JWA’s “We Remember” pays tribute to the lives and careers of a few of the recently deceased American Jewish women who have made a difference to our community and our world.

	Fay Rosenthal Brachman, 1921–2007 Archivist, Community Leader, and Music Philanthropist "When Fay had an idea that something needed doing, she didn't complain. She jumped in and did it. She energized people. She didn't plan to do things big, she just planned to do things better, and they grew."
	Shirley Bridge, 1922–2008 Pharmacist, Philanthropist, and Community Activist "Whether it was women's rights, political candidates, health care reform, cutting edge or seemingly impossible causes, she championed them and pretty soon, so did everyone else."
	Shirley Kramer Broner, 1922–2006 Navy WAVE, Mother, University Administrator "A clipping in her memoirs sums up her philosophy: 'Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body … but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a ride!"'"
	Andrea Bronfman, 1945–2006 Philanthropist "Whatever the particular project—this woman pushed on. Whether it was the Guide Dogs for the Blind, the children of Jerusalem who would benefit from this park or that zoo, and most recently, the passion for exposing Israeli excellence in the decorative arts to international audiences. Her zeal for young people—Birthright groups, Reboot young adults, children in enrichment programs in Israeli schools whether in Beit Shemesh or Sakhnin, was overwhelming."
	Kitty Carlisle Hart, 1911–2007 Popular Performer and Spokeswoman for the Arts "… Once she became a famous performer, Hart was always aware of which musical theater greats shared her lineage. "Everybody in the theater was Jewish," she declared matter-of-factly. "Except Cole Porter." She only gradually became aware of antisemitism around her. "I went to a dinner party—and in those days, everybody dressed up for dinner parties," she recalled. "And they were talking about the Jews in a way that was just awful. It was unbearable. And I got up in the middle of dinner, and I said, 'I am Jewish, and I won't sit here and listen to this kind of talk for another five minutes.' And I left. The bravest thing I ever did."
	Helen Herz Cohen, 1912–2006 Creator of The Main Idea, a camp for inner city children Lifelong Mentor to Girls "When I pick up this pen to use it, I will remember so much of what you taught me, not the least of which is to dare to try. To go for it. And I will remember the lessons you taught me of believing in myself, of responsibility and honor and consideration for others and how we must give back, and, of the endless possibilities of creativity. And, oh yes, to have fun…."
	Muriel Cohen, 1920–2006 Journalist "She gave her editors indigestion, but she won them a Pulitzer, too, guiding the Globe's coverage of the pain and the chaos that greeted court-ordered busing to achieve desegregation of Boston's public schools."
	Selma Jeanne Cohen, 1920–2005 Dance History Pioneer "Despite the difficulty of translating the evanescent nature of dance into words, Selma Jeanne Cohen believed that dance, as much as painting, music and literature, deserved a history of its own. She spent a lifetime creating the structures necessary to making the recording of that history possible…."
	Betty Comden, 1915–2006 Broadway and Hollywood Lyricist "Her life not only chronicles a history of the Broadway musicals I grew up with, but also an era that allowed many of us to believe in the beauty and power of New York, as well as that melancholy feeling many of us hold as we look back on a period when life was indeed simpler… Though not a particularly observant Jew, Comden seemed informed by a Jewish frame of mind—a wise-cracking, down-to-earth, cultural “at homeness” with which I very much identified."
	Clara Fox, 1917–2007 Advocate for Subsidized Housing "As one of the first professionals to initiate a joint venture between a nonprofit and the private sector, Clara was way ahead of her time."
	Sally Fox, 1929–2006 Preserver of the Visual History of Women "Sally Fox's passion was to gather and share the history of women through visual images. Sometimes this meant finding images of women doing conventional work, but often it meant seeking images of women doing the unexpected…. Her goal was to challenge conventional notions of how women lived their lives in the past."
	Judy Frankel, 1942–2008 Acclaimed Singer of Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) Music "Judy was one of the first (and still, regrettably, one of the few) singers of Sephardic songs who, from the beginning, learned songs directly from the people whose tradition it was."
	Betty Friedan, 1921–2006 Feminist Pioneer "If there was any one woman who could be called the mother of feminism, it was Betty Friedan. Though “second-wave” feminism was a collective endeavor that had many founders, Friedan was the spark plug whose furious indictment of “the problem that had no name”—the false consciousness of “happy housewifery”—set off a revolution more potent than many of the other social and cultural upheavals of the 1960s. The impact of this social movement is still being felt around the world."
	Tikva Frymer-Kensky, 1943–2006 Jewish Women's Studies Pioneer "As a scholar, Dr. Frymer-Kensky challenged her students to study deeply and obtain mastery of their subjects; any less was insufficient. In her writing, she modeled both rigor and relevance…. She wrote in order to bring us the ancient and to create a more just present."
	Lisa Goldberg, 1952–2007 Jewish Communal Activist, Revson Foundation Director "Lisa Goldberg simply set the standard for creative and efficacious use of philanthropic dollars…. She never thought small—absolutely never."
	Carolyn Goodman, 1915–2007 Psychologist and Civil Rights Activist "On various occasions Carolyn met with young people, urged them to take on world challenges, ran essay contests for them and celebrated the winners enthusiastically, spoke in different settings about the importance of supporting the next generation and encouraging them to be involved in healing the world."
	Betty Lee Hahn, 1932–2006 Jewish Communal Leader "Buz Hahn lived life the way she wanted, standing up for what was right, kneeling down to lend a hand and always, always getting the most out of every experience. When Buz died earlier this year at age 74, there were tears, of course. But there were no regrets for opportunities squandered. Nobody could say she lived anything less than a full and fantastic life."
	Dorothy Ray Healey, 1914–2006 Leader of the Communist Party of America "…Her ability to see the potential in every person and to help translate that potential towards reality – through teaching and shared organizing; through coaxing and prodding towards action; but mostly, through the most respectful and honest listening one could ever encounter – had enormous political ramifications."
	Bert Milstone Cohen Hirshberg, 1919–2008 Arts Enthusiast and Community Volunteer "She cared passionately about the arts, Boston, literature, politics, and her family and friends… She was one of those Jewish women who helped pry the door open continually so that others less assertive than she could follow."
	Sally Lilienthal, 1919–2006 Activist, Founder of the Ploughshares Fund "Even though she wanted to turn swords into ploughshares, she wielded her own kind of sharp weapon: an inveterate (and sometimes intimidating) intelligence. She had an eye for detail as well as a sweeping perspective that always saw the bigger, more critical picture…."
	Sophie Maslow, 1911–2006 Modern Dancer and Choreographer "Like many New York dancers of her era, Maslow became involved in leftist politics. She taught dance classes for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, and participated, alongside lifelong friend Anna Sokolow, in Workers Dance League concerts."
	Emily Shain Mehlman, 1941–2006 Community Activist "For those around her Emily served as a compass, both figuratively and literally. She knew how to help her community steer a clear course, guiding us with her own impeccable honesty and tenacious personality. You could also ask her for more practical directions and arrive with more clarity than mapquest can provide…."
	Florence Melton, 1911–2007 Inventor and Jewish Education Entrepreneur "It was her conviction that others shared her desire to be a knowledgeable Jew, and her dream was to create the way to provide that knowledge."
	Ruth Schachter Morgenthau, 1929–2006 Africanist Scholar and Activist "Ruth deeply believed that economic empowerment was the basis for increasing human rights and gender equity for women. If women have economic power, they gain confidence and courage, and become greater participants with increased voice in their communities. Everyone benefits when women benefit."
	Jane Morningstar, 1919–2008 Community Leader and Philanthropist "Her passion for learning and for education at all levels propelled her to make them a central part of her life, both as a student, a mother, and a supporter of women’s education over her lifetime."
	Tillie Olsen, 1913–2007 Feminist Author "A daughter of immigrants and a working mother starved for time to write, Tillie Olsen drew from her personal experiences to create a small but influential body of work."
	Mollie Orshansky, 1915–2006 Inventor of the Poverty Line "Mollie was very smart, independent, and a hardworking government employee. She was called 'Miss Poverty' because she developed the poverty index widely used by the Federal government as a basis for benefit programs involving low income individuals and families."
	Grace Paley, 1922–2007 Writer and Activist "But even more, even more than I admired the stories, which was a lot, I admired Grace Paley's activism and her moral courage."
	Arlene Raven, 1944–2006 Feminist Art Activist "… She always seemed to bounce back, more determined, braver and more adventurous than ever each time infirmity threatened to prevent her from living life to the hilt. And she was beautiful, with long hair as dark as a raven's that gave even more meaning to her new name, which seemed to suit her perfectly. From the moment she adopted it, she fit into it as if it were a glove waiting to be donned by her."
	Lois Levin Roisman, 1938–2008 Activist, Philanthropist and Writer "Lois' life was centered on the inherent goodness of humans and inherent humor of life. Everything she did was based on the principle that if you could make people laugh about the human condition, then you could make them do something to improve it."
	Jean W. Rothenberg, 1909–2007 Advocate for the Hearing Impaired "… her hearing loss prevented her from hearing all of what she wanted to, but she turned that sorrow into her greatest gift—that of restoring human communication for others with hearing loss."
	Barbara Seaman, 1935–2008 Pioneer in the Women's Health Movement "Thinking about Barbara, I realize that she was a one-woman social networking site. She remembered everyone she had ever met and tried to connect them with everybody else she had ever met. She recalled where you were from, whom you dated, your health problems, and your writings or accomplishments and then she introduced to people who you should know."
	Ruth Segel, 1913–2007 Government Worker, Special Education Instructor "…'She, in some ways, was way ahead of her time,' said her daughter Margaret Shapiro, of Philadelphia. 'Although she had a nice life, once it became nice, she really wasn't satisfied until she had a career of her own. And she wasn't from a family or a community that encouraged women to have careers of their own. But she stuck to wanting to have her own skills and her own career.'"
	Sylvia Siegel, 1918–2007 Pioneering Consumer Activist "… A colorful character in the dull world of utility regulation, Siegel's talent and passion pushed her to the forefront of any battle she engaged in Siegel's quick thinking and dry humor made her a favorite with policymakers, the media and even her opponents. She charmed, disarmed and then went for the jugular. Even her adversaries, whom she routinely called all sorts of unprintable names, spoke fondly of her."
	Hilda Silverman, 1938–2008 Peace and Social Justice Activist "Whether Hilda was sharing her moral outrage, her prodigious memory of historical events, handing out leaflets, or vigiling with Women in Black, she was for me a courageous and passionate teacher and activist."
	Herta Spencer-Laszlo, 1911–2007 Medical Pioneer in Human Metabolism and Nutrition "A pioneering woman in the medical world, Herta published more than 250 scientific papers, including numerous articles on the effects on humans of strontium-90, a major radioactive component of fallout from the atomic bomb tests of the '40s and '50s. She was instrumental in describing mechanisms to rid the body of this deadly isotope, information that was to prove invaluable years later when she helped save lives following the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island.… Mostly, Herta taught us that if you have focus, work hard and dream big you can make major achievements that make the world a better place."
	Madeleine Stern, 1912–2007 Renowned Antiquarian Book Dealer "… an innovative and revered entrepreneur in the leather-armchair world of gentlemen antiquarian book dealers; unmarried in a world where women were wives, Stern lived in a universe in which it was not possible to live the way she wanted to. She simply ignored that impossibility, created her own universe and, in a small but exquisite way, changed the world."
	Priscilla Strauss, 1914–2007 Jewish Communal Leader "She knew who to talk to and how to motivate people… She bridged the gap between being a 'rich lay leader' and a member of the professional staff with complete ease. It was not only her style, but the fact that everybody recognized her complete commitment to the Jewish community as well as to the community at large."
	Savina J. Teubal, 1926–2005 Biblical Scholar and Ritual Innovator "Savina reclaimed the stories of Sarah and Hagar through her writing, and through her life. Like Sarah, Savina went forth into new lands, without maps or mentors to guide her. Like Sarah and Hagar, Savina lived in a patriarchal world, challenging that world with her choices and her clarity about the work she was called to complete…."
	Pamela Waechter, 1947–2006 Jewish Communal Leader "Pam's approach to work mirrored her approach to life. She was direct and comforting. If something did not work out, try another door—another avenue. Be calm, yet be persistent. Look people in the eye and let them know they are valued."
	Joyce Warshow, 1937–2007 GLBT Activist Filmmaker "...She chose action over passivity. She chose to reform rather than to conform. Her diverse background and interests led her down many paths. As a renowned feminist, filmmaker, psychologist, educator, author, and activist who fully invested herself in every fiber of her work-literally, physically, metaphorically-Joyce touched the lives of many."
	Wendy Wasserstein, 1950–2006 Playwright "Wasserstein observed that she was often told by producers and others that her plays were 'too New York,' which she understood as being a euphemism for 'too Jewish.' As Wasserstein recounted, when people asked her whether The Sisters Rosensweig with its three Jewish sisters, 'a hit in New York [could] play around the country,' she replied 'Well, you know this is something I've heard … People have sisters. Now maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they don't have them in Ohio. I could be wrong, but I've heard … they have sisters there.'"
	Ellen Willis, 1941–2005 Activist, Writer, and Radical Thinker "Willis brought lucidity and style to the most controversial and baffling cultural issues—her thought was a beacon of clarity. For those of us fortunate enough to have been her comrades, anticipating her insights was part of what kept us returning to meetings month after month, year after year."