Profiles
Browse this section for short profiles of some of the thousands of Jewish women found throughout jwa.org. We will be adding new profiles to this section regularly and welcome your suggestions for women to add.
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Showing 1 - 25 of 1508
Name & Description
Date of Birth
Birth Place
Helene, Queen
Helene, queen of the Persian province of Adiabene, earned the respect of both the early rabbis and the chronicler Josephus for her leadership and unusual piety.
Helene, queen of the Persian province of Adiabene, earned the respect of both the early rabbis and the chronicler Josephus for her leadership and unusual piety.
First Century
Sarah Aaronsohn
A spy for the Nili ring, Sarah Aaronsohn fought to free Palestine from Turkish rule and withstood torture for her ideals.
A spy for the Nili ring, Sarah Aaronsohn fought to free Palestine from Turkish rule and withstood torture for her ideals.
January 5, 1890
Zikhron Ya'akov
Lina Abarbanell
Lina Abarbanell’s expressive voice inspired more than one light opera, but even after she retired from the stage, her talent for casting and directing other performers shaped powerful performances like the world tour of Porgy and Bess.
Lina Abarbanell’s expressive voice inspired more than one light opera, but even after she retired from the stage, her talent for casting and directing other performers shaped powerful performances like the world tour of Porgy and Bess.
January 3, 1879
Berlin
Rosalie Silberman Abella
Rosalie Silberman Abella’s early experiences as a refugee fueled her dedication to justice and led her to become the first Jewish woman elected to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Rosalie Silberman Abella’s early experiences as a refugee fueled her dedication to justice and led her to become the first Jewish woman elected to the Supreme Court of Canada.
July 1, 1946
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg
Dina Abramowicz
After surviving the Holocaust, Dina Abramowicz reconstituted her rich cultural heritage as the formidable head librarian of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
After surviving the Holocaust, Dina Abramowicz reconstituted her rich cultural heritage as the formidable head librarian of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
May 8, 1909
Vilna
Ruth Abrams
The first woman to serve on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Ruth Abrams upheld the rights of women and minorities throughout her career.
1930
Newton, Massachusetts
Jill Abramson
As the first female executive editor of the New York Times from 2011–2014, Jill Abramson fought to change the newspaper’s culture, mentoring female reporters, choosing female bureau chiefs and focusing more attention on stories about race and gender issues.
March 19, 1954
New York, New York
Bella Abzug
A formidable leader of the women’s movement, Bella Abzug fought to pass the Equal Rights Amendment and other vital legislation for the rights of women. During her three terms in Congress, she advocated for groundbreaking bills including the Equal Rights Amendment and crucial support of Title IX.
July 24, 1920
Bronx, New York
Paula Ackerman
After the death of her rabbi husband, Paula Ackerman took over leadership of their congregation with the enthusiastic support of her community.
After the death of her rabbi husband, Paula Ackerman took over leadership of their congregation with the enthusiastic support of her community.
December 7, 1893
Pensacola, Florida
Stella Adler
As an actress and a teacher, Stella Adler transformed a generation of American actors though her understanding of Method acting.
As an actress and a teacher, Stella Adler transformed a generation of American actors though her understanding of Method acting.
February 10, 1902
New York, New York
Celia Adler
Celia Adler won acclaim and success in the Yiddish theater world as a founding member of the Jewish Art Theater.
Celia Adler won acclaim and success in the Yiddish theater world as a founding member of the Jewish Art Theater.
December 6, 1889
New York, New York
Racie Adler
Racie Friedenwald Adler helped shape a number of Jewish institutions, most significantly the Women’s League For Conservative Judaism.
Racie Friedenwald Adler helped shape a number of Jewish institutions, most significantly the Women’s League For Conservative Judaism.
August 5, 1872
Baltimore, Maryland
Polly Adler
Notorious for her connections with gangsters at the height of Prohibition, Polly Adler fought to become “the best goddam madam in all America.”
Notorious for her connections with gangsters at the height of Prohibition, Polly Adler fought to become “the best goddam madam in all America.”
April 16, 1900
Yanow, Brest voblast
Sara Adler
In her powerful performances of plays ranging from Shakespeare’s tragedies to A Doll’s House, Sara Adler helped elevate the possibilities of Yiddish theater.
In her powerful performances of plays ranging from Shakespeare’s tragedies to A Doll’s House, Sara Adler helped elevate the possibilities of Yiddish theater.
1858
Odessa, Odesa
Barbara Ochs Adler
Barbara Ochs Adler pursued her commitment to Jewish and civic causes through her leadership of organizations ranging from child services to criminal justice and prison reform associations.
Barbara Ochs Adler pursued her commitment to Jewish and civic causes through her leadership of organizations ranging from child services to criminal justice and prison reform associations.
January 14, 1903
San Francisco, California
Rachel Adler
As a theologian, a committed Jew, and a pioneer of the Jewish feminist movement, Rachel Adler challenged her religion from within.
As a theologian, a committed Jew, and a pioneer of the Jewish feminist movement, Rachel Adler challenged her religion from within.
July 20, 1943
Chicago, Illinois
Nima Adlerblum
Nima Adlerblum’s scholarship and Zionist activism helped shape worldwide perspectives about the land where she was born.
Nima Adlerblum’s scholarship and Zionist activism helped shape worldwide perspectives about the land where she was born.
August 4, 1881
Jerusalem
Grace Aguilar
In her short life, Grace Aguilar wrote twice as many books as Jane Austen, from popular historical romances to an introduction to Judaism that was used by both churches and synagogues.
In her short life, Grace Aguilar wrote twice as many books as Jane Austen, from popular historical romances to an introduction to Judaism that was used by both churches and synagogues.
June 2, 1816
London
Anouk Aimée
French actress Anouk Aimée captivated audiences in films from Fellini’s La Dolce Vita in 1960 to Altman’s Prêt à Porter in 1994.
French actress Anouk Aimée captivated audiences in films from Fellini’s La Dolce Vita in 1960 to Altman’s Prêt à Porter in 1994.
April 27, 1932
Paris
Fay Ajzenberg-Selove
Fay Ajzenberg-Selove not only made significant contributions to physics, she made huge strides for women by demanding she be judged on her merits, not her gender.
Fay Ajzenberg-Selove not only made significant contributions to physics, she made huge strides for women by demanding she be judged on her merits, not her gender.
February 13, 1926
Berlin
Yelena Akhtiorskaya
Yelena Akhtiorskaya transmuted her own family’s immigrant experience into her ambitious debut novel, Panic in a Suitcase.
Yelena Akhtiorskaya transmuted her own family’s immigrant experience into her ambitious debut novel, Panic in a Suitcase.
1985
Odessa
Chava Alberstein
In her fifty-years as one of Israel’s most celebrated singer/songwriters, Chava Alberstein has run the gamut from recording pop hits to reviving Yiddish classics.
In her fifty-years as one of Israel’s most celebrated singer/songwriters, Chava Alberstein has run the gamut from recording pop hits to reviving Yiddish classics.
December 8, 1946
Szczecin
Mildred Elizabeth Levine Albert
Mildred Elizabeth Levine Albert carved a niche for herself in the fashion world as the head of a modeling agency and an inventor of new kinds of fashion shows.
Mildred Elizabeth Levine Albert carved a niche for herself in the fashion world as the head of a modeling agency and an inventor of new kinds of fashion shows.
January 14, 1905
Miriam Albert
Miriam Albert helped B’nai B’rith Women transition from an auxiliary of the men’s association to an independent organization.
Miriam Albert helped B’nai B’rith Women transition from an auxiliary of the men’s association to an independent organization.
September 6, 1920
Chicago, Illinois
Amy Alcott
Amy Alcott dedicated her life to the game of golf and spent years chasing one last, elusive win before finally making it into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Amy Alcott dedicated her life to the game of golf and spent years chasing one last, elusive win before finally making it into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
February 22, 1956
Kansas City, Missouri
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How to cite this page
Jewish Women's Archive. "Profiles." (Viewed on February 20, 2019) <https://jwa.org/people>.
