Elijah Chertoff

Elijah Chertoff VIRGINIA BEACH - Elijah Chertoff, 96, passed away Nov. 8, 2010, at Beth Sholom Home of Eastern Virginia. He was born in New York, the second of three sons, to Russian immigrants Albert and Minnie Chertoff. After graduation from NYU in 1935, he began his work career as a manger for Gimbel's Department Store and freelancing as a sports reporter for the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper. During World War II, he served in the Army at Headquarters, European Theater of Operations in Paris. After his discharge, he worked for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons before coming to Norfolk and working as a manager for Tidewater Real Estate. In 1957 he joined the advertising staff of the then Portsmouth Star newspaper. He remained with the newspaper, through all of its transformations until he retired from The Virginian- Pilot/Ledger-Star in 1980. Eli was a founding member of Temple Israel, a former president of Virginia Beach Toastmasters, very active in the Thalia Lions Club, sat on the boards of the United Jewish Foundation of Tidewater and the Little Theater of Norfolk, where he was an actor as well. In addition to being on the UJF's community relations committee, he was also the managing editor of the Southeastern Virginia Jewish News. He was predeceased by two wives, Helen Aronov Chertoff and Julia Sakulich Levy Chertoff; as well as his brothers Lionel and Seymour; his stepsons, Gerald and John Levy; and his daughter- in-law, Jean Chertoff. He is survived by his sons, Steve of Alexandria and Paul (Jo Ann) of Chesapeake; granddaughters, Dana (John) Deighton of Alexandria, and Amy (Chris) Lawson, Helen (Troy) Bower and Megan Chertoff, all of Richmond, Shannon Levy of Virginia Beach; grandson, Aaron Levy of Virginia Beach; and great-grandchildren, Erin, Brian, and Gabrielle Deighton of Alexandria, and Elijah Bower and Mallory Lawson of Richmond. A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in Forest Lawn Cemetery with Cantor Elihu J. Flax officiating. Altmeyer Funeral Home, Southside Chapel, is handling the arrangements. Memorial contributions can be made to Beth Sholom, 6401 Auburn Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23464. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.altmeyer.com.