Jewish prayers style
Ruth Feldman
Funeral Service
Ruth Feldman
רִבְקָה בַּת אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה
March 12, 1944 – January 27, 2026
17 Adar 5704 – 9 Shevat 5786
Thursday, January 29, 2026 · 10:30 a.m.
Congregation Shaarei Chesed, Westbrook
Congregation Shaarei Chesed
Order of Service
- Opening wordsRabbi Daniel Sobel
- Psalm 23Read by Jonathan Feldman
- HespedDebra Klein, Jonathan Feldman, Maya Klein
- El Malei RachamimCantor Miriam Adler
- Mourner’s KaddishRecited by the family
- Procession to Beth Olam Gardens
Please silence your phones. Kippot are available at the door.
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Her life
A teacher, always
Ruth taught English at Westbrook High School for thirty-four years and could still recite the opening of every novel she ever assigned.
She married Harold Feldman in 1967. Their table was never set for fewer than eight on Friday nights, and no grandchild left without a book.
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Tehillim 23
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul;
He guideth me in straight paths for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
For Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Jewish Publication Society, 1917. Public domain.
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Memorial prayer
El Malei Rachamim
God, full of compassion, who dwells on high,
grant perfect rest beneath the wings of Your presence,
among the holy and the pure who shine as the sky,
to the soul of Rivka bat Avraham v’Sarah,
who has gone to her eternal home.
May her resting place be in the Garden of Eden.
Master of mercy, shelter her in the shelter of Your wings forever,
and bind her soul in the bond of life.
The Lord is her inheritance.
May she rest in peace, and let us say: Amen.
Adapted English rendering
Transliteration
El malei rachamim, shochein bam’romim,
hamtzei m’nuchah n’chonah tachat kanfei haSh’chinah,
b’maalot k’doshim ut’horim k’zohar harakia mazhirim,
et nishmat Rivka bat Avraham v’Sarah, shehalchah l’olamah.
B’Gan Eden t’hei m’nuchatah.
Lachein, Baal harachamim yastireha b’seiter k’nafav l’olamim,
v’yitzror bitzror hachayim et nishmatah.
Adonai hu nachalatah, v’tanuach b’shalom al mishkavah. V’nomar: Amen.
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Kaddish Yatom
Mourner’s Kaddish
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ,
וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל,
בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא.
יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל
שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא,
תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְחַיִּים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
Transliteration
Yitgadal v'yitkadash sh'mei raba
b'alma di v'ra chirutei,
v'yamlich malchutei
b'chayeichon uv'yomeichon
uv'chayei d'chol beit Yisrael,
ba'agala uvizman kariv, v'imru: Amen.
Y'hei sh'mei raba m'varach
l'alam ul'almei almaya.
Yitbarach v'yishtabach, v'yitpaar v'yitromam
v'yitnasei, v'yit'hadar v'yit'aleh v'yit'halal
sh'mei d'kudsha, b'rich hu,
l'eila min kol birchata v'shirata,
tushb'chata v'nechemata,
da'amiran b'alma, v'imru: Amen.
Y'hei sh'lama raba min sh'maya
v'chayim aleinu v'al kol Yisrael, v'imru: Amen.
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya'aseh shalom
aleinu v'al kol Yisrael, v'imru: Amen.
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Mourner’s Kaddish, in English
Magnified and sanctified
Magnified and sanctified be His great name
in the world which He hath created according to His will.
May He establish His kingdom
during your life and during your days,
and during the life of all the house of Israel,
even speedily and at a near time, and say ye, Amen.
Let His great name be blessed for ever and to all eternity.
Blessed, praised and glorified, exalted, extolled and honoured,
magnified and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
though He be high above all the blessings and hymns,
praises and consolations, which are uttered in the world;
and say ye, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven,
and life for us and for all Israel; and say ye, Amen.
He who maketh peace in His high places,
may He make peace for us and for all Israel; and say ye, Amen.
After Simeon Singer, 1890. Public domain.
- Burial
- Beth Olam Gardens, 400 Orchard Road, Westbrook. Cars leave from the synagogue.
- Shiva
- At the home of Debra and Alan Klein, 18 Larchmont Lane, Westbrook. Sunday to Thursday, 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.
- Minyan
- Evenings at 7:30 p.m. Mornings Monday and Thursday at 7:00 a.m.
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May her memory be a blessing
זִכְרוֹנָהּ לִבְרָכָה
Ruth Feldman · March 12, 1944 – January 27, 2026