Meta Stern died on September 3, 2007 at the Kline Galland Home at the age of 93.
Meta was born in Mandel, Germany on June 22, 1914. She was the oldest of Moses and Sany Hirsch’s four children. In 1934, Meta married Ludwig Stern, a cattle dealer from Bat Kreutznah, and the couple settled in Weinsheim, Germany. In 1939, Meta and Ludwig fled Nazi Germany and came to America under the sponsorship of Meta’s cousin, Minnie Schoenfeld Arnstein.
Soon after arriving in Seattle, Meta and Ludwig joined the Jewish Club of Washington. There they met other Jewish German immigrants with whom they developed lifelong friendships. Meta served as hospitality chairman, a position that came to her naturally, as she was an excellent cook, baker and hostess. She was also in charge of the oneg Shabbats for Herzl Synagogue.
Meta worked as a meat wrapper at the Pike Place Market and then at the Brenner Brothers Bakery on Cherry Street before she and Ludwig opened their own business, Stern’s Market, around the corner from the Herzl synagogue, where the couple were active members. Meta was a smart and savvy businesswoman. She and Ludwig treated all their customers with kindness and respect and their business grew and thrived.
After Meta and Ludwig moved to Seward Park, they would hold annual SeaFair parties in their home, where upwards of 100 guests would attend. They would also host weekly Shabbat dinners, Pesach seders and Hanukkah get-togethers. Meta also loved to garden and her yard was the envy of the neighborhood. She also enjoyed making needlepoint pillows, which have become prized family heirlooms.
Meta was a warm-hearted, generous, and hardworking woman and she was respected by all who knew her. She was a true lady in every sense of the word. Most of all, Meta was extremely devoted to her family. Her children and grandchildren alike lovingly called her “Oma.”
Meta is survived by her two sons, Dr. Robert (Sheryl) Stern and Eddie Stern; grandchildren Tali Kaplan, Dr. Aaron (Zina) Stern, David (Alejandra) Stern, Leslie (Paul) Kaplan, and great-grandchildren Max, Sam, Adam, Rachel, Zachary, and Zoe. She will also be missed by her nephew Fred (Esther) Kahn and many great nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her husband Ludwig Stern and grandson Mark Stern.

Harry Moises died peacefully on September 19, 2007 at his home in Boynton Beach, Fla. with family by his side. He was 89.
Harry was born May 9, 1918 in Seattle. He attended Garfield High School and the University of Washington, where he earned a B.S. degree in chemical engineering. Upon graduation, Harry joined the Boeing Company where he worked as an engineer for 30 years. In retirement, Harry and his wife Ann traveled the world. They especially enjoyed cruises. Before returning from one trip, Harry was often already planning the next. He loved people and was always the life of the party. With his good nature and jovial laugh, Harry ingratiated himself with everyone he met. He prided himself on his encyclopedic memory and could talk on any subject. He was also a fabulous ballroom dancer.
Harry was a longtime member of the Herzl Synagogue, where he served as Men’s Club president. In later years he and Ann were affiliated with the Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath Congregation.
Harry was pre-deceased by his brothers Al Moises and Ben Moises and by his grandson Mark Stern. He is survived by his wife Ann, to whom he was married for 64 years; his daughter Sheryl (Eddie) Stern, and son Dr. Hylan Moises and daughter-in-law Dr. Dianne Longo; grandchildren Justin Moises and Leslie (Paul) Kaplan; great-grandson Zachary Kaplan; and great-granddaughter Zoe Stern.
In memory of Harry, the family suggests donations to a favorite charity.

Leon Isaac Varon died on Sunday, October 7, 2007. He was born in Seattle on May 15, 1926. He served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He then returned home to join his brother Harry, at Varon’s Kosher Meats, where he served the Jewish community for over 30 years.
Leon was preceded in death by his devoted wife Jacky. He is survived by his three children, Isaac, Sandy, and Beth-Ann; his adored grandson Judah; his brother Harry and sisters Anne Israel and Esther Bertram; and his beloved Nancy Sinsheim.
Donations can be made to Sephardic Bikur Holim, 6500 52nd Ave. S., Seattle, WA, 98118, (206-723-3028), or to The Kline Galland Home, 7500 Seward Park Ave. S., Seattle, WA, 98118, (206-725-8800).

Amber Levy and Aaron Kleiner have announced their engagement.
Amber is the daughter of Leah Watts of Oak Park, Calif. and Guy Levy of Coral Springs, Fla. Her grandparents are Nina Rubin and the late Marcel Rubin of Jerusalem, and Esther Levy and the late Moshe Levy of Tel Aviv. She is a graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in Visual Concepts and is presently a design manager for Blissliving Home in Rockville, Md.
Aaron is the son of Jaquelyn and Gregory Kleiner of Tacoma. His grandparents are Barbara and Herman Kleiner of Tacoma and the late Irene and Jack Power. Aaron is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and is working in the Department of Commerce in Washington D.C.
They will be married in the summer.

Mindy and Russell Katz announce the birth of their son, William Lucas, on Oct. 2, 2007 at Swedish Hospital. He weighed 7 lbs., was 20 in. long, and joins brother Jesse.
Will is the grandson of Nancy and Bob Groonis of Mercer Island, Lynn and Tony Wartnik of Mercer Island and Malcolm Katz and Martha Baker of London, England. His great-grandmothers are Sara Groonis of Seattle and Harriet Katz of Bellevue.
Will is named for his great-grandparents William and Lorraine Himelhoch.

Amy Hilzman-Paquette and Dan Paquette of Marysville announce the arrival of their daughter, Adina Elenore, on July 13, 2007 at the University of Washington Medical Center. She weighed 7 lbs., 5 oz. and was 21 in. long.
Adina is the granddaughter of Gerald and Elizabeth Paquette of Philadelphia, Penn., and the late Rhoda and John Hilzman.
Adina is named for her great-great-grandmother Annie and her great-grandmother Ethel.

Rob Jacobs and Elizabeth Davis announce the birth of their son, Samuel Noam on April 20, 2007. He weighed 6 lbs., 6 oz. and was 17-3/4 in. long.
Samuel is the brother of Sophie and Hannah, and the grandson of Phyllis and Martin Jacobs of Lake Oswego, Ore., and Reena and Stuart Davis of Portland, Ore.
He is named in memory of Rob’s maternal grandfather, Sam Tapper, and uncle, Nathan Jacobs, as well as Elizabeth’s beloved childhood rabbi, Philip Kleinman.

Mark Stern died on July 28, 2007 in Mountain View, Calif., surrounded by his family. He was born on May 28, 1974 in Seattle.
Mark grew up on Mercer Island with his parents Sheryl and Eddie Stern, and his older sister, Leslie. At the age of 10, he discovered his self-assuredness on the stage. As a child actor, he appeared in productions at Youth Theatre Northwest, Issaquah Village Theatre, Renton Civic Theatre and the Mukilteo Community Theatre.
Mark received his Jewish education at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. His Bar Mitzvah was a particular source of pride. Summers at camps Solomon Schechter and Ramah further strengthened his sense of Jewish identity.
In high school, Mark excelled scholastically and discovered many interests. He joined DECA and Junior Achievement, the student marketing and business organizations, where he developed his strong business and leaderships skills. Sponsored by Puget Power, Mark was president of three JA companies, leading each to award-winning success. For his work in Junior Achievement, Mark received local, national and international recognition.
A 1996 graduate of the University of Washington, Mark obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. Mortar Board, the national college honor society, recognized him for his achievements in scholarship, leadership and community service. Mark was concerned with human welfare. He was a member of WashPIRG, the consumer and environmental advocacy group and AIPAC, the American Israeli Affairs Committee. He was a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and a tutor and mentor to inner-city children.
While in college, Mark spent a year studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Just like everywhere else, he made a name for himself in every arena he visited, from editing his professor’s book on terrorism to nearly sitting in on a meeting with Yassir Arafat and other members of the Palestinian Authority. He loved his year living there. He traveled extensively throughout the region, carrying his stories and experiences in his backpack as he moved from one country to another, one phase of life to the next.
After college, Mark was hired by Intel to work at the company’s headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. He was promoted from rotation engineer to strategic market analyst to the Intel Think Tank. He worked in Intel’s offices in the United States, England, Germany, Hong Kong and China.
Mark met his wife, Maytal, in San Jose, Calif., while Israeli dancing at a Jewish camp for young adults. They were married in Cesaria, Israel, in October 2004 in an outdoor wedding on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. After a two-month honeymoon in Europe, the couple returned to California. In September 2006, their daughter Zoe was born. She is Mark’s greatest legacy.
For Mark, life was a journey. He rappelled off cliffs, river-rafted, hiked and skied. With his warm smile, he possessed the unique gift of drawing others to him and of bringing people together.
The suddenness of his illness and death stunned his family and shocked the community. After two months of suffering with unresolved back pain, Mark was diagnosed with metastatic testicular cancer. He died 10 days later.
Mark is survived by his wife, Maytal; daughter, Zoe; parents Sheryl and Eddie; sister, Leslie (Paul) Kaplan; nephew Zachary; grandparents Ann and Harry Moises, and Meta Stern; in-laws Efraim and Dalia Shek; and numerous aunts and uncles, cousins and friends.

Maya celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on September 1, 2007 at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island.
Maya is the daughter of Tammy and Rusty Federman of Mercer Island, and the sister of Sara. Her grandparents are Stan and Judy Blauer of Portland, Ore., and Harold and Esther Federman of Sun City West, Ariz.
Maya is an 8th-grader at Islander Middle School. She enjoys playing the flute, skiing, reading, attending B’nai B’rith Camp, and hanging out with friends and family. For her mitzvah project, Maya will be working with Seattle Music Partners, an organization that provides after-school music instruction to children in underserved communities.

Alexander (Yacov ben Chanah) will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on October 6, 2007 at Congregation Beth Shalom in Seattle.
Alexander is the son of Hilary R. Stern and Marco Sanchez of Seattle and the brother of Gabriella Sanchez-Stern. His grandparents are Sylvia R. and Edward A. Stern of Seattle, and Aurora Sanchez of Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Alexander is an 8th-grade student at Salmon Bay Middle School. He enjoys computer programming, video games and hanging out with friends.

Sam will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on October 20, 2007 at Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation in Seattle.
Sam is the son of Karen and Dr. Stuart Epstein of Bellevue, and the brother of Adam. His grandparents are Rachel and Samuel Bil Calvo of Bellevue, Shana Epstein of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and the late Norman Epstein.
Sam is a 7th-grader at Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences. He enjoys playing on Seattle Academy’s basketball team, where he was awarded MVP, and also plays on the Boys and Girls Club basketball team. He collects sports memorabilia and is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Lakers.

On August 3, 2007, several couples who are members of Congregation Tikvah Chadashah, Puget Sound’s Gay and Lesbian havurah, traveled to Olympia to register as domestic partners under newly passed legislation in the State of Washington. The new registrants are Flora Ostrow and Betsy Gilbert (25 years together), Barbara Stein and Karen Borell (25 years together), Norm Schwab and Joe Burks (16 years together), Roy Hamrick and Stephen Carstens (11 years together) and Mark Kestin and Will Mason (10 years together).

Heather and David were married on July 29, 2007 at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Marina del Rey, Calif. The ceremony was officiated by Rabbi Ari Leubitz.
Heather is the daughter of Jay and Sharon Marshak of Los Angeles, Calif. Her grandparents are Arlene Marshak of Tamarac, Fla., Martha Schnall of Boca Raton, Fla., the late Arthur Marshak, and the late Alan Schnall.
She is a graduate of Manhattan College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, and Widener University in Pennsylvania, where she earned a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She is currently employed as a physical therapist for Evolution Sports Medicine.
David is the son of Robert and Talby Gelb of Bellevue. His grandparents are Frieda Gelb of Seattle, Alvin Ross of Seattle, the late Emanuel Gelb, and the late Barbie Ross. He is a graduate of Newport High School and Ohio State University, where he earned a degree in Media Production. He is currently employed as a loan officer for Ace Mortgage Funding.
Heather and David live in Playa Vista, Calif.

Allison Lyzenga and Jacob Loshin will be married on August 31, 2008 in Pasadena, Calif. The ceremony will be officiated by Rabbi James Mirel of Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue.
Allison is the daughter of Greg and Mary Lyzenga of Pasadena. She is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and French, and the University of Virginia Law School. She is currently an attorney for the law firm of Gifford & Dearing in Los Angeles.
Jacobs is the son of David and Peggy Loshin of Bellevue, and the grandson of Louis and Bunny Millman of Bellevue, and Jerry Mellman of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and Yale Law School. He is currently serving as a law clerk to Judge Jerry Smith on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Tex.

Robert will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on September 8, 2007 at Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue.
Robert is the son of Robin and Don Nolan of Redmond and the brother of Sarah. He is the grandson of Barbara and Jim Nolan of Boise, Id., and the late Arlene and Seymour Wieder.
Robert will be an 8th-Grader at Evergreen Junior High. He enjoys baseball, skiing, piano, and video games.

Margaret celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on August 18, 2007 at Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle.
Margaret is the daughter of Peter Kahn and Josephine Ensign, and Charlene Freadman Kahn. Her brother is Jonathan Bowdler. She is the granddaughter of Erika Fluss Kahn of Santa Barbara, Calif., Erica Wishengrad of Attleboro, Mass., Milton Freadman of Becket, Mass, and the late Herbert Kahn.
Margaret will be an 8th-Grader at Eckstein Middle School. She enjoys the movies, playing her flute, writing and reading novels. She also enjoys skiing, swimming, jazz dance and in her spare time reads magazines and comics and hangs out with friends. Two of her great passions are animals and environmentalism. Over the past few months she has visited with seniors at The Summit at First Hill and the Caroline Kline Galland Home and also served food at Teenfeed, a dinner place for homeless teens.

Micah will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on September 8, 2007 at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island.
Micah is the son of Patty and Jonathan Lazarus of Mercer Island, and brother of Jake and Sophie. He is the grandson of Maryellen and Joseph Eastern of Woodinville, Earl Lazarus of Philadelphia, Pa., the late Lucille Lazarus and the late Merielle Eastern, for whom he was named.
Micah is a 7th-Grader at Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences. He loves baseball, basketball, golf, wake and snowboarding, reading, cooking, travel with his family and hanging out with his friends. In lieu of Bar Mitzvah gifts, Micah is asking for contributions to Peace Players International, which is dedicated to bridging social divides between children in countries with religious and cultural conflict (like Israel) through basketball leagues.

Paula and Klaus Stern celebrated 65 years of marriage in August with friends and family.
The couple met at a Jewish training farm near Berlin in 1940. This tremendously large farm was given to the Jewish Federation of Berlin to train young Jewish men and women to become successful farmers in Palestine, Argentina, Australia, or Santa Domingo and escape the Nazis. The Nazis later confiscated the farm. As the war progressed, some of the Jewish farmers were sent to nearby farms to take the place of farmers who were drafted to serve in the Wehrmacht.
In August 1942, Paula and Klaus decided to marry, believing that whatever happened it would be easier to survive together.
In April 1943, the Gestapo came to the farm where the Sterns were working. They brought a group of Ukrainian farmers to replace the Jewish farmers. The Sterns were taken to Berlin, and, one day before Hitler’s birthday, they were loaded into cattle cars and deported to Auschwitz.
Paula and Klaus were immediately separated. But, miraculously, both survived and were reunited after 28 months.
In 1946, they arrived in New York. After a few weeks, they came to Seattle where Klaus’s uncle, Dr. Herman Nossen, a prominent doctor, asked them as the last surviving members of the family to join him and his wife.
Klaus worked for almost 36 years for Langendorf U.B. Inc. In retirement, Klaus and Paula continue to be involved in Jewish community organizations.
Klaus and Paula have a daughter Marion (Carl) Kitz; a son Marvin (Michele) Stern; and four grandchildren, Rebecca, Leah, Rafi and Shira.

Kara will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on August 25, 2007 at Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Bellevue.
Kara is the daughter of Sandy and Ken Glass of Mercer Island, and the sister of Leila and Alex. She is the granddaughter of Frida and Bob Brown of Sarasota, Fla., and Lois and Werner Glass of Westfield, N.J.
Kara will be an 8th-Grader at Islander Middle School on Mercer Island. She enjoys dancing with the Eastside Dance Theatre, creative writing, making art and spending time with her friends.
Kara volunteers regularly at several nonprofit organizations including TreeHouse, an organization that helps foster children, and Hammond House, a women’s shelter. Kara recently donated 10 inches of her hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to children suffering from hair loss due to various medical conditions.

Sophia celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on August 18, 2007 at Congregation Ezra Bessaroth in Seattle.
Sophia is the daughter of Bobby and Beth Cohanim of Mercer Island and the late Rebecca Cohanim. She is the sister of Erica, Meghan, Jason, and Emma. Her grandparents are Lee and Bahram Cohanim of Seattle, Dr. Daniel Cohanim of Los Angeles, Lois and Benjie Mayers of Mercer Island, and the late Iran Cohanim.
Sophia will be a 7th-Grader at Seattle Hebrew Academy. She enjoys basketball, skiing, reading, and spending time with friends.

Makena celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on August 11, 2007 at Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Bellevue.
Makena is the daughter of Craig Owens and Tammy Abravanel-Owens of Sammamish. She is the granddaughter of Lela and Jack Abravanel of Bellevue and Lowell and Bonnie Owens of Cashmere, Wash.
Makena will be an 8th-Grader at Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle. She enjoys basketball, volleyball, fishing, water skiing, art, playing on the computer and hanging out with friends. For her mitzvah project, Makena is donating 3 percent of the money she receives from her Bat Mitzvah and other birthdays to MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

Rachel will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on September 1, 2007 at Congregation Beth Shalom in Seattle.
Rachel is the daughter of Mindy Cohen and Barry Kahn and sister of Joshua and David. Her grandparents are Gay Kahn of Bergenfield, N.J., Gilda Cohen of Shaker Heights, Ohio and the late Theodore Cohen.
Rachel will be a 7th-Grader at Lakeside School. She enjoys skiing, dancing and writing poetry.

Max will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on August 25, 2007 at Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue.
Max is the son of Aleen Caplan Yamasaki of Edmonds and Tsuguhito Yamasaki of Edmonds and the brother of Sarah. His grandparents are Jerome and Wilma Caplan of Portland, Ore., Junko Yamasaki of Inagawa, Japan and the late Takashi Yamasaki.
Max will be an 8th-Grader at Madrona K-8 in Edmonds. He enjoys biking, building robots and reading.

Ari celebrated his Bar Mitzvah on August 15, 2007 at Gate House in Lafayette, Colo.
Ari is the son of Joel and Dr. Ruth Lieberman Rogers of Lafayette, Colo., and the brother of Eli. His grandparents are Bob and Bunny Rogers of Mercer Island, Dr. Lionel Lieberman of Tel Aviv, Israel, and the late Mara Lieberman.
Ari will be a 7th-Grader at Platte Middle School in Boulder. He enjoys chess, running, skiing, basketball and tennis. He has a black belt in karate and is interested in electronics and World War II history.

Leon Benson Levy died on July 4, 2007. He was born on November 19, 1915 to Sadie and Sol G. Levy.
Leon grew up in Port Angeles, where he became the first Cub Scout in the country. His father created the Cub Scouts because Leon was too young to be a Boy Scout and he needed something to keep him busy.
After moving back to Seattle, Leon graduated from Broadway High School and the University of Washington, where he met his wife of 61 years, Janet Fasten. He then attended dental school at the University of Oregon in Portland and entered the army to serve in World War II. He served overseas in a MASH unit, attaining the rank of captain.
Leon practiced dentistry in Seattle for more than 50 years before retiring. After his retirement, he volunteered for several years at the University of Washington Roosevelt Clinic.
He was a member of Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, serving as its national president, and an avid golfer, belonging to Glendale Country Club for many years. He enjoyed playing contract bridge and was a Life Master.
He will be remembered for his quick wit, gentle manner, and agility on the dance floor.
Leon was preceded in death by his wife, Janet. He is survived by his sister Sybil (George) Tall; daughters Lee (Stuart) Weinstein and Jan Levy; grandsons Neil (Denise) and Craig Weinstein; great-grandchildren Madeline and Noah, who were the light of his life; and many nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made to Temple De Hirsch Sinai, the Caroline Kline Galland Home, or the charity of your choice.