"Most important were the
connections she made on a
personal level. She connected
with the world."

- Gilda Jacobs, Rachel's mother

Rachel Jacobs with her son, Jacob

Profound Impact from page 10

mon; many were Detroiters Todd had met
while studying at Hebrew University in
Israel. Rachel had all the traits Todd consid-
ered important in a potential spouse as well
as some similar idiosyncrasies. To maintain
his foreign language skills, Todd had been
reading the Harry Potter series in German
and Spanish.
"The first time I went to her apartment,
she had a copy of Harry Potter in Russian;'
Todd said. They were both passionate about
running and participated in half-marathons
together. "It was like dating my best friend
from day one:'
Todd, a director at Navigant, a Chicago-
based consulting firm, said he knew from his
first date with Rachel — dinner at an Italian
restaurant — that the two would eventually
be married. He recalls a trip to Croatia with
his mother and brother only weeks after the
couple started dating. Rachel was in Kenya
with her sister at the same time, and the two
spent most of their time texting each other
despite the beautiful scenery in their respec-
tive locations, resulting in merciless teasing
from their travel companions.
Rachel's friend Noha Waibsnaider, who
also attended the party where Rachel and
Todd met, said she knew right away some-
thing special had begun.
"It was so obvious they were meant to be
together," Waibsnaider said.
Rachel and Todd were married in
Cleveland in 2009 and, after a month-long
honeymoon in New Zealand, they began
their married life in Manhattan, where each
had been living when they met. Todd shared
Rachel's love of travel; and they traveled
locally and throughout the world, to places
such as Australia, Machu Picchu, Argentina,
Iceland, France, London, Singapore, Vietnam
and Mexico, where they hiked, toured, and
visited friends and family. Eventually their
family expanded to include their son, Jacob
Kody, now 21/2.
After Jacob was born, they made time for
regular "date nights," going to concerts, din-
ing out and spending time with their many
friends. They enjoyed hosting Shabbat din-
ners and other holiday celebrations.
"Rachel was a phenomenal chef and
baker," Todd said. "She made recipes from all

Great friends: Noha Waibsnaider, Anne Yurasek and Rachel Jacobs

over the world. When someone wasn't feel-
ing well, she would bake them cookies just
to say, `I'm here for you: I don't know many
people like that:'
Todd, who is from Beachwood, Ohio, and
New Castle, Pa., said his challenge will be to
uphold Rachel's legacy so he and Jacob will
be able to maintain the friendships Rachel so
lovingly cultivated.
"She was so present in everyone's lives,"
said Todd. "She had friends from so many
different backgrounds and professions:'

Steadfast Friendships
One of Rachel's many personal gifts was her
ability to maintain deep friendships with a
wide array of people throughout the world.
"She was a wonderful person — giving,
brilliant, articulate, someone who brought
people together; said Karen Zalenko
Weinbaum of Huntington Woods, a cousin
and friend. "I hope we all become inspired
by what she gave in her short life
Her husband said a friend described
Rachel as someone who "always showed up
for the events and the non-events" During
Hurricane Sandy, Rachel, 40 weeks pregnant
and uprooted from her home after a massive
power outage, managed to get to a nearby
hospital where a friend was giving birth.
"I was amazed to learn how many close
friends and deep relationships she had:' said

Waibsnaider, part of a group of Columbia
business school friends who meet for dinner
every Monday night.
Since their graduation in 2002, about a
dozen women meet weekly at the home of
Michelle Kedem, one of the group members.
One of the original participants, Rachel
has always been an integral part of the core
group, according to Waibsnaider.
"Rachel always showed up, even after she
had Jacob, even after she started commuting
[to Philadelphia];' her friend said. "When I
saw her at a recent dinner, she was so happy
about her new job. She was beaming. It was
such a great fit, such a great use of her talent
and skills."
Waibsnaider has always been impressed
by Rachel's energy and her steadfast commit-
ment to social justice, regardless of how busy
her life became.
"It was such a natural, unassuming part
of her you never realized how much she was
doing," Waibsnaider said. "She was unde-
terred ... she lit so many sparks. She was
a visionary and a mobilizer. I'm amazed at
how much she managed to fit into her 39
years:'

in New York at Hebrew Union College-
Jewish Institute of Religion on May 16, where
Rachel's husband, Todd, as well as several
members of her New York community paid
tribute to this extraordinary young woman.
"I always knew I had a wonderful daughter;
but sitting at that service, I realized what
a spectacular person she was;' John Jacobs
said.
For those wishing to make contributions
in Rachel's memory, her family has requested
that donations be sent to Rachel Jacobs'
Detroit Nation, 600 Renaissance Center,
Suite 1740, Detroit, Michigan 48243, www.
crowdrise.com/racheljacobsdetroitnation.
Proceeds will benefit Detroit-area projects
that will continue the nonprofit's mission and
leave a lasting legacy in Rachel's name.
Or choose to give to a scholarship fund
for aspiring female social entrepreneurs at
Columbia University, www. giving.columbia.
edu/giveonline/ . Indicate "Other" in the
"Select a Designation" field. On the following
page, select "In Memory;' and fill out Rachel
Jacobs 2002 in the "Special Instructions"
field. Donations may also be mailed do
Tanya Mujica Keenan, Columbia Business
School, 33 W 60th St., 7th Floor, New York,
NY 10023. Checks should be made payable
to Columbia Business School.
Rachel is survived by her beloved hus-
band, Todd Waldman; her son, Jacob Kody
Waldman; parents, John and Gilda Jacobs;
sister, Jessica (Joshua) Steinhart; father- and
mothers-in-law, Bruce Waldman, Elisabeth
Waldman and Linda Waldman; brother-in-
law and sister-in-law, Andrew Waldman and
Tiffany Brown; nephews and nieces, Lyle
Steinhart, Bobby, Alec and Arianna Brown;
aunts and uncles, Karen and Robert Wildau,
Elizabeth Jacobs and Charles Jacobs; many
loving cousins and a world of friends.
Rachel was also the much-loved grand-
daughter of the late Hyman and the late
Lillian Zalenko, the late Gilberta and the late
Morton Jacobs.
Interment was at Machpelah
Cemetery; arrangements by the Ira
Kaufman Chapel. Rabbi Arturo Kalfus of
Temple Emanu-El officiated.

❑

Continuing Rachel's Legacy
In addition to a funeral service on Monday,
May 17, at the Ira Kaufman Chapel, more
than 300 people attended a memorial service

Story Development Editor Keri Guten Cohen and
reporter Karen Schwartz in New York contributed
to this story.

May 21 • 2015

141