Laina Farhat-Holzman
Laina Farhat-Holzman of Aptos, CA passed away on Sunday March 10, 2024 of natural causes. Her family were at her side and she was at peace. She was a regular contributor to the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Register Pajaronian, and she amassed a large following of fans who looked forward to her op-eds, articles and movie reviews.
Laina was born Marlena Chazen in the Jewish district of Rochester, New York to Russian/Ukranian born immigrants. In 1950 her family relocated to Los Angeles, where she attended her senior year of high school at Dorsey High School. She then attended UCLA as an English major, where in 1952 she met and married an Iranian exchange student, Hormoz Farhat. In 1956 she spent two years living in Tehran, Iran while her husband worked on his Ph.D dissertation, and this is where Laina discovered her interest in ancient Persian and world religions, as well as middle east studies, leading her to obtain her Ph.D in comparative literature with a minor in world civilizations from USC in 1971. She also had her first of two children while living in Iran, Kameron Farhat (deceased 1983).
In 1972 after her divorce from Farhat, she relocated to the San Francisco bay area (Menlo Park) to be near her sister and other family as well as for work (beginning with being an editor for United Technologies Corporation). Laina’s subsequent career lead her to programs teaching English to Persian military students (1975-1977); a teaching position at Golden Gate University; Executive Director of the San Francisco United Nations Association; a frequent speaker for the World Affairs Council; was a member of the American Association of University Women, presenting programs on foreign affairs; held a membership with the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations; was a member of the Monterey Bay chapter of the Foreign Affairs Council; while also writing several books throughout: Gods Law or Man’s Law; Strange Birds from Zoroaster's Nest: An Overview of Revealed Religions; The Slave Who Lied but Once a Year: And Other Persian Tales; and How Do You Know That? A Guide to Critical Thinking about Global Issues. (More of her bio can be view at: www.globalthink.net/global/bio.php.)
In her retirement years, she married E.H. “Mickey” Holzman of Pajaro Dunes, and relocated to Aptos, California where she continued to write op-eds for the Sentinel and Register Pajorian, taught monthly classes in world civilizations, current affairs, and understanding the current political landscape of the United States (called her “brown-bag series” as attendees were encoueaged to bring their lunches). She also cultivated her cooking skills to that of true foodie-gourmet status, and enjoyed hosting dinner parties where politics was the talk of the table while enjoying wonderful Italian fare and good California wine. Her Feast of the Seven Fishes at Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners featuring the native foods of the Americas were always special events.
She is survived by her husband Mickey E.H. Holzman, daughter Ariana Dane (formerly Farhat), step-children Jacki Holzman, Jim Holzman, Jeff Holzman, sons and daughters-in-law (Daniel Montellano, Frank Jeffries, Marine Holzman, and Leslie Holzman) and five grand-children (Marcella Farhat Williams, Ayla Montellano, Kylie Holzman, Kelsey Holzman, and Jordan Jeffries).
At her request, Laina's ashes will be spread in the San Francisco Bay at a later date. Please carry-on her mantle of speaking truth to power, and always being willing to see and discuss all sides of the story.