Inaugural Linda Lerman Memorial Tzedek Shabbaton Brings Community Together in Service and Learning
Inaugural Linda Lerman Memorial Tzedek Shabbaton Brings Community Together in Service and Learning
Congregation Beth El of Norwalk proudly hosted the Inaugural Linda Lerman Memorial Tzedek Shabbaton: Confronting Hunger Together from May 29–31, a meaningful weekend dedicated to honoring the life, values, and legacy of Linda Lerman z”l.
Throughout the weekend, congregants and community members gathered for learning, reflection, worship, and hands-on acts of service—activities that embodied Linda’s lifelong commitment to Jewish learning, community leadership, and social justice. We are grateful to our partners and presenters from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, CT Foodshare, Elayne & James Schoke Jewish Family Service, and Person to Person for helping make the weekend such a success.
Born in Detroit in 1953, Linda excelled academically from an early age, earning degrees in Jewish Studies, Library Science, Business, and Jewish History. Her professional career included positions at Hebrew Union College and Yale University, and she authored several articles on Jewish women and libraries. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Linda was deeply involved in synagogue life and Jewish communal organizations, where her organizational talents, compassion, and dedication made a lasting impact.
The Shabbaton was made especially meaningful through the participation of Linda’s husband, Rabbi Jeffery Silberman, and her children, Dina and Avi, whose presence and support helped bring Linda’s story and spirit to life throughout the weekend.
The Shabbaton began with a Shabbat dinner featuring guest speaker Liz Braun-Lilenfeld, Director of Outreach at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. On Saturday morning, participants heard from Stephanie Nieves, Network Relations Representative at CT Foodshare. During Kiddush lunch, attendees gained additional insights from Liz, Stephanie, and fellow panelists Eli Schaffer, Chief Strategy Officer at Schoke Jewish Family Service, and Nancy Coughlin, CEO of Person to Person.
On Sunday morning, the congregation hosted a “Fill the Pantry” Party. Donations of food and grocery store gift cards were collected and delivered to the CT State Food Pantry, a cause that was especially meaningful to Linda.
Following the event, Rabbi Ita Paskind expressed gratitude to the many volunteers, committee members, presenters, and participants whose dedication and collaboration helped make the weekend a success. Rabbi Paskind noted that the Shabbaton was truly a community effort and reflected the values Linda cherished.
“We worked together for many months to create something special in Linda’s memory,” said Rabbi Paskind, “and the result was a weekend that reflected her values and the very best of our congregation.”
As we reflect on this inaugural event, we are grateful to everyone who contributed their time, talents, and energy. Most importantly, we are honored to continue Linda Lerman’s legacy by bringing our community together through learning, service, and acts of kindness.
May Linda’s memory continue to be a blessing and an inspiration to us all.
