Sarai G Zitter

1926 - 2019
Obituary of Sarai G. Zitter

Sarai Golomb Zitter, 92, of Cabot Park Village, Newtonville, Massachusetts, died peacefully at home on August 27, 2019, after being surrounded by 24 relatives and many friends during her final days.
She leaves her children, Sherry and Sarah Jeppson Zitter, Mark Zitter and Jessica Nutik Zitter, and Robin Zitter and Mike Nadeau; her grandchildren Solomon, Tessa Rose and Sasha; 2 nephews, 8 great nieces/nephews and their 8 children - and cousins by the dozens! She was the beloved matriarch of a large and loving extended family that she inspired to convene frequently, and that family included many dear friends.
A lifelong social worker and social justice activist for numerous causes, Sarai was most proud of her work in the civil rights and pro-choice movements. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and started the Cedar Grove (NJ) Fair Housing Coalition in her living room, which integrated the town.
She served as president of NJ Right to Choose for 20 years, speaking about women's reproductive rights in scores of high school classrooms. She organized a cooperative nursery school run by parents, and was very active in the local Girl Scouts, teaching campfire and camping skills.
When she and her late husband Sam moved to Monroe Twp. (NJ) after retirement, she again became involved multiple volunteer activities, including her local Jewish Federation, which honored her work in 2007.
Sarai avidly loved poetry and music, and almost up to her death could recite hundreds of poems and sing hundreds of songs. She was a master gardener and wonderful cook and hostess, delighting in gardening and baking with her grandchildren.
She firmly believed that deep connections to loved ones and making this world a fairer and better place are what give life meaning. An optimist by nature, she termed herself an idealistic realist. Her strong values and faith in human nature have inspired dozens of younger activists.
Born in the Bronx, she attended Music and Art High School in New York City, where she played the harp. She earned a BA at Wellesley College, where she was a class officer and an involved alumna; an MA in Psychology at University of Michigan; and an MSW from Simmons School of Social Work.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to either Planned Parenthood Federation of America, ACLU, the Sarai G. Zitter '47 Scholarship Fund c/o Wellesley College Student Aid Society, Magen David Adom - or a charity of your choice.
The funeral will be held on Thursday, August 29 at 10 am at Plaza Jewish Community Chapel, 630 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY. It will be webcast live at https://www.plazajewishcommunitycha
pel.org/ under Funeral Calendar/Funeral Details/Webcast. Saturday, Cabot Park Village will hold a memorial for Sarai from 2:30-4 pm, 280 Newtonville Avenue, Newton, MA. Shiva will resume after Shabbat on Saturday from 8:15-9:45 pm at CPV and will be held there on Sunday from 12-3:30 pm. (Also in Oakland CA Monday and Tuesday.)