humor, most of their memories were
spent laughing at such sayings, “Red
or White,” “Watch that left turn,” “the
chicken walked through the sea,”
Jimmy Buffett songs, coaching little
league baseball at Mullins Park in
Coral Springs, traveling with the Miami
Hurricanes Football team of which he
was an alumnus. Along with his love
of Jimmy Buffett, he equally loved
being on the water owning several
boats. One named “Semi-Normal.” He
also loved cars, especially corvettes,
one he named “Toots.” He had a front
vanity plate on one car that stated,
“Just visiting this planet.” He is sur-
vived by three daughters and a son-
in-law, Andrea & Kenny Tsakanikas
(of Fort Lauderdale), Elyse Klaits (of
Los Angeles) and Mindy Kaufer (of
New Jersey). Joel will be honored in
a celebration of life with details to be
announced at a later date.

METELITS (Bruce) Risler and the late Karen
(Mark) Halsman. Dear sister of the late
Thelma Nusbaum. Cherished grand-
mother of Spencer Halsman (Erin
Mock), Stephanie Risler and Jamie
Halsman (Keoni Oliver). Contributions
in her memory may be made to breast-
cancer.org. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S
RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com
PRUSHAN SHELDON - On January 29, 2023.

Beloved husband of the late Gisele
(nee Yedid). Loving father of Helene
Rosen (Ron), Alan Prushan (Carol),
and Mimi Prushan.

Dear grand-
father of Daniel, Josh, and Esther
Rosen, and Joel and Simon Prushan.

Contributions in his memory may be
made to Philadelphia Rotary, PO Box
177, Abington, PA 19001 or Camp
Harlam Scholarship Fund, 575 Smith
Road, Kunkletown, PA 18058. www.

campharlam.org GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S
RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com
RHODE WOLBRAMSKY
WEISS JOAN P. (Raubfogel), 90, wife of the
late Sydney H. Weiss of Audubon, PA
SPCA, www.montgomerycountyspca.

org GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S
RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com
ZWERLING JERRY of Boca Raton, FL, former-
ly of Philadelphia, passed away on
February 1, 2023.

Beloved hus-
band of the late Hannah Zwerling
(nee Schlachterman). Devoted fa-
ther of Debbie White (Wayne) and
Barry Zwerling (Brooke).

Loving grandfather of Matthew, Allie, and
Noah. Contributions in his memory
may be made to the American Heart
Association-www.heart.org GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S
RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com
DEBORAH (nee Keyserman) on
January 30, 2023. Loving mother of
Erica Wolbramsky (Joshua Lennon);
Dear sister of Neal Keyserman (Linda
Newman); Devoted grandmother of
Walter. Contributions in her memo-
ry may be made to Montgomery Co.

Attention All
Community Organizations
If you would like to update
your listing in the
2023-2024 GUIDE TO
JEWISH LIFE
$5 JEWISH
LIFE Guide to
2022-2023 Baltimore Guide to Jewish
Life please contact Jewish Exponent
Editor Andy Gotlieb at
agotlieb@jewishexponent.com 2022-2023
In loving memory of my dear husband,
Love of my life, Jim! Dr. James Rhode
was a caring son, husband, father,
grandfather, brother, and friend. Jim
left this world Saturday, December 3,
2022, at the age of 70 after a coura-
geous battle with cancer. Burial was
at Montefi ore Cemetery, Jenkintown.

Jim completed his Bachelor’s degree
at Temple University and received his
Doctorate of Dental Surgery at Temple
University Dental School. His dental
career spanned more than forty years
in which he touched generations of
lives. His dedication to his patient was
enormous and won’t be forgotten.

Jim’s pride was in his love for family,
music, and dentistry. His humor and
positive energy were contagious to ev-
eryone he met. His smile will always
shine through.

GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S
RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com
formerly of Phoneixville, PA passed
away on Monday, January 30, 2023.

Born on May 23, 1932 in Philadelphia,
PA she was the daughter of the late
Max and Effi e (Rovner) Raubfogel.

She graduated from Overbrook
High School and studied at Temple
University. Joan was a Receptionist
at VanGuard Group in Great Valley.

She was a passionate supporter of
Planned Parenthood. She is survived
by 4 sons: Jonathan (Rochelle) Weiss;
Eric Weiss; Evan (Leslie) Weiss;
Bruce Weiss. 4 Grandchildren, Haley,
Sydney, David, and Drew. She was
preceded in death by her brother, Jerry
Raubfogel. DEVLIN-ROSMOS-KEPP-GATCHA
FUNERAL HOME
www.gatchafuneral.com Baltimore Jewish Times
MELVIN, 89 passed away on 28 Janu-
ary 2023 peacefully, with his family by
his side. He lived an outsized life while
remaining enormously grounded. His
early activism in the organised left and
civil rights movement included lead-
ership in the Fair Play for Cuba Com-
mittee of Philadelphia, and journalism
with the left wing newspaper The Inde-
pendent Citizen. He was a member of
the Communist Party USA from 1963
to 1991. An elementary school teach-
er who ended that phase of his career
in the Frederick Douglass School, his
early work in the Philadelphia teachers
union securing rights for “permanent
part time teachers” including full time
pay and benefi ts changed the eco-
nomic fortunes of many. He organised
protests against the Vietnam War as
well as busloads of protestors and ac-
tivists for The March on Washington
for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. A char-
ismatic, intellectual and deeply spiritu-
al man, he returned to his Jewish roots
through P’nai Or in Philadelphia and
Jewish Renewal. Teaching scores of
bar and bat mitzvah learners, as well
as aspiring converts, Melvin became a
revered teacher of Torah and Jewish
values. He led several circles of To-
rah and Jewish text study groups, and
eventually received smicha as a Mag-
gid, a traditional teller of folk stories in
the Jewish mystical and ethical tradi-
tions. He held storytelling sessions far
and wide, and his last session was
captured on a CD entitled The Whis-
pering Maggid. His storytelling was
all the more remarkable given that
he had survived throat cancer, had
only one vocal chord, and spoke in a
whisper that was at once penetrating
and captivating. A warm, open teach-
er, whose appreciation for the wonder
of everyday existence could turn any
moment into a deep lesson, his spiritu-
al guidance and example transformed
the lives of congregants and students,
and even some of his own teachers. In
his youth and middle age, he was an
avid athlete, excelling in table tennis
and cycling in his middle years as past
President of the Pennsylvania Cycling
Club. He played classical guitar at
a very high level when younger, and
had a keen appreciation for music. He
spoke Spanish perfectly from a young
age, and loved sports, being an ardent
supporter of the Eagles and Phillies.

He is survived by his third wife, Maria,
and his son Michael, grandchildren
Caleb and Leah, as well as stepchil-
dren Letetia, Sabre, Chandler and
Cassandra; and step grandchildren
Niara, Kyle, Simone, Cloe, Chandler
Jr., Victoria and Terrell, and step great
grandchildren along with Jeremiah,
Timothy, Shalayh, Samir, Mahlani,
Tyreek and Carter. In lieu of fl owers,
please make donations to P'nai Or
Philadelphia https://pnaior-phila.org/
or The Shalom Center https://thesha-
lomcenter.org/ .

GOLDSTEINS' ROSENBERG'S
RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com
jewishexponent.com TUCKER
PAULA (nee Feuer) on January
27, 2023. Beloved wife of the late
Seymour. Devoted mother of Sheri
jewishexponent.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
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