Former Hebrew teacher inspired many

By Erin Cohen

According to her daughter, former Milwaukee resident Hebrew teacher Miriam Ben-Shemuel actually “survived Europe twice.”

Born in Poland in 1923, her mother received a tip in 1942 from two German soldiers advising her to leave the country, said Rachel Ben-Shemuel this week from her home in Seattle. Though Miriam tried to convince her family to come with her, they did not heed her warnings.

She was the only survivor from her village.

After hiding in a ditch for several days, she escaped to Hungary. Though a family there offered to adopt her, Rachel said, she instead went to Israel, a decision that again probably “saved her life,” her daughter said.

After marrying in Israel, Ben-Shemuel moved to the United States from Israel in 1954 with her husband, Isaac, and daughter. Her son was born here in 1957.

After her husband died in 1959, Ben-Shemuel began teaching Hebrew in the community to support her family, a role she held until retirement in the mid-90s.

Miriam Ben-Shemuel (nee Semel) died on March 21 in Seattle. She was 82.

Ben-Shemuel taught Hebrew at Congregation Beth Israel and the East Side Hebrew School. She also taught Hebrew at the community ulpan and gave many private lessons, her daughter said.

According to fellow educator, Adina Altshull, Ben-Shemuel was “an unusual woman.” She was a lover of nature and flowers, she said, and “not fancy at all.”

Altshull met Ben-Shemuel when she moved here in 1986 and began teaching at the East Side Hebrew School. Ben-Shemuel immediately welcomed Altshull and invited her into her home. The two became good friends.

“She was so good-hearted and children were so important to her.” Altshull said. In addition, “She always had an open house. Her table was always full of guests.
Whatever she had, she would share. Everybody who knew her loved her.”

Her daughter remembered how there “were always people over” at the family’s small home. “She had a huge social network,” she said.

Her mother also enjoyed “visiting people and taking care of them. She always kind of adopted people and brought them home. She was very emotionally generous.”

“Miriam had the heart of a teacher,” according to Bonnie Shafrin, one of her former ulpan students. “When she taught, she brought love of her subject, love of her students, and a great sense of humor to whatever we did.”

Shafrin remembers going to Ben-Shemuel’s home for latkes during Chanukah.

Her classes were “more than just learning Hebrew,” Shafrin said. They were also about “just sharing being Jewish together” and sharing a love of Israel.

“She was a premiere teacher in the Milwaukee community,” Shafrin added. “She loved it and put her heart and soul into it. That’s who she was and that’s what she was.”

Ben-Shemuel loved not only teaching, but also learning, her daughter said, and enjoyed taking courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

She was honored in 1983 as Community Educator of the Year by the Milwaukee Association for Jewish Education (now called the Coalition for Jewish Learning, the education program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation).

According to Steven A. Baruch, Ph.D., executive director of CJL, Ben-Shemuel was “a revered teacher who inspired both children and adults to love Jewish learning. She touched the lives of many Milwaukeeans and her impact is still felt through her students, many of whom are today’s community leaders.”

She is survived by her daughter Rachel (Serge Gregory) Ben-Shemuel of Seattle; son Ben Shemuel (Jamie Keller) of Berkeley, Calif.; and three grandchildren.

Graveside services were held March 26 at Mound Zion Cemetery. Rabbi Steven H. Adams officiated.

Memorial contributions to Jewish Family Services would be appreciated by the family.