Dr. Saul Wasserman
April 22, 1942 - December 11, 2020
Resident of Palo Alto, CA
Dr. Saul Wasserman’s soul peacefully left this world on Friday, December 11.
Born and raised in New York, Saul graduated from Bronx High School of Science and attended Cornell University, where he met his wife, Judith. They married in 1963, and he attended the University of Chicago Medical School. In 1968, they moved to Palo Alto, where he completed his residency in Psychiatry at Stanford University. Their daughter, Rachel, was born in 1970.
Saul worked as a beloved and respected child psychiatrist for decades, and co-founded and directed the Child/ Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at San Jose Hospital. He served on the Stanford Medical School clinical faculty and held various positions in the Regional Organization of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In addition to his private practice, Saul was the consulting child psychiatrist for the foster care team of Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, and for many local schools. He also served on the Santa Clara County Child Death Review, working to reduce infant and child mortality.
Congregation Beth Am was Saul’s spiritual community. He was involved in the lay minyan, the Jewish book group, weekly Torah study, and he taught classes. Torah study especially was a vibrant source of spiritual and intellectual challenge.
A man of insatiable curiosity and sharp, wide-ranging intellect, Saul was also an accomplished gardener and tropical fish enthusiast. He and Judith shared a passion for experiencing new cultures, and they traveled to over 40 countries. All who knew him admired his patience, wisdom, and kind heart.
Saul was a loving companion to his wife, Judith, for over 50 years. He also adored his children, Rachel & Yehoshua Hershberg; and his grandchildren, Adina & Aviad Torati, Yosef Hershberg, Atara Hershberg, and Sara Hershberg, and visited them often in Israel.
The family requests that those who want to make charitable contributions in Saul’s honor, give to the children’s charity of their choice.