Brandeis Magazine

Robert Shapiro ’52, H’92, 81, of Chestnut Hill, Mass., a member of the first graduating class at the university his father helped establish, died on Jan. 6 after a battle with cancer. He stayed close to Brandeis through the years both literally and figuratively, serving as a trustee for more than three decades and living just a few miles from campus. Along with his wife of 50 years, Valya (Kazes) Shapiro ’61, he came to Waltham frequently for meetings, celebrations, get-togethers with students and faculty, openings, Commencements, Reunions and other events. He was president of Turn Key Living, an interior design firm that he founded with his wife, and served as a principal with the family real-estate business his father started. He was also a marriage and family therapist, as well as a chaplain at Hebrew Senior Life. In addition to providing generous support to Brandeis, he was a leader in the Boston Jewish and philanthropic communities, sitting on the boards of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Temple Israel of Boston, the Boston Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association. Besides his spouse, he leaves son Bram and his wife, Jennifer, of Brookline; and son Steven and his wife, Kimberly, of Atlanta. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Isak, Leyla, Sophie, Nola and Robert. (See tribute on page 91).

Sylvia “Shevie” Neiman Tananbaum ’52 of Belmont, Mass., longtime owner of Handcraft House in Belmont and Hyannis, died on Nov. 17, 2011. She leaves two daughters, Susan, M.A.’86, M.A.’87, Ph.D.’91, and Amy; two grandchildren, Noah and Becca; and a sister, Frances.

Carolyn Kaufman Cherry ’56 of Newton, Mass., died on Nov. 28, 2011. She leaves her son, Kenneth; a daughter, Audrey; and two grandchildren, Steven and Rebecca.

Ronald Klayman ’57 of Stoughton, a social worker, died on Dec. 4, 2011. He worked for many years for the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. He was an entertainer and an avid musician with a wonderful singing voice. He leaves his wife of 48 years, Sandra; a daughter, Betsey; a son, Philip; and two grandchildren, Matthew and Dylan. Sheila

Greenblatt Cheimets ’58 of Boston, who served as executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, died on Oct. 30, 2011. She also was a member of the Board of Selectmen in Canton, Mass., and worked as editor of the Canton Reporter. She leaves her husband, David; three sons, Peter, Steven and Alex; and four grandchildren.

Leon Judah Weinberger, M.A.’59, Ph.D.’63, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., a rabbi and professor, died on Sept. 5, 2011. The rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Tuscaloosa for 25 years, he joined the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama in 1964 and taught at the university until his retirement in 1999. He served as general editor of the Judaic Studies Series of the University of Alabama Press and received the Burnum Distinguished Faculty Award from the school. During his career, he published 12 books, edited 38 more, wrote more than 90 articles and book reviews in both English and Hebrew, and delivered 20 papers at conferences throughout the United States and Israel. He leaves his wife, Marcy; two sons, Gary and David; and a daughter, Lisa.

Arlette Goldmuntz Miller ’59 of New Haven, Conn., a potter, occupational therapist and real-estate agent, died on Sept. 3, 2011. Born in Antwerp, Belgium, she fled the country by car with her parents during the Nazi invasion of May 1940. After a year of traveling and hiding in France, they secured passage on a passenger ship from Lisbon, Portugal, to New York. Throughout the 1970s, she worked as a potter at Bittersweet Farm and as an occupational therapist at the Yale Psychiatric Institute. In 1983, she joined Press/Cuozzo Realtors in New Haven. A longtime supporter of the New Haven community, she founded Positively New Haven, an effort to encourage Yale faculty to reside in the city, and was chair of Books Sandwiched In, a literary series at the New Haven Free Public Library. She was also a member of the Yale University Women’s Organization and the Yale-New Haven Hospital Auxiliary. She leaves her husband of 49 years, George; a daughter, Lisa; two sons, John and David; a brother, Paul; and four grandchildren.