Reid Heller
Reid Heller was born in 1956 in Norfolk, Virginia, and his family moved to Dallas in 1974. His parents met in Virginia while his father was in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Norfolk. Reid entered college after his junior year in high school and later went to Southern Methodist University Law School. He and his wife, Karen, married in 1982. A lover of teaching and influencing others, Reid has edited and conducted hundreds of Jewish seminars within the Dallas Jewish community. He has taught history classes at various congregations in Dallas, teaching a Medieval Jewish Studies class at Tiferet Israel, for example. Reid has a deep passion and interest in history and genealogy and is a former President of the Dallas Jewish Historical Society.To watch the video, click here.
Lynn Heffler was born in Abilene, Texas, in 1942, and was raised in Dallas. Her mother and father, who was in the jewelry business, were both from Texas. Lynn attended Hillcrest High School and later went to the University of North Texas for a short time before she began working for a mortgage company. Lynn got married in 1961 and she and her husband, who was in the insurance business for over 40 years, settled together in Dallas. Lynn has given of her time and knowledge to the Dallas Jewish Historical Society, where she worked as a dedicated volunteer. Lynn and Jerry have two sons and a daughter.
Esther Hazan-Cohen was born in 1950 in El Paso, Texas. Her mother was born in Mexico City and her father, raised in Turkey, served in the military during World War II and was stationed in Hawaii. Her family moved to Albuquerque in 1952, then to Oklahoma, and finally settled in Dallas. She attended Thomas Jefferson High School, followed by two years at the University of North Texas before meeting her husband, Jaime. They were married in 1971 and settled back in Dallas in 1977. Esther sent her children to Akiba Academy and worked with the PTA there, later becoming president of the school for two years. Following her presidency at Akiba Academy, Esther began working with Jewish Family Service and helped establish the program called “Centerpieces for Tzedakah”. She has been heavily involved in B’nai Zion and Bnei Akiva, and also served on the Board of Directors at Congregation Tiferet Israel.
Sonny Hacker z”l was born in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, who worked in the garment district, and his father, a butcher, both came from Austria. Sonny went to the Drake School of Business, then went to work, and was drafted into the Navy. He went into naval aviation and then went into Aerial Gunnery School in Jacksonville, Florida. Sonny married Merle in 1954, and together they had four children. Sonny was on the board of the Jewish Community Center in Dallas, led the membership committee at Congregation Shearith Israel, and was an active member of the Jewish community.
Merle Hacker was born in 1935 in Jacksonville, Florida. She attended high school in Jacksonville and was the first one in her family to go to college. Merle went to the University of Florida for two years and then met her husband, Sonny, in 1952, while he was in the U.S. Navy stationed in Jacksonville. They married in 1954 and Merle began teaching kindergarten. She moved to Dallas with her husband and children in 1968, where she has been an involved member and supporter of the Jewish community. Merle has been a board member of Congregation Shearith Israel, working on its membership committee, was very active in the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, and also formed the first girls’ basketball league in the community.
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