Jessica Ben Avi

Jessica was born in New Jersey, to Sarah and Jacob Wilkenfeld on April 27, 1922. She lived in Houston for the majority of her life, and thoroughly enjoyed the city’s humidity.

Jessica was introduced to the love of her life, Naftali Ben-Avi (nee Abramowitz) by her cantor at One’s a Meal in Houston. They courted while Naftali was enrolled in Air Force training and married shortly before he left to fight the Nazis in Germany. They enjoyed a long and happy marriage, raising six children and sharing many adventures together in Houston and Israel until his death in 1996.

Over the course of her life, Jessica worked as a secretary, dental hygienist, and saleswoman, but her true calling was as a baby whisperer. In addition to raising her 3 sons and 3 daughters, she cared for many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren during the first months of their lives, and even volunteered in a hospital nursery holding and comforting strangers’ newborns.

Jessica’s bright smile, outgoing personality, interest in others, and family ties made her beloved by all. She lived to the ripe old age of 99 without any medications or ailments aside from a loss of hearing. What is so striking is not how many years were in her life but how much life was in her years. She had the beauty and joy and energy of her youth until the very end, still able to walk for two miles at a time. She died peacefully in her sleep.

Jessica was a true matriarch and is remembered with love by her 5 children (Ida Shapira, Chaim Abramowitz, Brondi Ben-Yosef, Doron Ben-Avi, and Hillel Ben-Avi), 15 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and numerous relatives and friends who cherish her memory.

Jessica was preceded in death by her parents, brother Milton, sisters Sylvia and Claire, husband Naftali, and daughter Shiri.

The funeral will be held at Adath Israel on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 2:30 pm. Shiva will be held in Austin, Texas. The funeral service will be livestreamed and the link for which can be found in the scheduled services section below.

In lieu of food/flowers, please consider donating in Jessica’s memory to the Jewish Institute for the Blind, which she supported over the years. https://jewishblind.org/donate/

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared below for the Ben Avi family.