Rebekah (Ralen) Grossman
Of Bethesda, Maryland, age 77, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Santa Cruz, California, and Wayland, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully after a long illness on August 17, 2022 surrounded by her family. Rebekah was the eldest child of Benjamin and Sylvia (Harris) Ralen of Brookline where she was raised. She graduated from Brookline High School and attended Lasell College in Newton. She worked in retail sales, though her true calling was in Jewish education, teaching Hebrew school at Congregation Beth El in Sudbury and later in California and Florida. She was the wife of the late Neil Grossman to whom she was married for 19 years.
Rebekah was a spiritual, intellectual, and contemplative person who loved to make others laugh. She was a fierce feminist and was involved with a number of social and political causes, including her passionate work on behalf of the Action for Soviet Jewry in the 1980s. Advocacy and justice were guiding principles in her life – using her voice to stand up for others. She believed in Tikkun Olam, the Jewish concept defined by acts of kindness performed to repair the world by helping one person at a time.
One of Rebekah’s favorite quotes was by Mary Oliver: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life,” and it was common for her to ask a variation of this question of total strangers. One of her greatest gifts was her ability to listen deeply, always seeking to understand the story of other people’s lives, their cultures, and their perspectives.
The shores of Martha’s Vineyard and California brought her joy; Lambert’s Cove Beach on the Vineyard was her place of peace. She was a lifelong learner, devoured poetry, and was an avid reader, sometimes reading multiple books in one day. She could discourse on many subjects, including ethics, politics, and religion. As a child, some of her best memories were driving through New Hampshire and Vermont with her father looking for old, interesting books at yard sales.
Rebekah is survived by her children Adam (and Roni) Grossman of Chevy Chase, MD, Gabriel Grossman of Boca Raton, FL, and Miranda (Jesus Bulnes) Grossman of Fort Lauderdale, FL, six grandchildren Nathaniel, Jackman, Alexa, Noah, Asher and Micha, two step-grandchildren Rebecca and Riley, her sister Annette (Paul) Roberts of Newton, her brother John (Sally) Ralen of Framingham, her sister-in-law Alberta (Roger) Lipson of Brookline and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at Beit Olam Cemetery, 60 Old Sudbury Rd. ( Enter North Cemetery) in Wayland, Massachusetts on August 19, 2022 at 1:00 pm, followed by a gathering at Temple Shir Tikva. Remembrances may be made to https://gofund.me/4083b363.