Laura Gauld, an educator in Bath, Maine, describes a mother’s role in three, distinct stages. To a young child, a mom is a drill sergeant: “Brush your teeth before bed,” or “Hold my hand when we cross the street.” In the middle years, the mom becomes a manager: “Don’t forget your cleats,” or “I’ll pick you up after school.” By the time her children are grown, a mother evolves into a consultant: “Do the benefits out way the risks?” or “Should you get a second opinion?”
These Tidewater mothers, profiled here by their children, have served these roles and more, creating Jewish homes filled with love, humor, culture, and wisdom.
Dianne Epplein
Meira Epplein and Rochelle Chimenes
Having Dianne Epplein as your mother is truly the ultimate role model for a strong woman seeking to do good in the world. From an early age our mother had significant expectations of her daughters, which included not only academic excellence but caring about others. She demonstrated this in her own life in many ways, particularly through her profession as a pediatric physical therapist. In addition to her main career as a physical therapist, our mother taught childbirth preparation classes to pregnant women because she loved supporting them through this important time.
When she first started her own practice, she worked out of our home – Meira was often called in to play with her patient, to distract and help as Mom assessed the child and demonstrated exercises for the parents.
She also sent Meira to an inclusion pre-school, where she got to learn alongside differently abled classmates, a truly fantastic experience, with the added benefit of spontaneous visits to Mom in a nearby therapy room.
Many nights, after our family dinner, she could be heard on phone calls with friends who needed a sympathetic ear. Her concern for and interest in others led her to offer our guest room to friends in need of temporary lodging and opera singers from out of town.
She easily makes new friends wherever she goes, and her friends often express how much they appreciate her.
Beyond her obvious impact on children and their families and the arts community which she whole-heartedly supports, she has imparted to her daughters the ultimate importance in making a difference in this world.
Despite living across the Atlantic Ocean from Rochelle, she is still very involved in her life and in that of her teenage daughters. It is a wonderful thing to know you can count on your mother to be there for you, even in your 50s!
Alicia Friedman
Hallie and Jamie Friedman
Pickleball enthusiast, avid walker, lover of laughter, foodie, great listener, engaging talker, generous giver, patient, stylish, beautiful, culinary expert, and entertainer extraordinaire—these are just a few words that capture the essence of our mom.
Her continued devotion to our Jewish community has inspired us to get involved in our communities in Denver and New York City where we have found fulfillment and community.
Mom, you are a friend like no other, showing us the true value of deep, lasting friendships. We can’t imagine a day without calling you — whether it’s to chat or to seek your wisdom on life’s many decisions. Your love and guidance mean the world to us.
We love you endlessly — Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!
Amy Lefcoe
Jenny Lefcoe Wallach, Mattie Lefcoe Brooke, and Rose Lefcoe
You’d think writing about your mom would be easy—after all, you’ve known her your whole life. Think again.
Sure, we could talk about the good times we’ve shared. The laughter, the memories, the lessons. But somehow, it still wouldn’t be enough. At least not for us.
Because we don’t just have a mom. We have a teacher. A role model. A guide. A mentor. A best friend. Trying to capture her in words feels impossible—there’s just too much to say. But still, in some small way, we want to try.
Amy Lefcoe is a giver in the truest sense of the word. She gives to her family, her community, the Jewish people, and the world. Tirelessly. Relentlessly. Passionately. She doesn’t just hope for change—she makes it happen. She leads with strength and fights for what’s right, a true soldier in G-d’s army.
She loves deeply, and people love her back. She listens when no one else does. She understands. She lifts others up, runs projects, fuels organizations, and raises funds when no one else will. She speaks truth, sparks growth, and inspires action.
But before all that—she’s our mom.
She’s the one waiting up to hear we’ve landed safely. The one reminding us to drink water and take care of ourselves. The one praying for us when life gets hard. The one who sends us home with chicken soup, warm hugs, and endless love.
Her love has shaped us into who we are. She is our anchor, our safe place, our constant. And we are her world, just as she is ours.
It’s a bond words can’t fully capture—but we hope this comes close.
We love you, Mommy. Thank you for everything.
Deb Segaloff
Sabine and Emma Segaloff
Our mom, Deb, is an incredibly kind, generous, compassionate, and creative human being. She loves to read, cook, bake, make art, walk, do puzzles, and spend time with her family and friends.
Growing up witnessing our mom’s extensive involvement in the Jewish community has instilled in us a profound sense of Jewish identity and community. Alongside our dad, Peter, our mom has nurtured our deep love for Judaism through a commitment to Jewish education, observing countless holidays, family trips to Israel, and weekly Shabbat dinners as a family.
Throughout her work in Holocaust education, her time on the Virginia Council of Human Rights, and in her personal life, our mom has channeled her passion for justice into action and passed onto us a responsibility to do the same. In all her endeavors, she has shown us how to be effective leaders who value listening and learning.
By sharing her love of making art, our mom has forever encouraged us to express ourselves as individuals. In every moment of our lives, our mom has been our biggest champion. We are immensely grateful for her unconditional love, her kindness, her guidance, and her support. We love you, Mom!
Linda Spindel
Kevin Spindel
You may know her as Linda Spindel, friend, former president of Ohef Sholom Temple or longtime volunteer with various organizations such as Jewish Family Service, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, and the Children’s Museum, to name a few. But to me, my daughter Jordan, and my son Jake, she is Mom and Nana.
Moreover, she is truly an inspiration. We are inspired by the relentless time, energy, and care she has given back to the community that this family has been a part of for many generations. We are inspired by the commitment and support she has for her entire family. We are inspired by the genuine kindness and compassion she has for all people, especially those less fortunate.
From the many vacations we have spent together, to the holidays celebrated in Virginia Beach, to the countless trips she and Ron make to see us in Atlanta; we all cherish every moment we get to spend with her. To see the incredible bonds she has forged with both Jordan and Jake warm our hearts. We all feel very lucky to have her in our lives and if you know her or are related to her – then we know you feel the same.
We are so proud to call her Mom and Nana.
Kevin Tabakin
Michael, Ames, and Brian Tabakin
Our mom has always had a passion for learning and for teaching. Growing up, she made sure our education included Judaism.
Saturday morning pancakes and then off to temple. Friday night Shabbat dinners and holiday meals gave us both beautiful, family memories and an enduring love for brisket and kugel.
We were her first bar-mitzvah students, paving the way for the many she has tutored over the years. A doorway to her becoming a Sunday School teacher and further engaged in her passion for Jewish education.
She loves music: melodies of prayer and orchestral classics. We grew up with the sounds of her playing piano and listening to Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf during van rides to swim meets. Mike most carries this love of music, though his tastes vary from hers; he’s been to upward of 1,000 concerts!
Our mom has also always loved nature. From very early on, we can remember her describing a need to be by the ocean. Ames never fully understood this until he found the mountains.
But one lesson our parents taught us is to not wait on your dreams. When our mom reached remission from cancer in 2004, they moved up the timeline on moving closer to the beach.
Her favorite is to spend time on the beach with as much family as possible. Having all three sons home or together at once is always the goal.
Thanks for being such an amazing mom!! We love you!