Marcelle Sarah Jabbawy
Marcelle Jabbawy of Brookline, passed away peacefully at age 100, at the home she loved, on December 4, 2021. She was the beloved wife of Zaki Jabbawy (deceased) and cherished mother of Samuel Jabbawy and his wife Carole Jabbawy, Souad Spivack and Bruce Spivack, Samira Jabbawy and Saul Jabbawy. She was the beloved grandmother of Nathaniel Jabbawy and his wife Selena, Michael Jabbawy and his wife Lindsay, Benjamin Jabbawy and his wife Emily, Daniel Spivack and his wife Dorian, Nadia Spivack and her husband Jonathan Milikowsky, Adam Spivack and his wife Elana, and Talya Giordano and her husband Samuel. Marcelle adored her 18 great-grandchildren and was the beloved sister of Aungel Mukammel of Ramat Gan, Israel.
Marcelle was born in Basra, Iraq, to the tight knit Horesh family. She was the 5th child in a family of 9 brothers and sisters. She remained close to her family despite years of separation. As a child, she went to the Jewish school, “Alliance Francaise”. She married Zaki Jabbawy in 1946 and was a member of the remaining Jewish community in Basra. Her generosity, strength and quiet wisdom made her a leader in that small community. Marcelle moved to Israel in 1970 and was reunited with her brothers and sisters. To bring together her own family, she and her beloved husband Zaki moved to the United States in 1978, first to Plymouth and finally settling in Brookline. In Brookline, Marcelle and Zaki were among the founding members of Beth Abraham – Sephardic Synagogue of Brookline where she was a devoted member for over 40 years. Committed to the state of Israel, the Jewish people, her faith, and her Sephardic tradition, she believed that our faith lies in our heart, deeds, respect for our traditions, and hope for a better tomorrow.
Marcelle’s inner strength and courage helped save her son’s life in Iraq. Her vision, and bravery guided her in planning her family’s risky but unavoidable escape from Iraq. Even though Marcelle was a woman of few words, her support, encouragement, hopefulness, and faith helped guide her family and all those close to her. Marcelle imparted her commitment to education and focus on excellence to her daughters, sons, and grandchildren. She sacrificed much to provide her children with the best education, care, and life. Speaking four languages and continually interested in the larger world around her, she imparted a love of the world to her family.
In her golden years, despite health difficulties, her resilience, her love of life and family, and a desire to explore the world were evident in her continued interest in travel and meeting new people. Most importantly, she insisted on attending all family events, no matter the distance and logistical challenges.
Her strength, love, quiet wisdom, generosity, and a tenacious belief in a better tomorrow will be missed by her family and all those who knew and loved her.
A graveside service will take place at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, MA on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 1:45 pm. Shiva will be held at Congregation Beth Abraham of Brookline, 18 Williston Rd, Brookline, MA, from 5-7 pm Tuesday Dec. 7, Wednesday Dec. 8, and Thursday Dec 9. Contributions may be made to Congregation Beth Avraham of Brookline.