Naomi Isaacs

Naomi Isaacs, a lifelong resident of Westchester County, passed away on February 13th at the age of 83. She was beloved by family and friends alike for her insight and intelligence. 

 Naomi was born to Leon and Sylvia Stark in 1940 and raised in Yonkers, with her brother, Donald, and sister, Tamaris. She became the model of a “working woman,” emulating her mother, whom she liked to call the brains behind her parents’ real estate business. After attending Mercy College later in life and receiving her B.S. in accounting, she worked as an accountant and later a controller for a major engineering firm, WSP, a transportation, infrastructure, and top 500 design firm in Westchester County. 
 

David was the love of her life. Naomi met David, a young Israeli soldier, during a Young Judaea Year Course, a gap year in Israel. They were married in 1961 in Yonkers and together they embarked on a 62-year journey of love. They returned to Israel later that year, and lived there for six years, building a beautiful home in the beach town of Michmoret, Israel. Their time in Israel instilled both a deep support for the country as well as a passion for Israeli dance, apparent to anyone the moment Naomi and David stepped foot on a dance floor together. 

Judaism played a crucial role throughout Naomi’s life. She was a steadfast supporter of Jewish causes and maintained a spiritual love of Jewish traditions and synagogue life. She was a dedicated Zionist and was national vice president of the Young Judaea youth movement sponsored by Hadassa.

 A voracious reader and news consumer, Naomi started every day by reading the New York Times and the local paper, often listening to NPR or watching shows on PBS. There were usually half a dozen books and a collection of magazines by her bedside, all of which she was reading. It was this love for literacy and her strong belief in the importance of education that led her to volunteer as a mentor to a struggling high school student in Yonkers, who thanks in part to her guidance, was accepted into college. 

 Naomi was a skilled and sincere listener who possessed a memory most elephants would envy, always fascinated by and able to recall the most minute details of people’s lives. She was also a savvy shopper and bargain hunter where her memory and finance skills served her well. Her strong background in accounting and real estate made her an expert in construction finance. Family and friends often counted on her for counsel on matters of personal finance.

 Naomi was a loving mother to her three children, Gil (Julie), Tali (Matt), and Gidon (Wendy), and a cherished grandmother to Eva, Shoshi, Judah, Josh (Sanjali), Yadin, and Natan. Her grandchildren will long remember yearly trips with Grandma and Grandpa to see the Big Apple Circus and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She adored taking her grandchildren to the movies or shopping or out to eat. Her warmth, wisdom, and devotion will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and loving her. Zichrona Livracha — may her memory forever be a blessing.

Naomi's funeral will take place at Bet Am Shalom Synagogue, 295 Soundview Ave, White Plains NY 10606 on Friday, February 16 at 11:30 AM. Burial will follow at Sharon Gardens, Valhalla NY.

Copy of the service livestream Funeral Service for Naomi Isaacs z’l Bet Am Shalom Shalom on Vimeo

The family will observe the first days of shiva at David's and Naomi's home, The Knolls, 55 Grasslands Rd., C136, Valhalla NY 10595, as follows:

• Friday afternoon following the burial until Shabbat

• Saturday evening after Shabbat, with a minyan at 7:30 PM

• Sunday throughout the day, with a minyan at 7:30 PM.

Shiva information for Monday through Wednesday is pending.

In lieu of flowers please make a memorial donation to Bet Am Shalom

Click Here https://betamshalomsynagogue.shulcloud.com/payment.php