Right: Evelyn Deitchman
Left: Barbara Ribakove Gordon

It is with the greatest sorrow that we report the death of Evelyn Deitchman, for 20 years the volunteer Director of the NACOEJ/Vidal Sassoon Adopt-A-Student Program. Evelyn undertook this demanding and rewarding assignment after retirement from a long and meaningful career in the New York City school system, where she primarily taught  4th grade.   A grade she specifically chose because she felt it was at that age, she could have the most impact and success at combating prejudice and teaching tolerance.. Evelyn played a major role in the successful development of the NACOEJ AAS Program, assisting over 2,000 young Ethiopian Jews in Israel to complete their college education. Beloved by students and sponsors alike, Evelyn became an honored NACOEJ Board member, traveled to Ethiopia and Israel, met with “her” students (she was herself a sponsor) and took an active role in every aspect of NACOEJ’s efforts.

Evelyn’s extreme dedication to her work, insistence on accuracy and connection with each donor was unparalleled..  She spent many late nights at the NACOEJ office, especially when a student’s sponsor could not continue, and Evelyn would not leave until she had found a replacement. Well into the computer age, she still corresponded with sponsors in her signature green-ink, hand-written notes. In her last days, Evelyn consulted with NACOEJ staffer Judy Dick, who will continue her work for AAS.

Evelyn was also a world traveler, a professional-quality dancer, actor and painter, a lover of theatre and movies, babies and the animal kingdom. Above all, she was the loving and dearly loved mother of daughter Shana, sons Jody, Cory and Rick, and daughter-in-laws Shari and Gabrielle, as well as beloved aunt of Judy and David, and great-aunt to David’s son, Andrew; and the adoring and devoted grandmother of Katrina and Sally. She is deeply mourned by her family, a host of former students, colleagues and personal friends, including the undersigned.
Barbara Ribakove Gordon

Personal messages can be sent to Evelyn’s family at shanadeane77@gmail.com

Continuing to reach others with her message of fortitude, action and devotion to her family and the greater family of man, Evelyn’s inspiring and uplifting funeral service was videotaped,  and can be viewed at the website of the funeral home:  Click Here.