Alisa (Berenstein) Mintz

WORCESTER – Alisa (Berenstein) Mintz, age 89, was born in Bogota Colombia on March 23, 1936 to Romanian Jewish immigrants, Dora (Staif) and Luis Berenstein. She was the older sister to brother, Isaias Berenstein. She was educated at Lycée français Louis Pasteur in Bogota where she became fluent in both French and English. A life-long adventurer, she and a friend decided to travel to the United States to enroll at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After stops in NYC, Washington, DC, her marriage to Avrom “Remi” Mintz, and a move to Worcester, Alisa graduated from Clark University with a degree in geography.

For the greater part of their 62 year marriage, Alisa and Remi resided in the Worcester area and raised their three daughters there, Naomi (Dan) Lowenthal, Abby Mintz and Elizabeth Mintz-Walpert (Allen). Alisa was primarily a stay at home mother who exercised an unusual combination of high expectations, liberal views, and would place great value on independence and travel. One of her more common refrains to her daughters throughout their childhood was, “Girls, sometimes there are things we don’t want to do, but we need to do them anyway.”

Alisa was active in the Worcester Jewish community and was a member of Hadassah, NCJW, ORT, Brandeis Women’s Committee and Congregation Beth Israel. She enjoyed making friends wherever she was, a good laugh, the change of seasons in New England (particularly the colors of Fall), the Atlantic Ocean (especially at the Cape), a good game of bridge, swimming, reading French literature, classical music, opera and travel (both abroad and domestically). Spending time with her children (and their spouses), her grandchildren – Nathaniel, Allie (Dan), Jared, Harry and Anna (Mike) and with her great-grandson, Otto, gave Alisa great joy. As she would often say, “These are my jewels and you can’t buy these jewels in any store.”

After Alisa became a widow in 2018, she made the decision to move to the independent living portion of The Willows of Worcester. She enjoyed her time there, reconnecting with old friends and making many new friends. Due to failing health, she moved into their Health Center in 2023. She was the first one to say that it was the best place she could possibly be.

We would like to express our gratitude to the whole Health Center staff, and to the Salmon Private Care team for their excellent care, kindness and concern. Everyone treated Alisa with respect and as if she were a member of their own families.

In addition, our thanks to the Jewish Healthcare Hospice (especially nurse case manager Shannon), for providing outstanding comfort, support and guidance in Alisa’s last months, allowing her to live with dignity.

Family and friends will gather for a Graveside Funeral Service at 11:30 AM on Sunday, June 22, 2025 at B’nai Brith Cemetery, 55 St. John’s Road, Worcester. Memorial Observance will be announced. Arrangements are in the care of Miles Funeral Home of Holden.

To remember Alisa, take a walk outside, enjoy the sunshine and be grateful for what you have been given. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Jewish Healthcare Center, attention Hospice (www.jhccenter.org/make-a-donation/).