Ruth Devorah (Saloman)Dorfman of Naples, FL., formerly of Brookline, MA on Monday, April 22, 2019. She was the daughter of the late Abraham Land and Esther Goldner Saloman. Ruth is survived by her children David Alan (Tsui Chi Kao) of Princeton NJ., Daniel Steven (Melinda McFarland) of Silver Spring MD., and Leah Beth (Karen Doryoseph) of Haifa, Israel and six grandchildren Gilad Ido and Eitan Aviv Doryoseph, Benjamin Martin and Emily Violet Dorfman, and Shoshanna Esther and Ariella Esther Dorfman. Her siblings include Ronald D.J Saloman, Berta Ann Greenblatt, Josef Goldner Saloman, Charles Land Saloman, and Richard Stevens Saloman. After receiving a B.F.A from Boston University and an M.S from Emerson College, Ruth raised her 3 children in Brookline, MA where she had a career in teaching and then Government and Community Affairs at Boston University. Ruth also worked for a decade as Brookline EyeWitness op-ed columnist for the Brookline TAB.
Ruth spent more than a quarter of a century of service in Brookline as a Town Meeting Member, President of the Town Meeting Member’s Association, Chair of the Preservation Commission, the first woman appointed to the Board of Appeals and Chair of the Committee on Town Organization and Structure. Among the many awards there she received were for Distinguished Public Service, from the Rotary Club of Brookline, Citizen of the Year from the Brookline Chamber of Commerce, and the Preservation Award from Brookline Preservation Commission.
Ruth retired to Naples, Florida in 1999, where she became involved in the community serving on the Boards of Hadassah, on the Collier County School Board’s Diversity Committee and on the Membership and Worship Committees of Temple Shalom. She was also on the Board and Vice President of Naples PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). Ten years ago Ruth founded the PFLAG Interfaith Convocation invoving a myriad of Houses of Worship to foster a sense of acceptance and belonging for all people of faith to pray together without discrimination, disenfranchisement, or stigma. The PFLAG Interfaith Convocation was recognized in 2011 by PFLAG National as The Outstanding Support Program of the Year. In 2012 she garnered the Upstanding Citizen award from the Jewish Federation of Collier County and was recognized by the Naples Daily News with a Star Award. Graveside services at Temple Emanuel of Wakefield Cemetery, 503 North Avenue, Wakefield on Thursday, April 25 at 10:00am.
Contribution in her memory may be made to: Saloman-Dorfman Community Award, Brookline High School, 115 Greenough Street, Brookline, MA 02146 or Temple Shalom Naples, FL
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