Alayne B Zatulove

On the evening of Monday, May 30th, 2022, Alayne Zatulove, passed away at the age of 81. She was a lifelong New Yorker, born in Brooklyn to first-generation parents who themselves passed away while she was barely a young adult, and from a humble beginning rose by intelligence, determination, and a gregarious nature to become a business executive and enjoy a life of luxury and all that New York City could offer.

Alayne was a scientist by education, and after receiving her B.S. from Brooklyn College would go on to enter the world of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as a chemist. She would then go on to earn her M.S. from Brooklyn College, a Masters in Marketing from NYU, and quickly become Vice President and Scientific Director for Estee Lauder Inc. Her professional accomplishments also included being a member of the Cosmetic Dermatology Editorial Board, a lecturer at medical schools, including the University of California, Henry Ford, Baylor, and Columbia, Chair of the Quality Control Committee for the Cosmetics, Toiletries, Fragrances Association, and affiliated with the American Medical Writers Association, Fashion Group International, and the New York Academy of Sciences.

Her prolific capabilities in the lab also translated into the kitchen, and sparked by a childhood watching her grandmother cook and entertain guests, Alayne would become a wonderful chef and hostess and use her love of food to bring together family and friends across her eclectic communities of artists, scientists, executives, and educators to celebrate any and all of life’s occasions, but especially Jewish holidays. It was in her Upper West Side apartment of fifty years, chosen primarily due to its view overlooking Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera House, another passion of hers, and sizable living room that could accommodate seating a few dozen people for dinner, where she would entertain and delight.

As an avid collector, Alayne would amass collections of Judaica, thousands of books on Judaism, cooking, and histories of her favorite topics; penguins lined her window sill, hanukkiahs decorated her shelves, photography and art adorned her walls, often with inscriptions from the friends who created them. She had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, learning, and educating, which would continue late in life as she worked towards a Masters in Rabbinic Studies at Hebrew Union College.

Generous in thought and action, Alayne leveraged her capabilities to help those in need. Her philanthropic efforts included work with nonprofit organizations: World Union for Progressive Judaism where she served on the Board of Governors and Executive Committee, Women’s League for Israel, National Association for the Visually Handicapped, UJA: Medical Ethics Committee, National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias, DEBRA, 92nd St. Y, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, and others.

Alayne’s parents were Jacob and Rebecca Zatulove. She was preceded in death by her brother, Howard, and her late husband, Reuben Feierman, whom she met late in life, but in time to share many happy travels, holidays, and experiences. While she didn’t have children of her own, she is survived by her nieces Jessica and Jocelyn and nephew Joshua, whom she loved as if they were her own, taking them to places she treasured - museums, shows, concerts, restaurants, and trips abroad - and instilling in them a similar enthusiasm for what the world can offer, and her grandnieces and grandnephews Raya, Joey, Dahlia, and Jacob whose innocence, curiosity, and humor brought her great joy.

Alayne was a born storyteller with a profound love for the written word, steel-trap memory, and penchant for embellishment; she could effortlessly weave together tales of her childhood and life experiences to pass down through generations. Her motto was that people are never gone so long as their stories continue to be told. We will continue to pass on her stories and she will live on through the many lives she touched.

If so inclined, the family has requested that anyone who wants to make a donation in Alayne's honor do so to the Bronx Zoo's Wildlife Conservation Society (https://secure.wcs.org/donate/honor-someone-special-gift-save-wildlife).

A graveside service for Alayne will be held Sunday, June 12, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Westchester Hills Cemetery, 400 Saw Mill River Road, Hastings-On-Husdon, NY 10706.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.riversidememorialchapel.com for the ZATULOVE family.