A pair of prominent and well-respected women in the local Conservative community passed away over the weekend.
Rachel Velelli Glaser, who served as educational director of Beth Israel Congregation Religious School for 26 years, passed away Feb. 12 after a short battle with cancer. “Morah Rachel,” as she was known by her many students, was 73.
Rebecca Geller Schwartz, an educator and well-known figure at Beth El Congregation and wife of the Pikesville synagogue’s senior spiritual leader of 14 years, Rabbi Steven Schwartz, passed away on Feb. 13 of colon cancer. She was 57.
Glaser — a native of the Greek city of Patras who moved to Baltimore when she was 8 and grew up in the Mondawmin area — was a fixture at Beth Israel and in local Jewish educational circles. She also served as director of Habonim Dror Camp Moshava in Harford County for 28 years.
A member of the Greek Romaniote Jewish community, Glaser, who lived in Owings Mills, was deeply affected by her parents’ experiences in Greece during World War II. Her mother, Emilia, lost two sisters and their families when they were deported from Corfu to Nazi death camps. Her father, Emmanuel, had two brothers forcibly conscripted by the Greek communists fighting the occupying German forces.
“I remember hearing my mother screaming in her sleep. It happened so much that we sort of got used to it,” Glaser told Jmore in 2017. “Whenever my mother heard the word ‘German’ or ‘Germany,’ she spat.”
Owings Mills resident Jacqueline Polashuk posted about Glaser on the memorial page of the website of Sol Levinson & Bros. funeral home, “We are heartbroken to lose such a beloved member of the Beth Israel congregation and the Baltimore community. Her dedication to her students and Jewish education knew no limits. Her warmth, devotion, and beautiful presence will remain forever in our hearts. “
Glaser’s family wrote on the memorials page, “Her greatest delights were gathering together with her children and grandchildren and hosting holiday meals with her large extended family.”
An Owings Mills resident, Rebecca Geller Schwartz, or “Becky” as she was known by friends and family, was a native of Gloucester, Massachusetts, who studied at Brandeis University.
In a blog post dated Feb. 2, Rabbi Schwartz wrote, “It is impossible to express the profound gratitude that we feel for the countless cards, texts, emails, and gifts we have received over the last weeks. Although we cannot respond to each message individually, please know that they are all read, and that they have brought us great comfort and meaning during this difficult time. We are deeply touched by the kindness and caring of our congregation and our community, and we feel embraced by the warmth and love that have come to us each day.
“As we navigate this time we are doing our best to face the many challenges that confront us, and at the same time to embrace the countless blessings we have in our lives — family, friendship, faith, and Beth El chief among them.”
Of the passing of Schwartz, Beth El’s officers and board of director expressed its “deepest condolences to Rabbi Schwartz and the entire Schwartz family, and our most profound hope that Becky’s memory will forever be a blessing.”
Wrote Beth El congregants Shelley and Bobby Shermer on Sol Levinson’s web page: “We will always admire her beauty, the strength she showed as the pillar for our spiritual leader, and the guidance she provided to her three wonderful children.”
Besides her husband of 31 years, Rebecca Geller Schwartz is survived by her three children, Talia, Joshua, and Merav Schwartz; her parents, Rabbi Myron and Eileen Geller; her brother, Jesse (late Pamela) Geller and sister, Deborah Geller; her sister-in law, Susan (Robert) Chicoski and brother-in-law, Brian (Eden) Schwartz; and her in-laws, Dr. Mayer and Alice Schwartz.
There will be a private graveside service for Schwartz in Gloucester. Contributions in her memory may be sent to the Rebecca Geller Schwartz Scholarship Fund to Support Alumni Families at Camp Yavneh, 160 Herrick Rd., Newton Centre, Massachusetts 02459, or the Cape Ann Museum, 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930, or Beth El Congregation, 8101 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21208.
Rachel Velelli Glaser is survived by her husband of 50 years, Richard Glaser; her four children, Dr. Rivka Glaser (Dr. Joshua Weisberg), Eli Glaser (Pnina Laric), Miriam Glaser (Dr. Dan Isenberg), and Aviva Glaser (Jason Luly); her sisters, Josephine (late Oscar) Becker and Regina (late Simon) Frances; her brother, Victor (Connie) Velelli; her grandchildren, Nadav, Shai, Eitan and Gilad Weisberg, Zev and Matan Glaser, Meira and Elana Isenberg; and by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and others.
Memorial services for Glaser will be held at Chizuk Amuno Congregation, 8100 Stevenson Rd., Pikesville, Maryland 21208, on Monday, Feb. 14, at noon. Contributions in her memory may be sent to the Rachel Glaser Scholarship Fund, Habonim Dror Camp Moshava (campmosh.org/give) or the Rachel Glaser Scholarship Fund, Beth Israel Congregation (bethisrael-om.org) or HIAS (hias.org).
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