MOM

Barbara Ruderman, Our Mother……

Our Mother, Barbara Joan Ruderman died in her sleep yesterday, February 21, 2026.  She left behind her three surviving children, Ira, Marci, and Cari two grandchildren, Julianne and Nickolas, two GREAT grandchildren, Xavier and Xiomara, and daughter-in-law Rebecca, as well as the sweet memories of anyone who knew her. Preceding mom in passing was our dad, Charlie, her husband of almost 50 years, and the youngest of her triplet daughters, Nancy.

Mom was 90 years old, can you believe that?  While just a high school graduate with some college, mom almost always worked, retiring from the Long Beach School district, but most importantly she left her mark on hundreds of high school students and others with her business, Telequest.  In the mid to late 1970’s the “lest we forget” section of the LBHS yearbook included references like “telephone surveys,” “Telequest,” “Mrs. Ruderman.” But, G-d, I have known few like her and neither have all of you.

Always visiting family in Long Beach, it was inevitable that we moved there in 1966, and into 211 West Chester a year later.  

Mom was born in Brooklyn, lived right on Union Street around the corner from where the Chabad headquarters now is, and she actually spent at least one year at the performing arts HS.  She LOVED playing the accordian, and performed with a local band at functions called, I think, The Evans trio.

As a mother, Mom always wanted to be involved in her children’s lives. The very reason she started working in the schools was so she could be home when school let out.  As a homemaker, Mom welcomed almost everyone into our house. Hungry?  She fed you.  Need warm clothes?  She found some.  We did not have much ourselves, but I remember times when she was a Cub Scout den mother that she would find a way to see that every boy had a uniform.

Mom could be colorful, and she could be very stubborn when it came to those she was mad at, but she was a proud woman and lived an honorable life.

While Mom’s health was failing in recent months, she was still able to joke around, and loved it when traditional Yiddish songs were played for her, especially My Yiddisha Momma and My Zeide.  

There was nobody greater and she will be sorely missed by us all.