Hundreds show respect to Rabbi Evan Jaffe of Flemington Jewish
Community Center, dead at 62
Photo by Paul Hamilton
Hundreds show respect to
Rabbi Evan Jaffe of Flemington Jewish Community Center, dead at 62
Hundreds leave the funeral services for Rabbi Evan Jaffe at
the Flemington Jewish Community Center. Posted: Wednesday, August 19, 2015 3:00 am
By WALTER O’BRIEN Editor
Rabbi Evan Jaffe, leader of the Flemington Jewish Community
Center (FJCC) in Raritan Township, died on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at the University
of Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia after a battle with cancer. He
was 62.
Funeral services took place at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14 at the
center with hundreds of family, friends, and neighbors. The services were
followed by interment in the FJCC Cemetery on Capner Street. Jaffe is survived
by his wife, Phyllis Lerner, and their two daughters, Jordana and Atara.
“It is with deepest sadness and sorrow that we inform all of
you that this morning our husband, father, rabbi, friend and mentor passed
away,” said Phyllis, Jordana and Atara Jaffe in a public message posted on the
funeral home website. “While for a time he seemed to improve in the ICU, due to
the exceptional care of the nursing staff and doctors of UPenn medical
facility; unfortunately, the past couple of days were a struggle, and he
succumbed to the disease. While his body struggled, his brilliant mind stayed
strong, brave, kind, and even humorous all the way till the end. He was an
inspiration to all of his doctors and nurses – they loved him even for the short
time he was with them.”
“Our community has lost a great leader and a great man. I
got to know him through my role as prosecutor and was able to quickly identify
him as a leader,” said Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns III. “He
was an integral part of our community. He had and understood the uniqueness of
our county and sought to preserve it and make it all the better through his
concern and care for others. I valued his wisdom and strength. The county has
lost a leader and a compassionate visionary and I have lost a friend. I will
miss him and my most sincere sympathies and condolences are with his family and
congregation.”
Born in Denver, Rabbi Jaffe graduated Cum Laude from
Columbia University with a bachelor’s degree in Religion, and earned a Master
of Hebrew Letters from the Jewish Theological Seminary, according to the FJCC
website. Rabbi Jaffe acted as both Rabbi and Cantor, reading Torah and teaching
Hebrew School. He personally tutored each bar or bat mitzvah student. He was
Jewish Chaplain at Hunterdon Medical Center, Hunterdon Development Center,
Hunterdon County Jail, and president of the Hunterdon Interfaith Outreach
Council.
“Rabbi Jaffe was a kind, gentle, polite and learned man who
loved children, visited the sick, helped the developmentally challenged,
embraced the aging, worked with the homeless and the list goes on,” said Karen
Walsh, director of the FJCC Hebrew School. “He created a Hebrew School, and a
teen mentoring program that made Judaism accessible to each and every child. He
remembered the name of every Torah portion for every student he tutored. He
will be remembered for each high five he gave to preschool students, teaching
Chag Gad Ya every spring to the Hebrew School and staying in touch with
students once they left for school, got married and had children of their own.
Over the past 28 years he was our spiritual leader, our friend, and our
teacher. The silence from his empty chair in his office recounts the stories of
his community that will echo through the building for years to come.”
“Knowing Rabbi Jaffe’s devotion to people – not just to
service – I was not at all surprised by the sea of people that overflowed the
Flemington Jewish Community Center this afternoon,” said Alexandria Township
resident and author Stephanie P. Ledgin. “For me personally, he was there every
step of the way the past year as I dealt with multiple family and health
issues. Multiply this type of caring and involvement by the one thousand people
in attendance at his funeral service, and it is still only a fraction of his
countless contributions to the entire Hunterdon County community. His loss is
like a gaping sink hole.”
Rather than flowers, well-wishers are asked to consider a
donation to the Flemington Jewish Community Center, Hunterdon Interfaith
Outreach Council, or Volunteer Guardianship One-on-One.
Rabbi Evan A. Jaffe, died
Wednesday August 12, 2015 at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in
Philadelphia, PA, he was 62. Born in Baltimore, MD, son of the late Marvin and
Carolyn Moranz Jaffe, he had resided in Flemington since 1987, and formerly
resided in New York City. Rabbi Jaffe was a graduate of Columbia University and
received his Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of
Pennsylvania, and graduated from the Jewish Theological Seminary, in New York
City. Evan was the Rabbi at the Flemington Jewish Community Center (FJCC) since
1987. At one time, he was a professional ballet dancer in New York for seven
years. Active in community activities for nearly 30 years, he was the Chaplain
at Hunterdon Developmental Center, in Clinton, NJ and the Greenbrook Regional
Center, in Greenbrook NJ. He was the President of the Hunterdon Interfaith
Outreach Council, former President of the Women's Crisis Center in Flemington,
was an active participant with the Volunteer Guardianship of One-on-One in
Hunterdon County and Meals on Wheels of Hunterdon County, and was a volunteer
at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton, NJ. He was also the founder
of the O.P.E.N. Road of Flemington, which facilitates the transportation for
the developmentally disabled and the homebound elderly to places of worship. He
was also very active in the Matheny School and Hospital in Peapack, NJ. During
his tenure at the FJCC, he oversaw the growth of the community center and was
selected by The Forward magazine "as one of the 33 most inspirational
Rabbi's in the US." Rabbi Jaffe is survived by his wife of 33 years,
Phyllis Lerner, two daughters, Atara Jaffe of Vacaville, CA, and Jordana Jaffe
of Hoboken, NJ, and a sister, Mindy Jaffe of Honolulu HI. Funeral services will
take place Friday, August 14, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. in the Flemington Jewish
Community Center, 5 Sergeantsville Road, Flemington, NJ under the
joint-direction of Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home and Wright & Ford Family
Funeral Home, Flemington, NJ. Interment will follow in the Flemington Jewish
Community Cemetery, Capner Street, Flemington, NJ. As is traditional in the
Jewish faith, the Rabbi would not want flowers. Instead, please consider a
donation to the Flemington Jewish Community Center, 5 Sergeantsville Road, Flemington
NJ 08822, the Hunterdon Interfaith Outreach Council, at the same address, or
Volunteer Guardianship One-on-One, 188 Route 31, Flemington, NJ 08822.
Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home 147 Main Street Flemington, NJ 08822 (908)
782-4343
Published in Hunterdon County
Democrat from Aug. 15 to Aug. 18, 2015 - See more at:
http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/hunterdoncountydemocrat/obituary.aspx?n=evan-a-jaffe&pid=175527280&fhid=8072#sthash.GRnfLVi4.dpuf
October 03, 2015
Evan
Jaffe
Rabbi Evan Jaffe gives a voice to those who go ignored or
have been abandoned. Flemington Jewish Community Center’s humble spiritual
leader is a champion of compassion and justice for all. In March, he will be
recognized by Volunteer Guardianship One-on-One, Inc. for his work with people
with dementia and for mentoring new caretakers. He serves as emergency guardian
for those abandoned at Hunterdon Medical Center. In December, when his
synagogue completed its new Torah in honor of the congregation’s 90th
anniversary, Rabbi Jaffe arranged for several severely disabled residents from
centers for people with developmental disabilities to participate in the Torah
writing process. He conducts weekly services for Hunterdon Center residents and
regularly integrates them in synagogue. He is a founder of OPEN Religious
Organizations Accepting Disabilities, which regularly arranges transportation
to churches for the disabled. He also provides outreach to the poor and the
homeless, and to Jewish inmates; co-sponsors African refugees; and volunteers
with Meals on Wheels.
— Eileen Schwalb
Flemington Jewish Center
– Facebook
Naomi Mindlin I am so sorry to hear of Rabbi
Jaffe's death. One year in the mid-1990s, I worked with the confirmation class
at FJCC, studying various topics through dance. Rabbi Jaffe (who I was told
often took the opportunity to whip out a pirouette in an empty social hall)
totally embraced this creative way to engage with Judaism. He was a true
mensch.
Dianne Davis So sorry to hear
of the passing of Rabbi Jaffe. He truly had a "yiddisha neshama" and
taught by example. RIP Rabbi Jaffe.
September 12 at 2:47amDoug Krampel Devastation doesn't come close
to describe the feelings we are going though and the hope to Phyllis, Jordana
and Tari. We are here for you and each other. Rabbi Evan Jaffe has brought all
of our families a unity and connection to Judaism. It is just so hard to
believe that he will not be here to share nachas and sadness. He would want us to
go on and be the best we can be. RIP Rabbi Evan Jaffe.
Stephanie P. Ledgin I am heartbroken to hear
this sad news. While I am not a full-time member of FJCC, Rabbi Jaffe was there
for me every step of the way the last 10 months through the loss of my mother
and my own cancer battle. He was self-less, tireless, and the entire community,
Jewish or not, was blessed by his presence and activities. May his memory be
for a blessing. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
Joanna Kay Silberman A tragic loss
Judy Gold Way Too soon. Tragic loss.
Margie Owens Conte What a dear man ...I saw
him in action and he walked. His talk and took good care of his flock
Len Epstein Sherry Deutsch, Lori Epstein and I are in terrible shock! Rabbi
Jaffe was an inspiration to everyone and will be sorely missed! The world has
lost a very bright light. Baruch Dayan HaEmes!
Kris Garhart I am beyond brokenhearted at the
loss of Rabbi Jaffe. I will miss his smile, kind words, wise counsel and
friendship. Words fall short in expressing how I feel. God bless you Rabbi.
Arielle Shapiro Baruch Dayan Emet. Our whole
family is heart broken.
Elaine Eva Huber We are all sadden by the
loss of our beloved Rabbi, and spiritual leader. Rabbi Jaffe personified the
word MENSCH. His genuine caring, inspiration and leadership will be truly
missed. Baruch Dayan Haemes.
My heart goes out to Rabbi Jaffe's wife and daughter's. May they find comfort
in the knowledge that he was an amazing human being.
Erin Cobb McPherson What a terrible loss for
the community!
Rabbi Jaffe was so kind to everyone he met - including the children who attend
FJCC Nursery School
Christopher Rowland Truly, a shining light
has gone out. My condolences to the many who grieve his loss.
Peggy Gagliardi I am completely devastated
for the passing of our dearest Rabbi Jaffe. His life work was a pure and
sincere example of selfless works and acts of kindness. He has touched so many
lives far reaching the human eye. My heart is broken for our loss and for his
beloved wife and children.
Mark Sirota What devastating news. Rabbi
Jaffe meant so much to my family, to the FJCC and to the larger community. And
he was an inspiration to me. My heart goes out to his family.
Erica Good What a horrible loss... A truly
amazing man and such an important part of our lives. My son and I are truly
devastated by this loss... An amazing friend and he will be dearly missed. My
heart breaks for you his beloved family...
Heather Wighton Mass Devastated but grateful
for our time with him. My kids adored him. He was such a pillar of strength
during our own challenges. What an amazing man and an amazing family. Much love
and continued prayers.
Barbara Langer I am so saddened to hear of
the passing of Rabbi Jaffe. He was such a wonderful person, an amazing rabbi,
so kind and so considerate of everyone. He was there for my family in happy
times and tragic times. I first met him when he came to visit me in th...See More
Susan G. Moss-Danielsen He was an amazing
Rabbi and he did my dad's services back in 1988.... So, sad to hear of his
passing.....RIP Rabbi Jaffe!!!
Naomi Mindlin I am so sorry to hear of Rabbi
Jaffe's death. One year in the mid-1990s, I worked with the confirmation class
at FJCC, studying various topics through dance. Rabbi Jaffe (who I was told
often took the opportunity to whip out a pirouette in an empty social hall)
totally embraced this creative way to engage with Judaism. He was a true
mensch.
Dianne Davis So sorry to hear
of the passing of Rabbi Jaffe. He truly had a "yiddisha neshama" and
taught by example. RIP Rabbi Jaffe.
The Jaffe Family Thanks Community
Jordana, Atara and I would like to extend our sincere thanks
to the entire Flemington Jewish Community Center family. The outpouring of
love, affection and heartfelt sentiments has brought us, and continues to bring
us much comfort and love.
From the beautiful cards; each with a touching and
meaningful story, the well attended minyan services; both morning and evening,
the lovely Shiva visits to our home, the meals and goodies, and the generous
donations and expressions of love for my husband and how he touched your lives
has been most heart warming. We will never forget what he meant to all of you
and how much you meant to him, and what you continue to mean to us. These acts
of kindness will always be remembered and cherished in our hearts.
We will be spending Rosh Hashanah in Westchester with my
niece and our family and will be back at the FJCC with all of you for Yom
Kippur. We want to take this time to wish you a Shana Tova, a Happy and Healthy
New Year 5776.
We love you,
Phyllis, Jordana and Atara
