Harry Sterling
Denver native and longtime attorney Harry Sterling died April 26, 2022, at the age of 87. A service was held April 28 at Mt. Nebo Memorial Park, officiated by Rabbi Rick Rheins and Rabbi Jay Strear. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Mr. Sterling practiced law in Denver for over 50 years, specializing in bankruptcy, trusts and real estate. He was elected to the American College of Bankruptcy Lawyers in 1992 and was recognized in the Best Lawyers in America from 1987 to 2006.
Mr. Sterling was heavily involved in B’nai B’rith and was a founding member and president of Temple Sinai. He was also past board member of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Anti-Defamation League, Opera Colorado, Colorado Ballet and the Denver Film Society.
Mr. Sterling taught law students at CU and DU, and taught at the Temple Sinai Religious School.
A graduate of East High School at the age of 16, Mr. Sterling received Bachelor of Science in Business and JD degrees from CU.
Mr. Sterling was known to family and friends as an avid world traveler.
“He loved an adventure like no one else,” his family said.
Survivors are Mr. Sterling’s wife Victoria, children Lauren (Larry Sussman) Sterling, Elissa (Alan Troy) Sterling, Fran (Keith Hay) Sterling and stepchildren Sam (Susie) Aybar and Liz Aybar (Betsy) Conti; and eight grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to B’nai B’rith Colorado.
Rabbi Yisroel Meir Popack
Rabbi Yisroel Meir Popack, founder of Chabad of Colorado, died in Denver on April 26, 2022. He was 74. Feldman Mortuary made the local arrangements. A processional was held in Denver April 26, with burial at the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, New York on April 27.
Rabbi Popack was born May 25, 1947 in New York. He attended high school at United Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Brooklyn and continued with his rabbinical studies at the School of Higher Learning at the World Headquarters of the Lubavitch Movement, 770 Eastern Parkway, receiving his rabbinical ordination there.
He was an ardent student and chasid, or follower, of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
An emissary of Rabbi Schneerson, Rabbi Popack founded Chabad of Colorado in 1978. It has since grown to nearly 20 centers across the state. Rabbi Popack remained its director until his passing.
He is survived by his children Nechama Dena (Rabbi Yossi) Cohen of Chicago, Rabbi Avremi (Rochie) of Irvine, Calif., Elchonon (Tami) of North Hollywood, Calif., Hirshel of Denver, Rabbi Mendel (Estee) of Denver, Devorah Leah (Rabbi Hirshy) Minkowitz of Alpharetta, Ga., Rabbi Zalman (Rivka Leah) of Denver; Leibel of North Hollywood, Calif., Mushky of Denver, Dovber of San Antonio, Brocha of Brooklyn and Levi of Brooklyn; and many grandchildren.
Judy Kawa
Longtime Denver resident Judy Kawa passed away April 27, 2022. She was 68. A service was held April 28 at Feldman Mortuary Chapel, officiated by Rabbi Aaron Wasserman. Interment was in Jerusalem, Israel.
Born on March 21, 1954, Ms. Kawa and her family emigrated from Beilawa, Poland to Israel in 1955. Four years later the family relocated to Denver’s West Side.
Ms. Kawa attended CU Boulder and DU, obtaining her degree in accounting. In addition, she was a published writer.
The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Ms. Kawa was an ardent supporter of Jewish causes, and was instrumental in the start of Chabad of Cherry Creek.
“She was very passionate about Israel, the Jewish people and remembering the Holocaust,” said Ms. Kawa’s sister Sara Zucker. “And she became very religious late in life.”
Ms. Kawa is survived by siblings Sara (Ian) Zucker and Penny (Shawn) Lustigman.
Contributions may be made to Chabad of Cherry Creek or Aish of the Rockies.
Eilene Harris
Third-generation Denverite Eilene Harris passed away on May 2, 2022. A service was held May 5 at Temple Emanuel, officiated by Rabbi Joseph Black. Feldman Mortuary handled the arrangements.
Born in 1951 and growing up on Denver’s West Side, Mrs. Harris attended Colfax Elementary and North High School. She graduated DU with a major in international relations and a minor in education, and taught first grade Sunday School classes at Temple Emanuel.
Mrs. Harris became the co-founder and first president of the Listen Foundation, an organization dedicated to the education and mainstreaming of hearing impaired children. She was also appointed by the Governor of Colorado to serve on the Colorado Board of Hearing Aid Dealers, of which she became president.
For 48 years Mrs. Harris was married to Perry Harris. They traveled extensively, and were married until Mr. Harris’ passing in 2002.
Survivors are children Mindy (Richard Podoll) Harris and Susan (Reginald Tyler) Harris; and two grandchildren. One grandchild, Alexander, predeceased Mrs. Harris in 2013.
Contributions may be made to Hadassah Ein Karem Israel.
Syril Newman
Syril Newman died on April 29, 2022, at the age of 82. A service was held May 3 at Congregation Emanu-El Jeshurun in River Hills, Wisc., and interment at Greenwood Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisc.
Mrs. Newman was the sister of Temple Emanuel Denver’s Rabbi Emeritus, Steven Foster.
“She was very artistic,” said Rabbi Foster. “She must have done 500 or 1,000 needlepoints of Jewish things, and she was never without a needlepoint in her hands.
“It seemed like she worked on those 20 hours a day,” Foster added, also noting that his sister had a “wonderful” dreidel collection.
Mrs. Newman was the wife of the late Julian “Bud” Newman and mother of the late Steven Berg. Survivors are children Geri Beth Berg and stepchildren David (Laura Orgel) Newman, Jonathan (Pamela Frank) Newman, Deborah (Charles) Olins and Miriam Newman-Jacobsen; a grandchild and 10 stepgrandchildren.
Contributions may be made to Kavod Senior Living or the Rabbi Steven and Senator Joyce Foster Fund, c/o Temple Emanuel.
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