Obituary of Norine Freda Krasnogor

Norine passed away on July 8, 2022, at her home in Stamford, CT, surrounded by loved ones. She was 76. Norine was born in 1946, in Manhattan, NY, to Marion Zimberg (née Siegel) of Brooklyn, NY, and Alfred Zimberg of Detroit, MI. She grew up in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, NY. Norine graduated early from Jamaica High School in Queens. She attended CUNY's Hunter College, and Cornell University, where she earned a BFA ('67). As a mother of three, Norine commuted to law school, earning a JD degree from New York Law School ('85). She led a successful immigration law practice in Stamford for more than 35 years. In 2004, she was admitted to the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2022, she received the Liberty Bell Award, from the Fairfield County Bar Association, for her contributions to the legal community and her exemplary ethics.
Norine also spent her life as a human rights activist on behalf of worldwide Jewry, and was a strong supporter of Israel. She was active in the Soviet Jewry movement of the 1970s and '80s, even traveling to the Soviet Union to meet with "refuseniks." She was a board member of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry (founded in 1971) and appointed as a delegate for the Helsinki Conference on Human Rights, for which she traveled to Helsinki in 1988 with former NYC Mayor, David Dinkins and Attorney General, Robert Abrams.
Norine had a deep connection to Judaism, and exemplified Jewish values in her lifelong pursuit of learning, her commitment to tzedakah, and her dedication to helping those in need. Norine took on leadership roles in a variety of non-profit organizations. She created and chaired the Stamford Board of Rabbis, and founded the Connecticut Lawyers for Israel group. She was a recipient of the Jewish Family Service Mitzvah Award. She also served a six-year term as an appointed member of the Board of Ethics for the City of Stamford. She was an outspoken advocate for causes she believed in, and supported many organizations, among them Cornell University, AIPAC, The Avon Theater, Westport Country Playhouse and the Stamford and Norwalk symphonies.
Norine was an accomplished painter and an artist at heart. She worked primarily in paint on canvas, along with printmaking and later sculpture. One of her paintings was exhibited at a Connecticut museum of contemporary art. Above all, Norine was a devoted daughter, sister, mother and grandmother, who had a unique bond with each of her children and grandchildren.
Norine will be missed dearly by many, including her beloved sister, Joyce S. Zimberg; her former husband, Dr. Lester Krasnogor; daughters, Julie Daniel, Elyse Krasnogor Lehew (and her husband, Christopher), Janie Krasnogor Wood (and her husband, Nicholas); and grandchildren, Adam and Ben Daniel, Noah and Sylvie Lehew, and Penelope and Akira Wood. Norine touched everyone around her and was loved by not only family but friends and colleagues. She was a great listener and enjoyed conversation and telling jokes. She was respected by many for her fearless activism. One friend remembers her as always speaking "with intention." A colleague noted, she "had a special gift in being able to connect with others, regardless of their background or even language barriers."
Norine will be remembered for her kindness, bravery, good humor, generosity, selfless activism, inner and outer beauty, and her warm smile.
If you would like to make a donation in Norine's honor, please consider a gift to Chabad of Stamford. https://www.stamfordchabad.org/civicrm

Arrangments entrusted to Thomas M Gallagher Funeral Home 104 Myrtle Ave Stamford CT 06902 (203)-359-9999, Please visit www.gallagherfuneralhome.com