Weiner, Shirley

Shirley Weiner, 94, of West Hartford, died peacefully Saturday March 19, 2022. She was the beloved wife of the late Hyman Joseph Weiner, a Columbia University Social Work Professor (1967-1980) , who died tragically in 1980. Born in the Bronx, New York; on June 18, 1927, she was the daughter of Max and Fanny (Segalovitch) Beckerman. As a teenager Shirley was active in the Progressive Socialist movement of the 1950's and later become deeply involved in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s and 70s. She received a BA from Brooklyn College in early childhood education and 2 Masters Degrees from Bank Street Graduate School of Education in New York City. She was a fierce advocate for social justice. After the death of her husband, she developed a new passion focusing on Yiddish language, literature and Jewish/ Holocaust education. Shirley co-founded Friends of Yiddish with Jo Abrams, putting on many Yiddish programs in the NYC area. She was an avid student of Yiddish literature and language with Pasach Fishman at Workmen's Circle and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Shirley sang alto with the Yiddish Philharmonic Chorus for 23 years (19882011), a central part of her life. She was a docent at the Jewish Museum of New York (105th Street, NYC), was a translator for Holocaust survivor transcriptions (with her Yiddish skills), and was one of the founding docents at The Museum for Jewish Heritage (Battery Park, NYC). Shirley was an active and beloved mother, grandmother and friend to many. She is survived by her three children; Robert Weiner of Northampton, MA, Susan Susskind and her husband David of Mamaroneck, NY; and Daniel Weiner and his wife Sandra of West Hartford and their children; Frances Weiner and Benjamin Weiner and step- grandchildren, Ilan, Roni and Ezequiel Unger and Shamilupa Kalapula. A funeral was held on Tuesday March 22 at the Montefiore Cemetery in Queens New York. The family is observing a private period of mourning. Donations in her memory may be made to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS, https://www.hias.org/). May her memory be a source of strength and a blessing. Funeral arrangements provided by Hebrew Funeral Association, West Hartford.

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