Loretta Held Love, age 89, Dunwoody, Ga., passed away Sept. 2, 2024. Loretta Held Love was born Oct. 23, 1934, in New York. Her parents, Sylvia and Arthur Held, moved the family to Birmingham, Ala., when Loretta was a child, where she and her sister, Phyllis, were raised. They were a very close-knit family, and it was her family and her upbringing that instilled in Loretta her love of Judaism and Israel. Loretta met her husband, Melvin Tillem, of blessed memory, who was travelling through Birmingham for work, when she was 18 years old, and they married less than a year later. Loretta and Mel moved to Atlanta in 1960 with three young children and quickly became among the influential families of Congregation Beth Jacob. Loretta was extremely active in the shul, both in structured positions within the Sisterhood, as well as all areas of the shul where she made an impact.
Loretta continued to work within the Jewish community, with roles as advisor to NCSY as well as Young Judaea, a Zionist youth movement that Loretta held dear to her heart. She was the chairman of the Camp Judaea committee of Southern Region Hadassah. Her love of Israel was a constant theme in her life, from organizing Arthur's Bar Mitzvah to be held at the Kotel, to hosting shichimi from Young Judaea at their home for months at a time when needed. Loretta and Mel's home was always open to anyone travelling through Atlanta; their Southern hospitality was well known to all. Loretta established herself as a travel agent and in hotel sales after her children were grown and organized many trips to Israel as a hallmark of her travel agent career. After Mel passed away in 1986, Loretta married Jerry Love of blessed memory and moved back to Birmingham with Jerry for several years until they decided to relocate to Atlanta.
After Jerry's passing in 2018, Loretta moved to Berman Commons in Atlanta where she quickly became an integral part of the community. Loretta was constantly looking for ways to elevate the Jewish community of Berman Commons, and to increase access to Jewish learning. She loved being able to walk to shul at Congregation Ariel, and when she was no longer able to walk to shul, the Ariel community came together and sent volunteers to lead services at Berman Commons, as well as organizing study of Jewish history and other relevant topics.
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Having Oneg Shabbat became a regular occurrence, something that was so important to Loretta. Loretta shared a close bond with her sister, Phyllis, and always looked forward to their weekly adventures as well as when they travelled together. Loretta will be sorely missed by her family and all that had the privilege to know her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Tillem, and later by her second husband, Jerry Love, of blessed memory. Survivors include her sister, Phyllis Busch (Neal), her daughter, Gayle Benator (Paul); daughter Amy McCarthy (Terry), son Arthur Tillem (Roni); grandchildren: Max Benator, Jonathan Benator (Sarah), Alix Horovitz (Jared); David Tillem (Jessica), Nicole Chanson (Alex) and great grandchildren: Zachary, Joshua, Leo, Samuel, Charli and Simon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Congregation Ariel, Atlanta Scholars Kollel or Congregation Beth Jacob. Sign guestbook at online www.jewishfuneralcare.com. A graveside service was held Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at noon, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park with Rabbi Binyomin Friedman officiating. Arrangements by Dressler's Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta 770-451-4999.