obituaries Obituaries from page 57 Dear Abby Columnist Pauline Phillips, 94 NEW YORK (JTA) — Pauline Phillips, the woman known to the world as the advice columnist behind Dear Abby, has died. Phillips, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, died Jan. 16, 2013, at age 94 after years of battling Alzheimer's disease, accord- Pauline Phillips ing to news reports. Writing under the pseudonym Abigail van Buren, Phillips' Dear Abby was syndicated in more than 1,200 newspapers and had 95 million readers at its height. Her sister, Eppie Lederer, wrote a similar column under the name Ann Landers. Lederer died in 2002. Born Pauline Esther Friedman in Iowa, Philips began writing the column in 1956 when she was 37 years old. Youngest Person On Schindler's List Dies (JTA) — The youngest person saved by German industrialist Oskar Schindler has died. Leon Leyson, whom Schindler called "Little Leyson," died of lymphoma on Jan. 12, 2013, in Whittier, Calif., at 83, the Los Angeles Times reported. Leyson was 13 when he went to work at Schindler's factory in Krakow, Poland, where he had to stand on a box to operate the machinery. He was a high school educator for nearly four decades and rarely spoke about his Holocaust experiences until the 1993 release of the Academy Award-winning film Schindler's List. Following the interest generated by the Steven Spielberg movie, Leyson traveled throughout the United States telling his story. Two of Leyson's brothers were killed in the Holocaust, including one that Schindler added to his list but who refused to get off the train to Auschwitz because his girlfriend was not on the list, accord- ing to the Times. Schindler placed Leyson's mother and two other siblings on the list of 1,100 Jews along with his father, making it one of the few families that he protected. Leyson's siblings later immigrated to Israel. Leyson criticized the film for emphasiz- ing Schindler's womanizing and profiteer- ing as opposed to his decency and com- passion, the newspaper said. In 1949, Leyson immigrated to America and later fought in the Vietnam War. He taught machine shop and was a guidance counselor at Huntington Park High School, retiring in 1997. He was the father of two and grandfa- ther of four. Ron Nachman, Founder And Longtime Mayor Of Ariel JERUSALEM (JTA) — Ron Nachman, mayor of the West Bank city of Ariel for nearly 30 years, was buried in the city he founded. Nachman, Ariel's only mayor, died Jan. 18, 2013, three years after being diagnosed with bladder cancer, at the age of 70. He was buried two days later. In 1978, Nachman helped found what would one day become a city in the West Bank by helping pitch two tents on a bar- ren hilltop. Nachman, who was elected Ariel's first mayor in 1985, served as a Knesset mem- ber for the Likud Party beginning in 1992, later resigning his seat when a new law prevented Knesset members from serving simultaneously on the local level. He fought for the recognition of the Ariel College as a full-fledged university, which became official late last year, though the new designation is being challenged in Israel's Supreme Court. Nachman also oversaw the construction and opening of a controversial cultural center in the city. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized Nachman on Jan. 20 at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting. "I think that everyone who knew Ron, and many here did, are familiar with his unique contribution in establishing Ariel, both in vision and deed. He gave his life to this vision and he realized it," Netanyahu said. "Today we part from our dear friend who managed to build Ariel into a city of culture, with a university. I regret that he did not have additional years in which to enjoy the fruit of his labors:' Nachman's family helped found the cen- tral Israeli city of Ness Ziona. WEB STREAMING FROM ANYWHERE Online funeral video streaming is now available from our Chapel, any temple or synagogue, graveside or a cemetery chapel. Our commitment to this community. No Cost. No Password. Anytime. Anyplace. THE IRA KAUFMAN CHAPEL Bringing Together Family, Faith & Community 18325 W. 9 Mile Rd. Southfield, MI 48075 • 248.569.0020 • IraKaufman.com 1770590 58 January 24 • 2013 JN Obituaries