Annual Report FYE 7-31-11.pdf - Jewish Foundation of Greater New ...

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Benjamin and Freda Cohen
Benjamin and
Freda Cohen were
married for 46
years. Together
they were longtime members
of Young Israel of New Haven,
supporters of the Jewish Federation
of Greater New Haven
Annual Campaign, as well as
numerous Jewish and non-Jewish
charities, both in New Haven
and in Israel. Ben was born in
New Haven and is a graduate
of Yale University, class of
1942. He was an influential part
of the core group of people
who founded the Slifka kosher kitchen at Yale and Tower One/Tower
East. In World War II he served in the South Pacific and afterwards
worked in Puerto rico for a company called Crane China Corporation.
Ben left Puerto rico because he wanted to live an observant Jewish life
and find a Jewish wife and felt that at the time, he could not do that in
Puerto rico. Back in New Haven, Ben met Freda.
Freda and her siblings, Benjamin Bardasch and, rebecca Winston,
grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut. Ben’s siblings were Kathryn
Levine, Frances Cohen, Belle Cohen and Natalie Schain. Both Freda
and Ben had the same commitment to their community, their country,
their synagogue, their charitable endeavors and the State of Israel.
Whoever practices charity and justice fills the world with loving-kindness.
B. Talmud Sukkah 49b
Jewish Foundation oF Greater new haven
Together, Ben and Freda started Manpower of New Haven, a
temporary workforce agency. For as long as they were well, they
spent time in Israel every winter where they maintained an apartment,
and wherever they were, they were exceedingly benevolent in terms
of their generosity, especially with respect to Israeli and domestic
Jewish causes.
Freda passed away in 2008 and Ben in 2010. Together they
established designated endowment funds at the Jewish Foundation
for the benefit of the Hebrew High School of New England, the
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, the Jewish Foundation,
Young Israel of New Haven, Jewish Family Service, the Center for
Jewish Life and Learning (formerly the Department of Jewish
Education of the Jewish Federation) and to benefit the Jewish frail
and elderly. In addition, through the Jewish Foundation they made
charitable distributions to numerous national and Israeli Jewish
charities including ArMDI, Yad Sarah, JNF and the National Yiddish
Book Center. They also partnered with the Jewish Foundation to
provide for numerous local charities including the Downtown Evening
Soup Kitchen, St. raphael’s, and Connecticut Hospice.
Ben is survived by his sister Natalie Schain, as well as several
nieces and nephews and their children. Freda is survived by her
only nephew, Gerald Bardasch, his wife, and their children and
grandchildren.
The endowment funds they created will help fund our community
for many, many generations. Their legacy and their names will truly
continue and be an enduring blessing.
Bobbe and Richard Grossman
BoBBe grossman estaBLished
a sChoLarship fund for Camp
LaureLWood in memory of her
husBand, riChard grossman Z’L.
There’s an Irving Berlin song about
hating to get up in the morning—
it references murdering the Bugler
and amputating his revelry.
As a camper at Laurelwood the summers
of 1940,’41 and ‘42, I remember that this was
a popular song as the Bugler woke us each
morning by tooting revelry.
I did not actually know the bugler; only that he
was one of the older kids and that his name
was Dick.
Fast forward—on June 6, 1954,
richard Grossman and roberta Davis married.
When we talked about our days at Laurelwood,
it became evident that I had married the Bugler!
While he no longer bugled, he did spend our
wonderful married years waking me up each morning.
—Bobbe (“roberta”) Davis Grossman
A flame is not diminished though it kindles a million candles,
so will he not lose who gives to a good cause.
Exodus rabbah
Jewish Foundation oF Greater new haven 32