Dvorah Colker

Dvorah Colker, a pioneering leader in the Jewish community of Los Angeles, and dearly cherished mother, sister, grandmother and great grandmother, passed away peacefully at home on June 6th, at 95 years old. Born in The Bronx in 1930, she moved to Los Angeles with her immigrant parents Nellie and Daniel Lefkowitz, where at age 14 she met her first and only love, Jack Colker. They were happily married for 63 years until his death in 2012.

Dvorah began to show her leadership qualities as the President of the Tikvah Chapter of Hadassah, as a founding member of SOL, "Source of Life" fundraising chapter of City of Hope for Cancer Research, and as the manager of Zev Yaroslavsky's first run for city council in Los Angeles. Both with her husband and then on her own, Dvorah became a beloved figure at Temple Beth Am where she was the President of Sisterhood and then made history in 1990 as the first woman to serve as Temple President. She was a forceful fundraiser for the State of Israel and under her leadership, the Rena E. Ganzberg Educational Center for the Rabbi Jacob Pressman Academy was established.

Her unwavering commitment to Jewish causes led to multiple honors. In 1992, "Dvorah: A Celebration," in 2016, the Lou Colen Ma'ayan Legacy Award at Gala Under the Stars: Night of Comedy, in 2018, the Marjorie Pressman Legacy Award at the Friends of Sheba Medical Center's Women of Achievement Luncheon. And all the years in between and after, she has received countless plaudits for her leadership and inspirational presence. A doting "Bubbe" and beloved matriarch, she encouraged her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to have "Roots" and "Wings." Roots to be grounded in a stable family legacy and wings to soar to achieve your dreams.

She is pre-deceased by her husband, her beloved daughter Marcy Klein and her devoted son-in-law, Michael Saul, and survived by her grateful children, Michelle Saul, Jerry Colker (Antonia), Jo Ann Colker-Arison (Teralis), her loving sister and extended family, Marcia Soto (Luis), Paul Klein (Joanne) and Joyce Colker, her treasured grandchildren Josh Klein, Jennifer Exum (Jason), Rebecca Rehak (Brad), Julian Colker (Marla), Asfala Hammer (Dave), Ari Saul (Nur), Darien Saul (Erin), Kierra Colker (Micki), Alexandra Kaliray Arison, and her magnificent great grandchildren Mimi, Elijah, Rain, Zooey, Weston, Daphne, Frankie, Poppy, Jack, Damien, Lincoln, and Archer.

Services will take place Sunday, June 8th, at Eden Memorial Park 11500 Sepulveda Blvd. Mission Hills, California 91345 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Dvorah's memory to: Marcy Colker Klein and Dvorah Colker Leadership Fund, care of Temple Beth Am will be greatly appreciated.

DONATION LINK: https://tbala.shulcloud.com/payment.php