Helen Terris

Tinton Falls - Helen Terris (nee Elinka Cyderowicz) passed on September 14, 2025. Born in Lida, Poland, Helen was a Holocaust survivor. She came to the USA in 1949.

Helen married Harry Terris in 1955 and located to the Jersey shore in 1961, settling in Oakhurst, where they raised their two children before moving to Tinton Falls in 2014. Helen was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

Helen was the administrative assistant in the Nursing Department at Monmouth University for six years. Her last position was at Computer Science Corporation in Eatontown.

Helen was a member of Temple Beth Torah and a hard working volunteer. This included being a past President of the synagogue's Sisterhood. She was also active in Deal Hadassah and B'nai B'rith as well as a lifetime member of ARMDI.

After speaking as a Holocaust survivor, to her grandchildren's classes at school, she became actively involved with the Center for Holocaust Studies at Brookdale Community College, Chhange - the Center for Holocaust Human Rights & Genocide Education; she subsequently visited many local schools and presented workshops in various communities, dealing with her experiences of surviving the Holocaust as a young child, with her mother. She made lasting impressions and often received expressions of gratitude for sharing her painful and important story. In addition, she was involved with JPEC - the Jewish Partisan Educational Fund, and shared her story and photos about her experiences surviving in the woods with her mom.

She will be missed by so many, and remembered for her strong spirit and survivor skills. She was grateful and elated to be able to live to know her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Helen is predeceased by her parents Aaron Cyderowicz, and Esther and Joseph Rosenbaum, and her husband Harry. Surviving are her daughter and son-in law, Rita and Jess Geller of Clark, NJ, her son Mark Terris of Denver, CO, her granddaughter Jacqueline Dana and her husband Cedric Dana, of Rockville, MD, and her grandson David Geller and his fiancée Daniella Sirochinsky. Helen is also survived by her two great grandchildren Michelle and Ari Dana. A graveside service will take place on Tuesday, September 16 at 11:00am at Agudath Achim Cemetery in Neptune, NJ.

Donations in her memory can be made to JPEC and Chhange.

https://impact.jewishpartisans.org/give/319524#!/donation/checkout

https://chhange.org/