Acknowledgements
We give special thanks to Cantors Rosalie Boxt and Joseph Gole, who conceived the idea of a website to make Judy Berman’s music readily available, known and used. We could not have brought this idea to reality without the vision, judgment and sensitivity of Cantor Tracey Scher, who guided the selection and organization of Judy’s music for the site, and who has our deepest and most heartfelt thanks. We are also grateful to Samantha Berman at Berman Designs, LLC, website designer and developer, and to Jonathan Hall, typesetter, whose skill and execution so well serve the goal of making Judy’s music easily accessible and attractive to use.
Judy herself spoke frequently of the inspiration provided to her by her parents, Rabbi S. Felix Mendelsohn and Nanette Bloom Mendelsohn. They died while we were young, so we really only have the evidence of that inspiration -- Judy’s music.
We did witness and still benefit from the love and support that Judy and her beloved husband Barry freely and happily provided to each other. Their romance surely inspired her music. She felt that she was blessed by her marriage, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; she composed any number of songs and settings in celebration of family life cycle events.
We are profoundly grateful to Rose C. Engel, whose collaboration with Judy spanned decades and produced a truly incredible number of delightful songs, especially children’s songs. We also thank Rabbis Paul Kipnes and Alan Freehling and Cantors Samuel W. Brown, Doug Cotler, Jay Freilich, Michael Russ and Barry Hyams (z”l), who joined with Judy to provide meaningful worship services and opportunities for congregants to expand their musical experience.