Bryna Vertlieb (Zehngut)

March 14, 1953 - February 14, 2005   (51)

Services are scheduled today for Bryna Zehngut, a community leader who died Monday after living almost six years with ovarian cancer.  She was 51.

Zehngut’s professional and volunteer efforts included spearheading a $3million campaign to build a new Tucson Hebrew Academy, working to improve understanding between Americans and Israelis, and starting a support group for Jewish women with cancer.

She was only the second woman to serve as president of the University of Arizona student body, an office she held from 1973-74, when she graduated from the UA.  

“Bryna was like a sister to me,” said Ronnie Sebold.  The two women met at a play group when their daughters - both of whom will turn 24 next week - were just 6 months old.  “She had a way of making everybody feel they were special and loved unconditionally.”  Sebold said.  “If I made dinner, it was the best dinner she ever ate.  If I gave a speech, it was the best speech she ever heard.  We learned so much from being in her presence.  Her goodness, her kindness — just by being with her you learned that's the way people should be.”  

Zehngut was one to recognize a community need and fill it, as she did when she started the CHAI Circle for Jewish women with cancer.  Chai is the Hebrew word for life, but the acronym also stands for Cancer, Healing and Inspiration.  “Now it’s a thriving group of hundreds of women,” Sebold said.

Karen Katz became Zehngut’s friend 21 years ago, when their youngest children started school together.  Katz recalled her friend’s persistently upbeat attitude.  Zehngut called Katz the night before Zehngut had exploratory surgery to diagnose her ovarian cancer in summer 1999.  “Whatever it is,” she said, “I’ll be fine,” Katz remembered.  “And she was the kind of person who always thought about other people first.  I’d be taking her to chemo and she’d ask, “How’s your back?’”

In 1981, Zehngut began working with the Jewish Community Relations Council’s public schools’ Holocaust studies program.  She became friends with survivors, accompanying them to speaking engagements.  She said the experience changed her life.

In 2003, Zehngut was given the UA’s Sidney S. Woods Alumni Service Award for being “a glowing example of a life dedicated to helping the less fortunate.”

She served with the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, the Tucson Hebrew Academy, Congregation Anshei Israel and the America Israel Friendship League.  The Jewish Federation named her its 1988 Woman of the Year.  The Hebrew Academy honored her at its Torah Dinner in May, 2004.

Zehngut is survived by her husband, Alan, and her children, Dina and David, all of Tucson; her brother, Art Vertlieb of Vancouver; and other relative and friends.

A funeral service is scheduled for 3pm today at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E 5th St, followed by burial at Evergreen Cemetery.

The family suggests contributions to the Bryna Zehngut Community Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, 3822 E River Rd, Tucson, AZ  85718.  Donors can specify the institutions they wish to support.

-from The Arizona Daily Star, February 17, 2005