Obituary: Jane Lewis Axelrod

On May 24, 2025, Jane Lewis Axelrod died peacefully at the age of 90, surrounded by family.

Jane was born on July 31, 1934, in Newark, N.J., moving to Atlanta at the age of two. She graduated from Henry Grady High School. She met the love of her life, Herbert Axelrod, while in high school and they married in 1953. They met through a mutual friend, and it was truly a story of love at first sight followed by an incredible, loving, and devoted marriage of 71 years.

Jane loved her family, first and without question or doubt – husband, children, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. But she also loved Shearith Israel and Rebecca’s Tent – Spiegel Women’s Shelter at Shearith Israel.

Jane worked at Shearith Israel for 30 years, serving as executive director for 25 of those years. She was so dedicated to the synagogue, its staff and its members. And she was instrumental in the founding of the Women’s Shelter. Her stories of these years could truly fill a book.

Jane is survived by three children, son, Michael Axelrod, and his spouse, Leah Harrison, of Atlanta, and her grandsons, Jason Axelrod, of Atlanta, and Andy Axelrod, and his partner, Jordan Sandy, of Chicago, Ill., and her step-grandson, Eli Harrison, of Atlanta; daughter, Laure Cohen, and her spouse, Mark Cohen, of Alma, Ga., and her grandsons, Bram Cohen, and his spouse, Jodi, of Atlanta, and their son, Odys Cohen, Grant Cohen, and his spouse, Kim, of Los Angeles, Calif., and Nathan Cohen, and his partner, Chet Norment, of Los Angeles, Calif.; and daughter, Shelley Robinson, and her spouse, David Robinson, of Lakeland, Fla., and her granddaughter, Jillian Robinson, and her grandson, Jarod Robinson, of Lakeland, Fla. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 71 years, Herbert Axelrod, her beloved son, Jeffrey Lewis Axelrod, and her parents, Libby and Carl Lewis.

A graveside funeral ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Crestlawn Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Congregation Shearith Israel (https://www.shearithisrael.com). Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.