Elizabeth "Liz" Hoffstadter Friedman

A beloved mother, teacher, Lovey, and friend, Liz Hoffstader Friedman, 67, of Havertown, passed away in Philadelphia on Sunday, October 13th after a two and a half year battle with Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Born in Israel, Liz grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her daily life was a cross between Saturday Night Fever and Fiddler on the Roof. She graduated from Fort Hamilton High School in 1975 and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the City College of New York. She has additional Master’s Degrees from California State University, Northridge, and Cabrini College. 

A lifelong educator, Liz began her career in Los Angeles California, where she taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District. After moving back east to Philadelphia, she helped to begin the Bright Horizons program at the Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El Early Childhood Center. She then spent the rest of her career in the Lower Merion School District, teaching Kindergarten at Penn Wynne Elementary and Gladwyne Elementary. 

Liz found happiness in music, food, and travel. The most joyful moments of her life typically revolved around concerts, time at the beach, or sharing a great meal with friends and family. An avid walker, she would walk up to 15 miles in a day, even up to 10 miles during rounds of chemotherapy and after a bone marrow transplant. As a child of Holocaust survivors, Liz channeled her difficult childhood into a passion for teaching and helping kids. She always espoused the “golden rule”, and showed limitless empathy for everyone she came across. 

She is survived by daughter Sarah Friedman (Josh Suen) of Garnet Valley and son Beau Friedman (Megan Hurley Friedman) of Philadelphia; grandchildren Lucy and Max Suen; sister Kathy Hoffstadter Thal (Gary Thal). She was preceded in death by her mother, Luiza Rothfeld Hoffstadter, father, Laszlo Hoffstadter, and brother, Michael Ben Ami. 

Relatives and friends are invited to funeral services at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, October 15th at Joseph Levine & Sons, 2811 West Chester Pike, Broomall, PA. Interment at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery to follow. Shiva will be observed at Liz’s residence on Tuesday, October 15th from 7-9 PM, with a minyan at 7:30 PM, and Wednesday, October 16th from 2-4 PM. The family will receive guests at Liz’s home on Sunday, October 20th, from noon to 4 PM as well.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sandy Hook Promise (sandyhookpromise.org) or the USC Shoah Foundation (sfi.usc.edu). She will always be in our hearts.