Shelley and Robert (Buzz) Krovitz

Shelley and Robert (Buzz) Krovitz have been connected to the Jewish community forever. Their prioritization of Jewish life has propelled them to participate in and serve as leaders of Jewish communal life alongside their professional careers in every city in which they have lived, from Denver to Peoria to Chicago to Trumbell and back to Denver. Rabbi Shulman had a chance to sit down and learn about the richness of their Jewish connections recently. 

In doing so, she learned that their connection to HEA spans generations. Shelley’s family immigrated to Denver from London in 1920 and became part of the HEA community after its inception. Shelley and Buzz were married by Rabbi Goldberger. But what stands out is that they really became committed members of HEA along with their children and grandchildren after experiencing the spirituality of Shir Hadash. “Within five minutes, we had goosebumps,” Shelley and Buzz reflected, “and then we returned every weekend, appreciating the meditative quality and focus on the essence of each prayer.” 

Their commitment to Jewish communal life also extends into the wider community. Shelley has served on numerous boards, including Kavod, Denver Jewish Day School, Jewish Family Service, and was even a Golda Meir award winner for JEWISHcolorado. Buzz has taken on Jewish learning as a passion with admirable commitment and, along the way, became a dedicated member of the HEA morning minyan. “I want to be there to help ensure someone who needs to say Kaddish can do so,” he said.

Shelley and Buzz enjoy connecting with the families of their three children (two of whom also live in Denver) and six grandchildren on a frequent basis. On many Sundays, the whole family hops on Zoom to catch up and hear about special events and recent travels. For those of us who appreciate the Livestream service on Shabbat and holidays, we have Shelley and Buzz’s son-in-law Jeff Greenstein to thank for streaming the sound from HEA services to keep members at home engaged. Indeed, Shelley and Buzz shared that their hope for the future of the HEA is that it will continue to be a vibrant and engaging intergenerational community long into the future.