Claudia Mandelbaum, 85, of Leawood, Kansas, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022.
A private funeral was held, with shiva observed in Detroit, Michigan, and Jerusalem.
Claudia was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the eldest of Virginia and Claude Lee. She studied music and theater, performing and teaching internationally. As an educator, she created the Jewish Students Union at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, welcoming Jewish students into her office and home. She developed Jewish experiential education opportunities for families in Columbia, creating a home where every holiday and Shabbat was full of family, friends, and freshly-baked challah.
In Kansas City, both as an actress and educator, Claudia created inspiring Jewish life in every way. As an informal scholar of Judaism and especially the Holocaust, she led trips to Poland and Israel, allowing visitors to learn and connect to both history and the Jewish people. She was an avid student of Torah, turning every parsha into a gorgeous work of art. The work of her hands was an expression of hiddur mitzvah (elevating the commandments).
In 2013, together with Rebecca and her family, Claudia made Aliyah to live in Jerusalem and fulfill a decades-long dream.
As her Hebrew name shows, Sassona bat Sarah lived a joyously Jewish life.
She is survived by her children, Elizabeth, Avrum, and Rebecca; her siblings Larry, Kathleen, and Melody; and her seven grandchildren, Adina, Yitzhak, Elan, Talya, Mira, Shoshana, and Amalya.
Condolences may be shared at louismemorialchapel.com.
