Elaine Elkins

Elaine Elkins, 83, of Los Angeles and formerly of Rochester, NY, passed away on January 18, 2025 following a brief illness.

Elaine was born on July 13, 1941, to Harry and Rose Rash in Philadelphia, PA. After graduating from Akiba High school in Philadelphia, she went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania.

Elaine met her former husband, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, at Camp Ramah in the Poconos, and together they had three children, Hillel, Jonathan and Shira.

While raising her children, Elaine pursued her passion for helping others by returning to school to earn a Master’s degree in counseling at SUNY Brockport. This marked the beginning of her dedicated career in psychotherapy, where she helped countless individuals to lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. Her work brought her immense joy as she made a positive impact on hundreds of people in her beloved community of Rochester.

Elaine was particularly devoted to counseling members of the LGBTQ community, at a time when there were few places for members of that community to turn for support. As a psychotherapist, Elaine helped dozens from the LGBTQ community to grow and blossom, while also helping their families learn to accept them and love them for who they are. Elaine’s deep commitment to her work as a therapist was evident as she continued counseling clients until the very end of her life.

Elaine was in a relationship with Seppo Pollanen for several decades until his death in 2014.

Elaine is survived by her three loving children and seven loving grandchildren, Ari, Leila, Mia, Emma, Elan, Lily and Maya.

Services will be held at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles on Jan. 24 ^th at noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester , NY, or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , organizations she felt strongly about.

Service is being livestreamed with the following link: https://hillsidememorial.livecontrol.tv/b074ffcf