Benjamin Shaposnick (Hebrew name Dov Baer) Born November 25, 1904; died March 31, 1997 Benjamin (Bosha) was the eldest son of Solomon (Shloime) and Zisel/ Shaposnick, and was born in the town of Risineh, Bessarabia. He had six siblings: Al Shaw, Anne Barash, Evelyn Dembart, Betty Rache, Dorothy Millman, and Marian Latch. Benjamin's dream was to become a lawyer, but, due to family financial responsibilities, he had to go to work at an early age. His education came not from books of theory or philosophy, but from necessity and hard work. His values were simple and basic: work to provide for your family; do for your friends and your community; do not lose yourself in the pursuit of vague principles. Those were the tenets upon which he based his life. He kept his feet firmly planted on the ground and devoted 100% of his abundant energy to the people he loved and cared for. Ben was an exemplary son, son-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, father, father-in-law, Zeida, uncle, and friend. He married his true love, his sweetheart Sadie Berish, on September 3, 1933, and together they had three children - Philip, Thelma, and Doris. ----- Phillip Shaposnick was the first child of Benjamin and Sadie. He married Bernice Pedvis, and they had two children - Louise and Daniel. Louise Shap married Jeff Miller, who had a son Jonathan from a previous marriage. Louise and Jeff had no children. Daniel married Sivan Fox, and they had three children - Allyson, Noah, and Ethan. ----- Thelma Shaposnick/Savelson was the second child of Benjamin and Sadie, and the second wife of Harry (Gregory) Savelson z"l. 1. With his first wife, Agnes Meerovitch z"l, Harry had two children, Bob and Michael z"l. Bob Savelson married Fran Sklofsy, and they had three children - Alyse, Joe, and Bradley. Alyse married Matt Nishimura, and they had two children - Gradyn and Maeve. Joe partnered with Nicole Morel. Bradley married Alison MacMurray and they have one child named Jack. Michael Savelson z"l (2011) married Freddie Jacobs, and they had two children - Zachary Monroe Savelson and Taylor Savelson. In 2021, Freddie married Lloyd Grunwald. 2. WIth his second wife, Thelma Shaposnick/Savelson, Harry had two children, Aviva, and Evan. Aviva Savelson married Yitzac Goldstein. Her stepsons are Elliot and Elijah. Evan Savelson married Lisa Goldstein and they had two children, Jamie Mitchell, and Dylan Noah. ----- Doris Shaposnick was the third child of Benjamin and Sadie and was married twice. 1. Doris married her first husband, Phil Bloom, on April 8, 1962, and they had two children, Tamara, and David. Tamara Bloom married Richard Allan Haskin and they had two children, Stephen Zachary, and Matthew Scott. David Bloom married Lorraine Naimer and they had three children, Joshua Samuel, Benjamin Ryen, and Rachel Hannah. 2. Doris married her second husband, Richard Henry Stern, on May 24, 1982. Richard had three children from a previous marriage to Jill Comay - Gabriella, Jonathan, and Jeremy. Gabriella Stern Young married Tony Young and they have one child named Mikayla Young. Jonathan Stern z"l married Heather Thompson, and they had two children, Zachary Stern and Sarah Stern. Jeremy Stern married Gena Cymbaluk. --------- Benjamin Shaposnick needed, wanted, and asked for nothing for himself. He was humble and always listened to the other person's point of view. He taught his children to do the same. Even when he did not agree, he was never judgmental. His grandchildren would discuss their most intimate issues with him and always came away feeling they had been heard and were loved unconditionally. Sadie and Ben lived their lives together as partners in love and in life. Their early years were spent building a strong foundation, both financially and emotionally. Over time they learned to respect each other's strengths, differences, and values. Tradition and community were important to both of them. Zeida Leib (David Aria Leib) and Bubby Sarah (Sadie's mother and father) were part of a small group of residents in Notre Dame de Grace that began the Share Zedek Synagogue. The Share Zedek was the synagogue Sadie and Ben were instrumental in building, beginning in the basement of the Berlin family and a church in the Notre Dame de Grace neighbourhood. The membership grew and a building was built on Rosedale Avenue. Benjamin Shaposnick was the treasurer for 25 years. Under his leadership as treasurer, the synagogue paid off its $400,000.00 mortgage in the 25th year. Having successfully completed his mission, he retired as treasurer. He had a motto: "It's not what you earn. It is what you save." When his beloved Sadie passed away in 1978, he was heartbroken. He felt his usefulness was over and he wanted to sign everything over to his children. On the fourth or fifth day of shiva, his youngest granddaughter Aviva approached him tearfully and said "There is no one else but you. Who will butter my bread?" It was at that moment he realized he was still needed and could serve a worthwhile purpose. He quickly learned how to make chicken soup and to keep the home fires burning. He was a true patriarch. Tamara and David benefited from living downstairs from a Bubby and Zaida who were there for them 100%. Even while suffering with Parkinson's disease, he never tired of sharing his time or energy with his beloved children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He never simply said "I love you." He gave us love and showed us how to love! He assumed the role of house grandfather for David when Doris married Richard in 1982 and he happily continued the position until after David graduated from McGill and his first job took him to Toronto. Ben moved in with Thelma and Harry when it was no longer safe for him to live alone. When he could no longer handle the stairs in their home, he moved to Ottawa and lived with Doris and Richard for seven years. He often commented that he never thought he would spend his final days in such beautiful loving surroundings. He always said children learn from what they see, not from what you say. As the end approached, all too slowly, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren gave him the strength to smile back through the ever-tightening shroud of Parkinson's. Benjamin's values, ethics, integrity, wisdom, devotion, and love will live on in our memories forever. The challenge for all of us is to carry the values, traditions, and quality of life that has been passed to us from generation to generation (L'Dor V'Dor). Benjamin and Sadie Shaposnick have given us the tools required to live lives filled with tzedakah, tradition, friendship, community, and to cherish family and friends.