Joan Benjamin

Joan is survived by her children, Susan (Dan Silverman), Lewis (Patrice), and Mark, and grandchildren, Ava, Ellie, and Adam. She is predeceased by her husband, Richard, and her sister, Nancy Berman.

Born in Boston and raised in Brookline, Joan was, more than anything, a lover of learning. She attended Brookline High and was in the third graduating class of Brandeis University.

She and Richard raised their children in Worcester, MA, where she worked as both an educator and a case worker. Upon retirement, Joan and Richard relocated to Brookline, at which point Joan returned to Brandeis and taught classes on pre-biblical archaeology at BALI (Brandeis Adult Learning Institute).

It is safe to say that there were a couple of things Joan was extraordinarily proud of. One was her involvement in politics, on both the local and national levels, having served as a delegate for George McGovern in 1972; the other was her commitment to the Zionist movement, which saw Joan and Richard volunteering for (or serving in, if you asked her) the IDF and spending as much time as they could in Israel.

A lifelong devotee of Jewish learning, Joan took limud very seriously. She lived her entire adult life surrounded by an extensive collection of books, ranging in subject matter from ancient Israel to modern murder mystery. She deeply valued her old friends from Worcester and new friends from Brookline, and especially enjoyed eating, traveling, and immersing herself in classical music. Joan truly personified the typical Jewish grandmother, and loved nothing more than feeding her grandchildren as much as humanly possible.

In Joan’s memory, donations can be made to Brandeis University.

A graveside service will take place at 1:00 on Thursday, December 26 at Independent Pride of Boston Cemetery (776 Baker St., West Roxbury), followed by Shiva at Lew and Patrice’s home in Needham until 5:00.