Narrators
Hebrew school teacher Ruth Frankel has dedicated her life to Jewish education and the welfare of the Jewish people. Born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1916, she grew up in an Orthodox home attending Hebrew school from kindergarten until high school. In 1938 after Hitler came to power, Ruth and sister Lisbeth emigrated to the United States. Their parents perished in Auschwitz. Ruth was instrumental in getting her future husband, Joseph Frankel, out of the concentration camps. He arrived in the United States in 1940, joined the American Army, and went to war for the Allies. In 1948, the Frankels and their daughter moved to Seattle where Joseph started a Hebrew School at Herzl Congregation, a Conservative synagogue, serving as principal and cantor. Ruth became active in the synagogue Sisterhood, voluntarily kept all school records, and taught second and third-graders from 1955-1981. The Frankels regularly invited students for Shabbat at their home, part of Ruth’s “total devotion to” and “total immersion into Judaism.”
“Leaving Germany was a most traumatic experience for both my sister and myself. To leave my parents at the railroad station. Leaving and never knowing if you would ever see them again. And, of course, my Mom had such great words of wisdom always to impart on us. She would say, before she left, she said, ‘Children, never go to bed angry, even if you get married. Give lots of tzedakah [charity]. Be charitable. Be kind. Don’t criticize anybody’s children if you have your own.’ She was just a very ethical person. That was a moment I will never forget.
“I taught Hebrew to fourth grade children. Children are eager to learn new things. So it was a real pleasure and satisfaction. When you teach, you really have to have the personal commitment in order to have any kind of influence. We did beautiful things with them. Twice a month Hebrew school children in my class would come for dinner Friday nights. And we invited the parents for dessert. They could hardly wait. They would say, ‘Mrs. Frankel, when can we come for dinner?’ They still talk about it. I see parents coming up to me, today, and say, ‘I'll never forget you.’”
In recent years, her husband has been ill. Ruth served as his primary caretaker, and now shares that responsibility.
“When you get married you say, ‘In sickness and in health,’ you know? But this is so natural. If you love somebody, you don’t even think about it. It came. We had such a perfect marriage. So it’s a natural thing.
“My grandchildren, of course, learned from this experience, tremendously. They have been tremendously supportive. And the only thing I can tell them-advise them to have a beautiful marriage. Bring their children up in a Jewish way. And lead a happy, healthy, ethical, charitable life. Mainly, keep their marriage together. And, be respectful to everyone.”
© 2004 Jewish Women’s Archive. Photographs by Joan Roth.
