Bernice Meyer Saltzman, 71, of West Hartford, wife of Dr. Seymour Saltzman, died Wednesday, (August 2, 2000) at Hartford Hospital.
She was the daughter of the late Leonard and Ruth Radman Meyer. Born in Richmond, VA on March 6, 1929, Bernice had lived in Hartford since her marriage to Seymour on June 4, 1951. She regularly spent time with her family in Richmond, VA and Virginia Beach, VA, and with her children and grandchildren in San Francisco, CA and Israel.
She earned two college degrees, in 1950 from Syracuse University School of Journalism and in 1976 from Trinity College Religion Department. Bernice was highly respected and admired for her scholarship in Biblical and Judaic studies.
A constant student of literature, history and thought, she cherished her association with seven friends in the Wednesday Book Group. She was a member of Congregation Beth Israel, taught in its religious school, participated in its weekly Torah study group, served on its ritual, grief support and rabbi search committees, and was instrumental in reactivating the congregation’s daily prayer service, minyan, in 1994. She became an adult bat mitzvah in 1997.
At a late age she mastered computer desktop publishing techniques and put these and her journalistic skills in the service of Parents of North American Israelis, PNAI, an organization of families with children living in Israel, whose quarterly magazine she voluntarily edited from 1983-1995. She was a leader in the organization’s Connecticut chapter and served as program chairwoman of two conventions in Israel.
She was an Executive Board member of the Jewish Federation’s Community Relations Council, CRC, and a member of the Jewish Community Center’s Israel Affairs Committee. For many years, she and her husband were avid members and officers of the Shooting Stars square dancing club.
Besides her husband, she is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, David and Ana Saltzman of Windsor; daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Yuval Mishli of Maccabim, Israel; son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Beth Saltzman, of Redwood City, CA; five grandchildren, Doron, Smadar and Amit Mishli, and Daniel and Jonathan Saltzman; and brother and sister-in-law, Herbert “Buddy” and Helen Meyer of White Plains, NY. She also leaves her aunt and uncle, Mildred and Robert of Eskeles, Richmond, VA; aunt Beatrice Radman Lorber of Florida; sister- and brother-in-law, Esther and Morris Handler of West Hartford; sister-in-law, Rose Sklar; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 4, 11 a.m., at Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. Burial will be in Beth Israel Cemetery in Avon. A period of mourning will be observed at her home on 4 Kirkwood Road, Friday, 2-4 p.m., Saturday, 7-9 p.m., Sunday and Monday, 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.
The family will appreciate donations to the Seymour & Bernice Saltzman Aliyah Fund, c/o the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford Endowment Foundation, 333 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.