Betty Roswell

All of us in the Jewish community of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties have been truly blessed that Arthur and Betty Blaustein Roswell chose to make their home and raise their family in our community. The Roswells have been founding members of many of our organizations and they have invested their time, energy and resources into making our community a fulfilling and vibrant place to be Jewish.

Sadly for all of us, Betty passed and we can no longer enjoy her company and bask in the glow of her beautiful smile. However, her passing does not mean the end of her commitment to Jewish life. The institutions and programs she cared about and worked so hard on are now part of her legacy. Just as she carried on the legacy handed down to her by her parents, we are now charged with carrying on Betty’s work by using her Life & Legacy bequest to the Jewish Federation of West-Central New Jersey to continue to uplift Jews here at home and across the world. Betty grew up in Baltimore, Maryland in a family dedicated to philanthropy and Jewish causes. Her parents set a wonderful example for her in the areas of Jewish education and social welfare, among many others. Betty embraced these values. They were part of who she was, and she brought them to bear on every aspect of her community involvement. She worked for almost two decades as a social worker with Jewish Family Service of Southern Middlesex County before becoming a prime mover in the founding of JFS of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties and serving as its first president.

Betty was also devoted to Temple Beth-El in Hillsborough and the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum JCC. She co-founded the Temple’s nursery school and served on the Temple’s Board. At the JCC, Betty was involved in the formation of the organization’s operating policies and procedures and served as chairperson of its Long-Range Planning Committee in addition to being a Board member. Of course, Betty was dedicated to the mission and work of the Jewish Federation of West-Central new Jersey serving for many years on the Board and playing a major role in the creation of the Jewish LIFE (Learning is for Everyone) program. Betty’s dedication to the role of the Federation in the community and the good the Federation does locally, in Israel and around the world are what motivated her to ensure that the work can go on for many, many years to come. Betty left a legacy gift in her will, thus making sure the Federation can continue with the important work of tikkun olam and hesed that she valued so much. All of us involved with the Jewish Federation, are grateful beyond words for Betty’s faith in our commitment to do just that and humbled by the responsibility.

We will miss Betty’s laughter and the twinkle in her eye, her creativity, her strong will, and her ability to have a positive impact on all of us. We will pay homage to her by fulfilling the legacy she has left for us every time we lift up the life of someone else.