It is with an enormously heavy heart that we note the passing of SGF Trustee (and Steve’s beloved 106 year-old grandma) Lillian Alpert on May 12, 2024.

May 12 was both Mother’s Day as well as Steve’s birthday (he would have turned 36). For many people, the number 18 (and its multiples) signifies the Hebrew word “chai,” which means life, and is associated with vitality, good luck, and blessings. Thus, the “double chai” of Steve turning 36 can symbolize the double blessing of Lillian reconnecting with her grandson as a Mother’s Day gift for her, and Steve reuniting with his grandma as a birthday gift to him.

The SGF family is experiencing a complex set of emotions that we have come to call “grielief” – a mixture of grief over her passing and relief that she is no longer suffering, combined with deep gratitude that this incredible woman graced our lives for so long.

Here is the link to her obituary.

Lillian Alpert’s memory truly is a blessing. May she rest (or celebrate as she sees fit) in peace, joy, and endless love.