Aviva Helfand, Long Beach Community Figure, Dies at Age 74

Aviva Helfand, a beloved member of the Long Beach, CA Jewish community who managed the kitchen at the Hebrew Academy of Huntington Beach and Camp Silver Gan Israel, passed away at age 74 on Friday, Erev Shabbos Parshas Vayera, 19 Cheshvan 5787, COLlive reported.

As one of the few kosher caterers operating south of Los Angeles during her early years in the region, Helfand prepared meals for generations of students, teachers, campers, and counselors.

Her elaborate cakes frequently served as the centerpiece for local celebrations, while her home and kitchen remained open to large numbers of guests for Shabbos and Yom Tov meals. Keeping china for forty people, her household was structured so that whoever walked through her door was welcomed as part of the family.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Helfand developed an early connection to Judaism while living with her grandparents. Her grandfather, Carl Urstein, formerly known as Orenshtein, served as the cantor of Sinai Temple, and she cherished listening to him daven at the amud with passion and grace.

Her path shifted in the 1980s after she enrolled her son, Josh, at the Hebrew Academy, then located in Long Beach. Through volunteering at weekly bingo fundraisers, she formed enduring friendships with Robin Greenspan, Sora Warhaftig, and Angie Levin. These connections guided her return to a life centered on Torah, Mitzvos, and Chassidus, drawing on family lineage that included great-grandparents who were Chassidim of the Frierdiker Rebbe in Eretz Yisroel.

Following a move to Crown Heights, she met her future husband, Mottie Helfand, at the Shabbos table of the Hershkowitz family. Mottie had also transitioned from being raised on Broadway to becoming a Chossid. The couple ultimately settled back in Long Beach, establishing a household known for its expansive hospitality and warmth, drawing comparisons to the tent of Avraham Avinu during the week of Parshas Vayera.

Shiva took place during the week of Parshas Chayei Sarah, which recounts Sarah Imeinu’s passing and the continuation of her legacy. Helfand was predeceased by her husband Mottie in 5770, her daughter Mindy in September 2000, and her son Joshua Hofer in 5785.