Jane Ora Berman Chafetz

Born to Rose and Ben Berman in New York City, Jane was educated in the New York City schools, attended New York University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, followed by a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Eastern Michigan University. She taught in the public schools of New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Framingham MA, the Graduate School of Lesley University, Cambridge MA, and Temple Beth Am Religious School, Framingham. She loved teaching and her philosophy was that “a teacher has a special job of making learning fun - finding joy in everything and the best in everyone.” She inspired her own children, her classroom students, her cub scouts, and her colleagues to always strive to do their best and be the best they could be.Professionally, she dramatically impacted many young lives, as well as her many student teachers, through her unique, enthusiastic and creative ways of teaching. She was beloved by her students, and continued to stay in contact with them throughout her long teaching career. She was remembered and invited to Bar Mitzvahs, performances, graduation parties, and weddings by many of her former students. When Jane remarried in 2010, one of Jane’s former students from her very first teaching class in New Jersey 46 years prior attended.

She received many commendations and awards through the years for excellence in teaching, including being nominated as Massachusetts State Teacher of the Year. She was a talented writer and inspired and taught many of her students how to be creative writers. She loved to teach many different forms of poetry, and was thrilled when her students won poetry contests, and when her students’ essays and poems were published in books. One of her students was the National First Prize winner in the “Judge Judy Book Contest”; another student was the Second Place winner in the League of Women Voters, MA essay contest. Jane was the recipient of the “You Are Special” award and plaque, recognizing her as one of “Framingham’s Finest” at the 2009 “Salute to Framingham Awards” ceremony. She was cited for her outstanding ability to encourage students to believe in themselves and maximize their own personal potential, and for many programs that she initiated, developed and coordinated at the Dunning School in Framingham: Care and Share food collection program, for developing the Science Fair, for coordinating the National Geographic Geography Bee, for creating a daily student Morning Announcement program, for bringing the New England Math League Contest to the school, and for creating a beautiful “Fond Farewell” ceremony for the outgoing 5th grade students each year.

She had a warm, loving personality and was witty, clever and humorous; she loved laughter, always having a funny story or joke to share.

She was caring and kind, and established the much acclaimed and successful on-going food collection “Care and Share Program” at the Dunning School in Framingham - the only regular monthly food collection program in the MetroWest area. She was active in the community as well, serving as President of the Brophy School PTO, Cub Master and Den Leader of the Cub Scouts, President of Temple Beth Am, as well as President of the Temple Beth Am Sisterhood, and a member of the Temple Beth Am School Committee for many years. She is survived by her loving husband Steven Chafetz, her son, Jody Shapiro and his wife Erika of Los Altos Hills, CA, her son Jeremy Shapiro and his wife Emily Randall of San Jose, CA, her step-daughter Joy Levin and husband Adam of Ashland, MA, and step-daughter Robyn Schulhof and husband Marc of Bethesda, MD. She also leaves seven grandchildren Jessica, Brooke, Skylar, and Charlotte Shapiro, Drew Levin and Meredith and Noah Schulhof, and many extended family and dear friends. Jane was predeceased by her sister, Ellen Susan Berman. A funeral service will be held at 2pm on Sunday, September 27th at Temple Beth Am, 300 Pleasant Street, Framingham, MA. Interment will follow at the Framingham/Natick Jewish Cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to The American Heart Association , 20 Speen Street, Framingham, MA 01701-4688.