Mrs. Lora Finkelman, who served as an expert and beloved Case Manager specializing in older adults from Russian backgrounds for the Jewish Community Council of Coney Island in Brooklyn for many years, passed away on Friday, 5 Cheshvan, 5787.
She was 73 and passed away after valiantly fighting a lengthy, terrible illness.
Born and raised in Soviet Ukraine, where Jewish identity and religious observance were suppressed, Lora courageously sought to discover her Jewish heritage. From clandestine Hebrew classes in Kiev, she embarked upon a remarkable spiritual journey that ultimately brought her to a life of Torah and mitzvos. But Lora was never content to keep that discovery to herself. She devoted herself to sharing the precious gift of Yiddishkeit with others.
From Eretz Yisrael to Italy, from Ukraine to New York, Lora touched countless lives, inspiring Jewish men, women, and children to rediscover their heritage. Generations of students affectionately knew her as “Morah Lora,” a teacher whose sincerity, warmth, and boundless love for every Jew left an indelible impression.
In 2013, Hamodia published an extensive profile of Lora entitled “An Unlikely Lamplighter,” describing how she had devoted her life to kindling the light of Yiddishkeit in countless Jewish souls throughout the world.
Lora most recently was dedicated to her service at the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island. As a compassionate and exceptionally devoted professional serving older adults, particularly Russian-speaking immigrants and Holocaust survivors, Lora understood that her responsibilities extended far beyond addressing material needs. She cared about the whole person—their dignity, their loneliness, their memories, their spiritual well-being, and their connection to their Jewish heritage.
She brought together chesed and kiruv, concern for gashmiyus and ruchniyus, in a manner that was both natural and profoundly inspiring.
What made Lora so exceptional was that she never forgot what it felt like to be a young Jewish woman searching for answers, longing for a sense of belonging. That personal experience enabled her to reach others with extraordinary sensitivity, understanding, and love.
In a 2013 article, I described Lora as “a spiritual inspiration to all who meet her,” said Rabbi Moshe Wiener, Executive Director of the JCCGCI. “Those words reflected the admiration I felt for her then, and they remain an appropriate tribute to the remarkable legacy she leaves behind.”
Lora dedicated her life to lighting those candles, awakening Jewish souls, and bringing warmth, meaning, and holiness into the lives of others.
She is survived by her husband Israel Edelson (Crown Heights) and children – Daniel (NYC), Eli (Miami), Shaindy Gottlieb (NJ), Shuli Varenberg (Staten Island) and many grandchildren.
The Levaya will take place on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 9:30 AM, at:
Shomrei Hadas Chapels
3803 14th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11218
Followed by burial at:
Floral Park Cemetery
104 Deans Rhode Hall Road
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
Shiva will take place at 246 Crafton Ave, Staten Island, NY 10314
Monday – Thursday, October 19–22
Visiting Hours:
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Davening Times:
Shacharis: 9:00 AM
Mincha: 6:00 PM
Breaks (No Visitors):
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Friday, October 23:
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
