Obituaries

of Newton Highlands, on February 17, 2017. Beloved husband of Elaine (Kligman) Porter. Loving uncle of Daniel Green of Newton Highlands. Retired accountant for the MA Dept. of Revenue. Private services were held at the Beth El Cemetery in West Roxbury. Donations in Bert’s memory may be made to Cong. Agudas Achim Anshe Sfard, P.O. Box 600371, Newton, MA 02460.

Died on February 17, 2017, after a short illness. Dear husband of Bernice (Niecie) who died over a year before. A well known and respected Boston lawyer, most recently Of Counsel to Seyfarth Shaw LLP. In 1976 he was one of the founders of Goldstein & Manello. He was active in many local and national charities, having served as an office of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, the Jewish Family and Children’s Service, and as a trustee of Emmanuel College, Beth Israel Hospital, and United Community Services. He has also been president of the Wightman Tennis Center. He is survived by his brother, Seymour, and three children from a previous marriage.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, February 20, 2017, at 11:00 at Temple Israel Cemetery, 492 North Avenue (off of Route 128), Wakefield, Massachusetts. Following the service, friends are invited to attend a reception from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Aura Restaurant in the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, 1 Seaport Lane, Boston.

Joe Manello had a firmness of personality that on occasion lifted to reveal unexpected tenderness. Always proper, one might say that he was set in his ways only to be surprised by an unconventional insight. A seemingly bottomless source of legal knowledge, with a deep interest in history, he could be equally absorbed reading mysteries and thrillers. For relaxation he turned his close observation of the world to photography, combining aesthetics with the technical mastery of the darkroom. What was without doubt was his devotion to his wife Niecie. She was the sun around which he revolved. His courtliness was matched by her wit and warmth. Together they were fully formed, fully engaged, always on point. A grand piano has the capacity for a vast range of sound: Joe chose to play a few deep chords well, not getting distracted by what was not critical to his professional life or incidental in his personal life. Not a man who sought to be loved, he was beloved by his colleagues and his friends who will both miss him and be glad for knowing him.

Wand, Karmi, of Boston, age 102, on February 12, 2017. Beloved husband of the late Esther (Weiss) Wand. Devoted father of the late Yohanan Wand and step-father of Leon Gunther (Joelle) of Lexington and Perry Gunther (Robin) of NY, NY. Loving grandfather of Shahaf, Dikla, Ayala, Tali, David, Jyllian, Ben, Rachel, Erika, Nicole, and Avi. Cherished great-grandfather of Linui, Ora’el, Elijah, Maya, Jake, Lucy, Elias, Theo, Jaiden, Ella, Mela, and Lucia. Dear brother of the late Nahman Wand. Services at Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Rd., Lexington, MA, Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 10:00 am. Following interment in the Beth Israel Memorial Park, Waltham, Shiva (memorial observances) will be held at the home of Leon and Joelle Gunther – Wednesday, 7-9pm; Thursday, 7-9pm; Friday, 2-4pm; Saturday, Havdalah and Ma’ariv, 6:30-8:30pm.  In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Facing History and Ourselves (https://www.facinghistory.org) and the Glaucoma Research Foundation (http://www.glaucoma.org/about/

Richard (Richie) Isenberg-of Newton, on February 11, 2017.Dear son of Shirlee (Herwitz) Isenberg and the late Burton Isenberg. Dear brother of Caryl Isenberg and Abby Sorrell. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews: Daniel Greenbaum, Aaron Sorrell, Benjamin Sorrell and Sarah Stephens. Trust, Loyalty, Respect and Love were the qualities that made him a friend to so many.Memorial service at Temple Israel,477 Longwood Ave.,Boston ,on Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at 1:00 pm.Following service a reception will be held at Temple Israel.Visiting hours will be at the home of Shirlee Isenberg, 125 Plymouth Road, Newton   7-9pm Tuesday, Wednesday 2-4, 7-9pm Thursday 2-4pm. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the charity of your choice.

Ruth Wasserstein – of Boca Raton, FL , formerly of Stoughton, on February 10, 2017. A survivor of the Holocaust. Beloved wife of Joseph Wasserstein. Devoted mother of Irving Wasserstein and his wife Corrine, Michael Wasserstein and his wife Marlene, and the late Samuel Wasserstein. Also survived by many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Dear sister of the late Beno Mangel. Services in the Chapel of Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, on Thursday February 16, 2017 at 12:00 noon. Following interment the family will be at the home of Michael and Marlene Wasserstein until 7:00 pm Thursday. In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, Washington, DC 20024

Dr. Miguel Leibovich-  Beloved father, grandfather, partner, uncle and friend, died at his home in Cambridge, Mass. on Thursday morning, February 9th. He was 83 and had struggled with congestive heart failure for many years. He was a buoyant man with a big and tired heart that finally ran out of fuel.

Miguel adored his family and friends. He had bright blue eyes and an awesome smile and laugh. He loved so many things and places – especially his childhood home of Concordia, Argentina; his adult home in Cambridge and weekend farmhouse in Hiram, Maine, where his family and friends spent so many magical times. He loved bright and mismatched clothing, watercolors, martini’s, vodka gimlets, antique farm implements, scratchy jazz records, tango, big New Years Eve dance parties and Turner Home Classics.

He came to America from Argentina in 1958, arriving in New York by ocean liner. He caught a Greyhound Bus to Memphis, where he took his first job as a young psychiatrist in a state hospital in Bolivar, Tennessee. His English was not great nor was his ability to communicate with the 500 black psychiatric patients in the segregated ward his bosses assigned him to. True to his spirit, Miguel forged a fast connection; he realized that many of his patients were active in their churches, so he organized sing-a-longs, gathering everyone to perform hymns and spirituals.

Miguel purchased a Buick convertible and drove to Boston in 1959, where he met his future wife, Joan Brownstein (Leibovich) while training at Mass. General Hospital. They settled in Newton, MA, raised three kids and took the family to Argentina every year and Maine on many weekends.

Dr. Leibovich worked in private practice in Cambridge for 50-plus years. Over his long career, he also held faculty appointments at Harvard, Tufts and Boston University Medical Schools. Above all, his pride and joy were his two surviving children, Mark and Lori Leibovich, and his five grandchildren (Penelope, Eliza and Frances Leibovich of Washington, DC; Carlos and Clara Kanter of Brooklyn, NY); son in-law (Larry Kanter of Brooklyn) daughter in-law (Meridith Kolbrener of Washington, DC) two nieces (Selma Leibovich de Moviglia and Lyda Leibovich de Perez, of Argentina) and beloved partner of 28 years, (Betty Grossman of Cambridge, Mass). Miguel missed his late son, Phil every day – Phil’s death, at 23, five years after he suffered grave injuries in a car accident, was the heartache of Miguel’s life.

Betty was with Miguel when he died. Lori and Mark had a nice last visit with him Wednesday night, shortly before he died in his bed with a “noreaster” swirling outside. Miguel loved a good blizzard.

Per his wishes, Miguel will be buried next to Phil in Waltham, Mass. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, February 14th at 3:30 at Loeb House at Harvard (17 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA). Shiva will be observed at Dr. Leibovich’s late residence in Cambridge the night of the 13th from 6 to 8 p.m. and on the 15th from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Endowment for the Advancement of Psychotherapy at Mass General Hospital; the Natural Resources Defense Council; and the American Civil Liberties Union –

Dr. Robert Kirschbaum-of Yarmouth Port, MA, born January 9,1920, passed away at age 97 on Wednesday, February 8, 2017. He is survived and adored by his loving wife Blossom Kirschbaum, son Alan Kirschbaum, daughter Betsy Kirschbaum, son-in-law Jeffrey Weinberg, granddaughter Molly Weinberg and grandson Zachary Weinberg. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. Elliot Kirschbaum. He was a graduate of Boston Latin School, Harvard College, and New York University School of Dentistry. He established his private practice in Newton, MA in 1950 and spent retirement in Cape Cod and Florida. He served in the Korean War as Sergeant in the Navy Dental Corps. He was Administrator of Dental Services for the City of Newton and was on the faculty of Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, and Boston University Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry. He was President of the Newton Lions Clubs, member of the Chestnut Hill Rotary Club, President of the Brotherhood and a Life Trustee at Temple Emanuel in Newton. He was cherished by all who knew him and lived a vibrant and fulfilling life.Services are private.

of Newton, on February 7, 2017. Our family, friends, locally and abroad mourn the loss of Edgar. Only he and his parents survived the Holocaust.

His answer to the genocide was to rebuild his family. After starting life over 3 times from nothing in Czechoslovakia, Israel, and the USA, he achieved, together with his late wife of 65 years Hana (Fuchs) Krasa, all he could have dreamed of. With his boundless love, generosity, dedication, sacrifice, and hard work, he built a wonderful life, home, and family. For the past 30 years Edgar committed himself to share his survival story with thousands of children and adults at synagogues, churches, and universities. His legacy and contribution can be seen in the documentary “Defiant Requiem”.

He will be missed by sons and daughters-in-law, Daniel and Tatjana, Raphael and Debra and his five grandchildren Rachel, Yonatan, Benyamin, Rebecca, Alex and many friends.

A funeral service will take place on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 12:30 pm at Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington St., MA 02466, followed by burial at King Solomon Cemetery, 2690 Centre St., W. Roxbury, MA 02132. Following the burial, Shiva will take place at Edgar’s residence with a minyan service at 5:30 pm and Monday 3:00-5:00 pm and beginning again at 7:00 pm with a minyan service at 7:30 pm.

Donations may be sent to Defiant Requiem Foundation, PO Box 6242, Washington, D.C. 20015 and Terezin Music Foundation, Astor Station, Box 206, Boston, MA 02123.

Meyer “Milton” Hootstein-U.S. Navy Veteran 93, passed away on February 5, 2017, at the Tippet Home in Needham. Milton, son of the late William and Dorothy (Gale) Hootstein, was the beloved husband of Rosalyn (Channen) for 66 great years and the dear brother of Janice (Hootstein) Newman. He was the loving father of Michael Hootstein and his wife Kathy Stein and David Hootstein and his wife Liz (Cline). Milton adored his grandchildren Davina, Laurel, Melissa, William, Matthew, and Sara; and his great-grandchildren; Giovanni, Javian, Anna, Benjamin and Hailey. A proud Chelsea boy, he was a Navy man during World War II and served honorably overseas in Europe and Africa. After his service, Milton met and fell in love with Rosalyn of Dorchester. They were married in 1950 and raised their two sons in Needham where they made their home for over 60 years. He traveled for many years as a Sales Representative throughout New England and New York State. Later in his career, he and his wife Rosalyn started Hootstein Associates, an Independent Manufacturer’s Representative Company. Milt and Roz enjoyed spending winters at their home in Boynton Beach, Florida for many years. He volunteered over 4000 hours to the Veteran’s Administration in Jamaica Plain and in West Palm Beach where he was honored and received awards for his service. Milton loved and cherished all the time he spent with his family. A service will be held on Wednesday, February 8th, at 12:00pm at the Sharon Memorial Park Chapel, 40 Dedham St. Sharon, MA. The Family would especially like to thank the wonderful aides, nurses, doctors and staff who cared for Milton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to: Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301 Cincinnati, OH 45250.

GINZBURG- Mirra, of Boston, on February 4, 2017. Beloved wife of Mikhail I. Kogan. Dear grand- mother of Natasha Kogan, Phillip Kogan, and Frank Kogan. Great-grandmother of Mia Kogan-Spivack, Loving sister of the late Ronya Ginzburg. Service at Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Road, Newton Centre, Sunday, February 5, 2017 at 1:00 pm. Interment will follow at Shara T’filo Cemetery, 776 Baker St. West Roxbury, MA.