Bess Shockett z”l – a little lady with a huge heart

By Daniel Horowitz--While the woman synonymous with Yiddish in Toronto passed away this summer, her legacy lives on through a resurgence of the language and culture she loved so dearly.

In 1985, Bess Shockett z”l, (pictured at left), along with the help of volunteers Gerry Kane, Shirley Kumove and Les Nirenberg, established Friends of Yiddish, an organization through which she helped launch a number of innovative programs in and around the GTA. Bess remained its executive vice president until her death on August 27, four days shy of her 87th birthday. Professionally, she lent her expertise to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s Committee for Yiddish as its director from1974 to 1989.

Bess’s countless volunteer efforts – which also included the Jewish Book Fair, the Holocaust Committee of the Miles Nadal JCC, the Jewish Theatre Committee and the Committee of Yiddish at the University of Toronto – resulted in her being named as North York’s Volunteer of the Year in 1993.

“Bess was a knitter; she knitted for her children, friends and acquaintances,” said Kane, in his eulogy. “The idea of Bess as a knitter is a good analogy to describe this quiet person. Her needles never stopped. In fact, just as she organized the wool to knit the little things, she organized her friends – knit them together to come on a journey with her, to organize the Yiddish cultural activities on behalf of UJA Federation that brought so much joy to young and old in Toronto. Without her drive and gentle, humorous spirit driving us, much of what we accomplished would never have been realized.”

Born in the Ukraine, Bess’s father moved the family to Montreal in 1925 when she was five years old. She grew up in a traditional Orthodox Jewish home where they spoke Yiddish and enjoyed different aspects of the culture, prompting her lifelong passion. Bess believed that it was vital for future generations to be aware of their heritage. She felt that Yiddish was a perfect tool to pass that tradition on to future generations.

“Yiddish was the language of mom’s home and her neighbourhood,” says son Michael, 52, a long-time UJA Federation employee and one of three siblings. “It was spoken everywhere, I’m sure, when she was young. English and French came later as she went to school, but Yiddish was always her first love. It truly was her roots, her connection to her family and her early life. Through her work with Yiddish, mom nurtured and encouraged young artists and performers. She loved seeing people achieve their dreams.”

When Bess and her husband Barry, who passed away in 1997, celebrated their 40th anniversary, they decided that instead of gifts, they wanted to do something truly memorable. They went on to establish the Shockett Yiddish Teachers Training Fund which has since helped a number of people pursue certification and attend seminars in Yiddish teaching.

“Community care is our Jewish legacy,” wrote Bess in her 2004 Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto Book of Life story. “With this fund, I know that Yiddish education – and our rich Jewish culture – will continue to develop and flourish for my grandson and future generations. In the future, I would like Yiddish to become an integral part of Jewish education. Let us not be in denial of our Eastern Jewish heritage. It has a history, a language, literature and culture.”

“For 25 years Bess corrected my Yiddish grammar, taught me new needle point stitches and provided me with an insight into the early years of the Jewish community,” recalls Susan Jackson, executive director, Latner Centre for Jewish Knowledge and Heritage. “Bess’s commitment to Yiddish culture was evident in everything she did. The annual Toronto Yiddish concert was her baby and a wonderful event it always was.”

“Bess was a pioneer in our community in her unceasing efforts to keep Yiddish alive, meaningful and flourishing,” says UJA Federation president and CEO Ted Sokolsky. “In so many ways and in so many different areas she represented everything important about a community’s yearning to cherish its past, celebrate its presence and build for the future.”

“Mom is still incredibly fresh in my mind,” says son Michael. “Such a little lady; such a big presence.”

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Memorial donations may be made to the Shockett Yiddish Teachers Training Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto. For more information, call 416.631.5703 or email jewishfoundation@ujafed.org