April 10, 2008
Miriam “Mimi” Hammer (nee Shane), 84, of Livingston, a stalwart supporter of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ, died April 1.
Joining with their longtime friends and business partners in, Mel and Laurel Gebroe, Mrs. Hammer and her late husband, Morris (a founding partner of Gebroe-Hammer Associates), made a substantial gift toward building UJC MetroWest’s Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus. As a result, the federation headquarters was named in their honor. More recently the Gebroe and Hammer families joined forces again to make a gift toward the conference center and its maintenance.
“I remember Mimi’s face almost two years ago, the day she cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening of the Gebroe & Hammer Families Conference Center,” said Kenneth R. Heyman, president of UJC MetroWest. “Her joy in being able to continue her ardent support was evident to everyone who was there.”
Mrs. Hammer’s commitment to the UJA Annual Campaign was such that she maintained her individual gift and her husband’s gift at the highest level even after he passed away in 2003. She contributed at both the Achim and Lion of Judah Zahav levels. The Hammers endowed their annual campaign gifts, and are recognized as benefactors of the William and Betty Lester Society.
She was a 35-year member of B’nai Shalom, West Orange, whose building in 2006 was named the Morris & Miriam Hammer Campus.
“Mimi and Morris and I go back more than 35 years in a close relationship that began when I arrived in West Orange in the summer of 1972,” said Rabbi Stanley Asekoff of B’nai Shalom. “Jewish life and the synagogue meant a great deal to Mimi, which was exemplified by her and Morris’ outstanding generosity to the synagogue over the years.
“She had a wonderful set of values, she knew what was really important in life, and she set a wonderful example for everyone. We are deeply saddened by her passing.”
The Hammers were involved in numerous community and charitable activities, including Daughters of Israel and Saint Barnabas Medical Center. She also co-established the Morris Hammer Scholarship Fund at Rider University.
She was a member of Crestmont Country Club in West Orange and Broken Sound Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla.
Born in Brooklyn, she lived in West Orange for 17 years before moving to Livingston 35 years ago.
She is survived by her daughter, Jill (and Wayne) Canastra of South Orange; her son, Alan (and Susan) Hammer of Livingston; her brother, Jimmy (and Snooky) Shane; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held April 2 with arrangements by Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, Livingston. Memorial contributions may be made to B’nai Shalom, 300 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052.
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