Ida Swarsensky

MADISON - Ida Swarsensky, wife of Manfred Swarsensky, founding Rabbi of Temple Beth El in Madison, died Tuesday morning, June 15, 2010.   She was 92 years old.   Ida Swarsensky was born in Chicago, Illinois on January 22, 1918.   She was the youngest of the four daughters of William and Gussie (Sawyer) Weiner.   She graduated from two Chicago high schools:   Marshall High, where she was valedictorian of a class of almost five hundred students, and Central Hebrew High, where she attended classes for two hours every day after her regular high school classes.   At Central Hebrew High, Hebrew was the language of instruction, and she studied Talmud, Hebrew grammar and composition, and Biblical and contemporary literature.   As the valedictorian of her high school class, she was awarded a full scholarship to attend the University of Chicago.   In order to become a teacher in Chicago, however, she was required to attend Chicago Teacher's College instead.   Chicago Teacher's College admitted only fifty students per year based on a rigorous battery of tests.   Following graduation from Chicago T...[more]

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her's College, she earned an M.A. in American History from DePaul University in Chicago, and then taught History at Harrison High School in Chicago.   Upon her marriage in Chicago on October 26, 1952, she moved to Madison.     She was a member of Temple Beth El and its Sisterhood, Hadassah, the Wisconsin Society for Jewish Learning, the Wiesenthal Center, the Leo Baeck Society for Historical Research, the Madison Literary Society, Madison Opera Buffs, and numerous philanthropic organizations.   For many years she gave a book review to the Temple Beth El Sisterhood for National Jewish Book Month and opened her home to Sisterhood members so that she and they could record books for blind University of Wisconsin students.   She loved all the arts, calling them "food for the soul," but her favorite was classical music, particularly grand opera and symphonies.   She will be deeply missed by her family.   She is survived by her daughter Sharon (Paul) Bilow of Highland Park, Illinois, her son Gerald Swarsensky of Mendota Heights, Minnesota, and her grandchildren Michael Bilow and Lauren Bilow.   She was preceded in death by her husband, Manfred Swarsensky, and by her sisters, Lillian (Abraham) Lubelchek, Doris (Hyman) Handler, and Celia (Morris) Selman.   Funeral services will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 18, 2010 at Temple Beth El, 2702 Arbor Drive in Madison.   Rabbi Jonathan Biatch will officiate.   The family suggests that contributions in memory of their mother and grandmother be made to Temple Beth El, 2702 Arbor Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53711; to Jewish Social Services of Madison, 6434 Enterprise Lane, Madison, Wisconsin 53719; or to Shalom Home West, 3620 Phillips Parkway, St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55426.