Larisa Rayzberg

Born in Ukraine and an American since 1989, Mom took her final breath after the last sundown of 5786.

Forever known as "Baba" in the Gogerman household, she was the glue that held us together, the rock that kept us strong, and the spark that propelled us forward.

Mom always gave so much of herself to others. In her late 30s, she left behind everything she knew in order to start a new life in the U.S., blazing a trail for the rest of the family and making personal sacrifices so that her son could have a better future. Later, she devoted decades of her life to caring, tirelessly and lovingly, for the men in her life as they ailed and passed away.

But her selfless nature shouldn't overshadow how truly exceptional Mom was in every aspect of her life. She was brilliant, caring, strong, and unbelievably capable.

As a child and young woman, she excelled at every level of schooling in the face of pervasive institutional anti-Semitism. As an adult, she indulged her intellect and lifelong curiosity through travel, literature, art, and music. She carried on the homemaking traditions she learned from the women who raised her. She was a family historian. She was a mother to everyone who entered her orbit. She loved her family unconditionally.

Mom was a force of nature who always made the most of the circumstances she was dealt, good and bad. She is survived by her sister Marina, brother-in-law Alex, and nephew Mike; as well as by her son Gene, his wife Tiffany, and their daughter, Hannah, who was her grandmother's greatest joy.