Chana - Anne - was born to Pesach and Tzivya Kaye in London and was raised together with her brother Mark in a warm Jewish religious home. She spoke often and fondly of her close relationship with her father, and she made his sugar cookies and potato bread throughout her entire life. Since the time she was young, she loved sports including tennis, she was a track superstar and she enjoyed horseback riding. Growing up in England, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones dominated the airwaves and she was a lifelong fan. One of her cherished memories was witnessing a live recording of the Beatles from a London rooftop.
Anne's father was a strong Zionist and when she was 14 the family made Aliya to Israel. Her family happened to move into the same building as the Krudo family where she befriended Keri Ben-Evi. Keri quickly realized Anne had her eye on Shlomo, Keri's cousin. Keri introduced the two and they became inseparable. Shlomo and Anne's love was a love story for the ages, boundless and sacred. Shlomo & Anne were married just a few weeks before the Yom Kippur war broke out and Shlomo was forced to be part of the effort to save Israel and was forced to leave his newlywed and pregnant wife for 9 months. Those were difficult months and there was one time that Channy was told that Shlomo was missing in action as the military had lost communication with his battalion. In addition, Channy herself had previously served in the IDF.
They lived in Israel for the first few years of their marriage, where they had their two boys, Asaf and Adam. And in 1979 the family moved to NY and had their girls Vicky and Liz. Anne was a doting, devoted mother. She filled the home with home-cooked meals, big holidays and birthday celebrations, tight hugs, and lots of laughter. And a ton of Beatles music. She encouraged her children to be themselves and loved them unconditionally. The home always smelled like cooking and was always tidy. She insisted on walking or driving the kids to school herself and would not allow them to take the bus. Drove every child to and from every after-school program and somehow magically managed to still have dinner on the table. When friends told Vicky "I wish I had a mom like that" she was not ashamed to admit - “yup, I just got the best!”
When the family moved to Orlando - it was now the JCC that won the lotto as our community and its children were privileged to have Channy's love and dedication. Anne's children always considered the JCC to be Anne's fifth child. A community of families and co-workers that she embraced and nurtured. She loved walking through the hallways and hearing the tiny voices of her little friends yelling “Miss Anne, Miss Anne!!” She loved each child as if they were her own. She wiped tears, held hands, and gave the best hugs. She was passionate about her team and felt as though they were her family. She cherished watching all the children in her care grow, take their first steps, and say their first words. Her favorite place to be was on the floor in a classroom surrounded by children. She devoted herself to making the J a better place. There were no irrelevant details and no coworker who wasn't important. She made time for everyone. She was the heart and soul of the JCC and the Jewish community of Orlando!
Channy “Anne” Krudo was a dear member of the Orlando Jewish Community who left us all too soon. Anne was a loving wife to her husband Shlomo, and a caring and dedicated mother to her children Asaf, Adam, Vicki, and Liz, and her grandchildren. She was a truly selfless giver, who gave freely and generously to others and asked for nothing in return. As the matriarch of her family, she spread her warmth and love to everyone in her extended family, and also to the many families who called the Orlando JCC Early Childhood Learning Center their home.
Anne spent over 25 years at the JCC helping families feel welcomed and comfortable when choosing the perfect school for their kids. For many, Anne conducted the tours of the JCC and was the first person they encountered when visiting the school. When you left your children, the most precious thing in the whole world to you, with Anne, you knew they would be safe, loved, and cared for as she cared for her children. She knew and loved every single child who came through the JCC in her 25 years there. There was no detail too small, no parent’s request that was too frivolous. Every diaper she changed, every scraped knee she bandaged, every tear she wiped, she did it with all the love and care in her heart. Her embracing smile, charisma, energy, and positive outlook made her someone you looked forward to seeing in the halls. From starting as a teacher in the infant program to becoming the director of the department, Anne put her heart and soul into the kids and parents she worked with. She helped the JCC become one of the best childcare options in Central Florida, a source of pride for all in the Orlando Jewish community. Many people knew Anne as the Bubbe they always wanted for their kids and chose to bring them to the JCC because of her. Her embracing British and Israeli accents could be heard throughout the school. The whole community benefited from Anne’s dedication and selflessness.
Anne gave her life to the JCC and had just retired a few months before her passing. She planned to spend time with her daughter Liz’s new son, Romi, in the first few years of his life as she did for many of our kids. Unfortunately, she will never have that opportunity.
Considering Anne’s impact at the JCC and her plan to be there for her grandson, the Orlando Jewish Community is coming together to create a scholarship in honor of Anne to help continue her legacy.
The Chana Early Childhood Scholarship Fund is being built on the foundations of Anne’s Hebrew name Channi, which means gracious and compassionate. We hope to provide a last-dollar funding scholarship to cover the remaining costs of education for families of infant children, where Anne spent most of her time at the JCC.
We plan to provide this first scholarship to Liz's son Romi, Anne's grandson, to help with his first two years of school. We will then continue to provide this scholarship to families with an infant child who have lost a loved one or experienced a disability that significantly impacts their family.
Anne was there for us when we needed her. She built this school into something we can be proud of with her meticulous attention to detail. She was there with a reassuring word for new parents who were worried (and tired!). She was there for our children when they cried. And now we can be there for her by supporting the work she was dedicated to for so many years.
We hope that you choose to help us continue Anne’s legacy while helping many families in need for years to come!
Selection criteria for financial award:
- The families must meet the requirements for the existing financial aid program provided by the JCC
- The scholarship must be used to supplement an existing financial aid to provide a last-dollar funding scholarship to cover the remaining costs of education for the children in need
- The families must have a child that is 0-2 years of age
- There will be an emphasis placed on families who have recently experienced a loss or disability that significantly impacts their family's ability to provide child care and early education
- The families must have an affiliation or connection to Israel and the Jewish Community
- A member of Anne’s family will be a part of the selection process for the scholarship recipient