mrs. Verner is survived by her best friend and loving daughter, Leslie Verner, her loving son Charles Verner, and her daughter Ellen Tenenbaum (Sigmund), as well as her step-children Fay Silverman (Charles Silverman) and E. Dianna Burg (Gay Bouchakian), and her grandchildren Jonathan Marani, Samuel Silverman (Nicole Silverman), and Paul “PJ” Silverman.

Services were held with Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz officiating in H.D Oliver Funeral Apts. Contributions to Eastern Virginia Medical School or Virginia Beach General Hospital. Online condolences at www.hdoliver.com.

Norfolk —Stuart Irwin Glazer, 82, passed away on March 18, 2017.

He was the son of the late Marion and Meyer Glazer.

He graduated from Maury High School and attended the University of Miami. He had been a member of Ohef Sholom Temple.

Stuart showed great perseverance and courage throughout his life. He was a big fan of all sports and played golf as a hobby for many years. Fishing was another activity that he loved and excelled at during his younger years, catching more than 40 fish in one afternoon.

Family was important to him— always looking forward to holiday dinner celebrations.

Stuart is survived by sisters Brenda Lisner (Sheal), and Janet Hill and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services were private, handled by Altmeyer Funeral Home. Cantor Wally Schachet-Briskin officiated.

Portsmouth —Julius Marcus passed away reluctantly and fighting for every breath at Sentara Heart Hospital on Saturday March 25, begging for the chance to “get out of here and go home.”

Born on January 11, 1928, he was the son of the late Meyer and Rebecca Marcus, one of six children. He was predeceased by his older brother, Adolph and sister, Sarah. Julius is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jeanne Mussman Marcus, and his two daughters, Margie Marcus of Bethesda, Md., and Leslie Marcus Auerbach; granddaughters Rebecca and Katie Auerbach, and his son-in-law, Andrew Auerbach.

He is also survived by brother Dr. Lawrence Marcus of Gaithersburg Md., and Gloria Grabenstein and her husband Dan in Harrisburg, and sister Gladys Novey in Baltimore.

Julius graduated from William Penn High School and served two years in the army before attending Bloomberg State College, and graduated from Penn State in 1951, where he was president of his fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi. Playing basketball starting in high school was a hobby he continued throughout his adult life, playing in a pick up game at the community center well into a time when he was known on the team as “Pops.” He worked for several different companies before enrolling as an IRS agent where he found much satisfaction in a 30-year career.

Julius was known to be very entertaining, with his collection of stories, puns, and jokes always on-hand. These characteristics became the earmark of his personality. His penchant to spin a tale would never disappoint.

A funeral service was held at H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts, followed by burial in Gomley Chesed Cemetery. Online condolences may be offered at hdoliver.com.

Norfolk —Harriet Semel Orleans passed away at home on March 16, 2017.

She was the daughter of Sarah Coplon Semel and was born on November 9, 1925. She was predeceased by her husband Howard Orleans, her daughter Dana Kishter, and her brother, Sidney Semel.

Harriet is survived by her children Barry (Susan) and Roy (Lorna) of Virginia Beach, Nancy Singer of Bethesda, Md., and Kathy Blumenkopf (Bob) of Olney, Md.; and eight grandchildren who adored their Bubby: Gavin, Sarah, Andrew, April, Todd, Howie, Eric, and Keri; her brother Robert Semel (Jackie), her sister Rita Cohen (Ramon), and son-in-law, Neil Kishter (Emily).

Graveside Funeral services were conducted by Dr. Rabbi Michael Panitz and held in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Donations to the charity of the donor’s choice. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. Online condolences may be offered to the family at hdoliver.com.

Virginia Beach—Captian Lev Shikhman, Soviet Naval Engineer, Retired, weighed anchor Friday, March 24, 2017 to rendezvous with his beloved wife, Roza in God’s Heaven to complete one of the greatest love stories of life.

Born May 31, 1924 in Russia, Lev was destined as a mathematical genius to become an engineer under the Soviet military buildup during WW II . As a Jewish Midshipman, he attended the Soviet Naval Academy at Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) Russia. Following graduation he received orders to Soviet Submarine School where he excelled as an engineer. Assigned to numerous submarines stationed over the vast territories of Russia, Lev met a beautiful professional Romanian Opera Singer, Roza, who would soon become his wife and lifetime companion.

The hardships of Soviet Governmental assignments meant numerous moves coast to coast to meet the needs of the Naval Service. Roza bore the loneliness of Lev’s at sea assignments while having a son, Michael and continuing with her career as Lev rose to the command level of Naval Captain. With the disintegration of the Soviet Empire, Lev lost his military pension. His clear-headed admiration for the Americans caused him and Roza to move the family to Chicago, Ill., where he was hired as an engineer.

The Shikhmans applied for U.S. citizenships and prospered well, in America. Due to Roza’s debilitating health issues, doctors recommended they move somewhere close to the Ocean, hence they became residents of Virginia Beach. Their love for the arts caused them to become interpreters for visitors who attended various theater events in Tidewater.

Their growing circle of friends here loved every encounter with Lev and Roza. Sadly, Roza passed away recently and Lev pined for the love of his life, constantly. They both proclaimed their love for God and thanked him for their blessed life together, especially for the peace and prosperity they found in America. Their love was the purest, brightest, and most beautifully passionate item ever witnessed.

They leave Lev’s sister, Lena; niece Gala; son Michael and his wife, Ereena; and two grandsons, Arthur and Jerry Shikhman who all reside in New York.

Memorial services were held at Temple Emanuel Synagogue. Altmeyer Funeral Home.