Leah Jacob-Garrick of San Francisco, formerly of Shanghai, China: 1928-2024 in San Francisco at the age of 96.
Leah (née Jacob) Garrick was the daughter of the late Isaiah and Rebecca (Becky) Jacob. Born in Shanghai, as was her father, she was the fourth generation to live there. The Sephardic family originated in Baghdad, Iraq, and migrated to Shanghai via Bombay, India, with the Sassoons. The Ashkenazi family of her mother came to China from Russia (the Crimea) in the early 1900's to Harbin and on to Australia where she was raised and educated. Leah dubbed herself "Ashka-phardic."
She lived through World War II under Japanese occupation and left for the United States with her sister Ritchie in 1947 prior to the Communist occupation of Shanghai. She had been back several times since. In the U.S., Leah lived for a time at the Emanu-El Residence Club, San Francisco and elected its President in 1956 under Director, Mary Michels. As a Young Judaea leader, she received a scholarship from Hadassah to study for a year in Israel in 1957, the first of many visits, creating a life-long love and support of Israel. In 1982, she established the Northern California branch of Volunteers for Israel and served twice in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) as a Volunteer.
She was affiliated with Congregation Magain David Sephardim and a Life Member of both Amit Women and Hadassah and was very active in the local Jewish Community.
Leah enjoyed opera, swimming and duplicate bridge. She retired as Director of Leisure League (a senior social group) of Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco, where she resided.
Jacob-Garrick traveled extensively (17 times to Israel) and lectured the world-over to a variety of audiences about her miraculous life in Shanghai.
She is survived by her brother Jack (Marion) Jacob of Baltimore, nieces Regina Safdie (David) of Los Angeles, Miriam Safdie Butrimovitz (Jerry) of San Francisco, Debbie Finkelstein (David) and Shoshana Kohen (Meyer) of Baltimore and nephew, Rabbi Michael Jacob (Debbi) of Israel, and family in Israel, London, New York and Australia. Her sister Rachel (Ritchie) Safdie (Joseph) and nephew Eddie Safdie of San Francisco predeceased her.
At her request, private graveside services were held at Eternal Home Cemetery.
Contributions to Israel causes preferred.