Howard Steinmetz z”l

Howard Steinmetz, husband of Barbara Steinmetz and father of Julie Shaffer, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday morning, November 27th, 2010.  Howard had fought for every breath of life with determination and strength for many years.  His end was peaceful and loving and his adoring wife Barbara and his two daughters Julie and Monica and their families were there.

The funeral will be Sunday morning, November 28th, 2010 at Congregation Bonai Shalom, 1527 Cherryvale Rd., Boulder, with burial at Crist Mountain View on Kalmia following.

There will be three minyanim for shiva Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 6:30 pm at the Steinmetz home, 2920 Island Drive, 80301. The family may be sitting shiva for most of the week in addition to these times.  Please watch for more information.

If you would like to bring food for the shiva home or meals for the family, please contact Amy Stein at astein@adl.org

Alav hashalom, peace on Howard’s gentle soul and strength and comfort to Barbara and all the family – hamakom y’nachem.

*** The family have requested that we respect their needs as mourners in a traditional way, allowing them to sit and be taken care of in a quiet and appropriate way according to custom. Traditionally, those visiting a house of mourning do not initiate conversation nor create social discourse; rather we offer our presence in a comforting way. For more information, please feel free to ask me or visit this site: Jewish Mourning Customs.

Visiting Mourners

People pay “shivah calls” to fulfill the mitzvah of nihum avelim, comforting the mourners. These visits demonstrate community concern at the time of loss. The visits help the mourners over the feelings of isolation or desertion, both of which are natural feelings after the death of a loved one. Even if many people have gathered, those present should be sure a party-like atmosphere does not develop. Conversation should center on the life and memories of the departed. Contrary to popular belief, talking about the deceased is helpful to the mourner. Such conversations help the mourner to begin the process of getting over their grief. If you have been through a time of personal grief and the mourner asks you how you felt or how you managed, share your own experience. Mourners often take comfort in knowing that others have experienced similar feelings.

Mourners are not obligated to have food or drink available for those who come to visit.

About Rabbi Marc Soloway

Marc is a native of London, England where he was an actor and practitioner of complimentary medicine before training as a rabbi in London, Jerusalem and Los Angeles. He was ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies at the American Jewish University in 2004 and has been the the spiritual leader at Bonai Shalom in Boulder ever since. Marc was a close student of Rabbi Zalman Schechter Shalomi and received an additional smicha (rabbinic ordination) from him in 2014, just two months before he died. He has been the host and narrator of two documentary films shown on PBS; A Fire in the Forest: In Search of the Baal Shem Tov and Treasure under the Bridge: Pilgrimage to the Hasidic Masters of Ukraine. Marc is a graduate of the Institute of Jewish Spirituality, a fellow of Rabbis Without Borders, has traveled to Ghana in a rabbinic delegation with American Jewish World Service and co-chair of the Rabbinical Council and national board member of Hazon, which strives to create more sustainable Jewish communities. In 2015, Marc was among a group of 12 faith leaders honored at The White House as “Champions of Change” for work on the climate. Marc is a proud member of Beit Izim, Boulder’s Jewish goat milking co-op.

Check Also

Cayden Rosenthal Bet Mitzvah

On Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 Harper Hammer-Cadora will be called to the Torah as Bet Mitzvah at Congregation Har HaShem.

Harper Hammer-Cadora Bet Mitzvah

On Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 Harper Hammer-Cadora will be called to the Torah as Bet Mitzvah at Congregation Har HaShem.

One comment

  1. Marla Raucher Osborn

    Friend, mentor, humanist – we miss you dear Howard

%d