Elinore R. Aronovitz

Miamah has lost a bit of its Southern charm. In times of great complexity our family was led by a lady with grace, dignity, warmth, and kindness.

Elinore Richman Aronovitz, the matriarch of the Aronovitz family, passed away after a determined fight to overcome COVID-19. She will always be remembered by all as a kind and loving person to whom “her family meant everything.” She taught her children well to always be kind to others.

Born and raised in the farming community of Manning, South Carolina to Sam and Anna Richman on October 10, 1922, she was the second oldest child who was pre-deceased by her older brother, George Richman and younger siblings, Bernice “Bunny” Daitch of Augusta, Georgia and Bernard “Bobby“ Richman of Key West, Florida.

Her parents instilled in her the importance of family and, in true Southern style, to treat all people with kindness and understanding. Her father immigrated from rural Poland seeking a life free of religious persecution and traveled by steamship to New York and continued on to Charleston, South Carolina in the early 1900’s. After learning limited English, he took a westbound train to Manning where he ultimately established, for decades, a stable (Richman and Sons) where he sold horses and mules and later a dry goods store (The Richman Store) located across the street from the Clarendon County Courthouse.

Knowing the importance of raising their children with a good Jewish education, in the late 1920s her parents formed a Sunday morning carpool with neighbors to drive their kids 25 miles to a synagogue in Sumter, South Carolina to attend Sunday school.

Elinore attended Winthrop College for Women and then transferred to, and graduated from, the University of Georgia in 1943. In the summer of 1942 while enjoying a vacation with her family in Hendersonville, North Carolina she met the love of her life, Sidney Aronovitz, a UF Law student, who drove to North Carolina for a short vacation at the same hotel, The Duncraggan Inn. That fall she attended “Gator Growl“ with Sidney and they then planned to spend the rest of their lives together. After graduation, she worked for the president of a shipping company in Charleston while Sidney earned his law degree, and then served as a decorated U.S. Army Captain leading a Field Artillery Unit in the European theater of World War II. When the war ended, Sidney declined a high-level military assignment in Berlin in order to return home to marry Elinore in Sumter, South Carolina and then moved to Miami where they established their home and became lifelong Miamians.

While Sidney was practicing law working long hours with his uncle Abe Aronovitz (Mayor of the City of Miami), Elinore lovingly raised her children Elaine, Tod, and Karen. She witnessed and participated in the enormous growth of Miami from 1944 to the Magic City of today. Elinore was a devoted wife and her husband’s strongest supporter as he served as the only non-physician Founder of Cedars of Lebanon Hospital (now part of UM Health System), Miami City Commissioner, President of Beth David Congregation and served his community and country as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida, with distinction. She proudly worked at the gift shop at Cedars Hospital, volunteered at Beth David Congregation, and enjoyed the friendships she made with the spouses of the other District Court Judges. But her life’s focus was always her family and during the last decade of his life our mother devotedly cared for our father and his multiple health issues. Since his passing in 1997, she doted over the growth of her family counting the days between school programs, graduations, the weddings of her grandchildren, the birth of her great grandkids, Bat Mitzvah ceremonies, and all family celebrations. She glowed with pride about her family and always showered all family members with affection. Her grandchildren could regularly count on getting their favorite food made by their GG. Elinore provided unconditional love and guidance to her family, friends, and neighbors.

She is survived by her children Elaine Glasser (Gene), Tod Aronovitz (Jodi), Karen Shonson (Brian); Grandchildren Evan Glasser (Hilary), Abel Aronovitz (Amy), Michael Aronovitz (Amanda), Cary Aronovitz (Marcela), Adam Shonson (Elizabeth), Carly Moskowitz (Jay), Max Bumberg, and great grandchildren, Leigh, Reese, Lilly, Aaron, Davis, Zachary, Eli, Ella, and Gabriel.

She will always be remembered for her devotion to her family, her deep Jewish faith, her sweet Southern accent and pride in her long life in her adopted home of Miamah.

Our family suggests that remembrances in her memory can be sent to: Leslee Aronovitz Scholarship Fund at Temple Beth Am; University of Florida School of Law; or Judge Sidney M. Aronovitz Memorial Scholarship Fund at The Miami Foundation.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions there will be a private family graveside funeral.

A Zoom call of the funeral will be provided to all friends and family. Please send an e-mail to [email protected] and you will receive a Zoom invitation.