Judith “Yehudit” Swartz, of Boston, Boca Raton, Fla., and Newport, R.I., passed away peacefully, on Aug. 17, 2023, a few months before her 90th birthday. She was predeceased by her loving husband Herman; and is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Deb and Neal Shalom of Boston; by her son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Allison Swartz of Swampscott; and by her grandchildren, Jesse, Alexandra and Samantha and her husband, Alex.
Born in the Bronx on Nov. 28,1933, she lived in the city and was fortunate to attend summer camps in the countryside and horseback ride. Her true talents deepened while attending a New York performing arts high school, and she continued to play piano and teach ballet into adulthood.
Meeting her husband, Herman at a wedding, he swept her off her feet in his dashing white uniform and marriage was not far behind. Judy moved to Boston and finished her degree at Boston University. As one of the early founding members of Temple Aliyah in Needham, Judy put her talent to work to help fund raise by writing and directing shows.
Throughout her life, she became active and committed to many charities and organizations, taking on leadership roles and forming lifelong friends. After downsizing to Boston from Swampscott, where she was the Chapter President of Hadassah for four years, Judy became active in the Boston-Brookline Hadassah Chapter and became HMO Chairman as well as a National Presidential Appointee to Hadassah’s National Major Gifts Task Force. She also became involved with the League School, a Newton-based school serving individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities.
Impressively, Judy stepped up and became President of Friends of the League School and while there were many growing pains and challenges, she stayed the course and led with confidence and strength. Judy put her heart and soul into countless philanthropic organizations and projects and was honored by Hadassah and many other organizations too numerous to list, but here are a few highlights: honored by CAMERA with the Emet Award, the David Ben-Gurion Award from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and the Philip W. Lown Distinguished Service Medal from Hebrew College. She served on the ADL N.E. board and was a key underwriter for ADL’s nationally recognized “Confronting Antisemitism” Project. Judy was also a Trustee of Hebrew College and held major offices in many diverse organizations, not just supporting but endowing scholarships, nursing programs and more.
The funeral was private, and the shiva was held at Matthew Swartz’s home in Swampscott. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Judith ‘Yehudit’ Swartz may be donated to Hadassah Boston, 1320 Center St., #205, Newton Center, MA 02459. Please list on the memo line “Yehudit and Herman Swartz Nursing Endowment Fund.” Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, 1668 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 617-232-9300
