Doris Chortek, nee Hersh, an activist in the Jewish and general communities, died on March 29 of a brief illness. She was 89.
The Chronicle is here reprinting an edited version of a portrait article about her written by then-staff member Kiera Wiatrak for the issue of June 10, 2005.
Because of her strong roots in theater, Doris Chortek has spent most of her life doing volunteer work that helped “people find their way, become successful and reach their full potential,” she said during an interview in her River Hills home.
A Milwaukee native, Chortek first discovered theater at Shorewood High School, where she immediately took to the technical aspects, such as lighting and working backstage.
During and after her college years at Northwestern and Marquette Universities, Chortek worked in the theater — in production at Northwestern, as director of costumes and lighting at Shorewood High School and Opportunity School, and as assistant to the art director and production manager for ABC-TV Chicago.
Chortek laughed as she recalled what her father said upon her accepting the job at ABC-TV in 1949. “‘Television is a fad’ and I’d better stick to teaching.”
Chortek became a co-founder of Fred Miller Theatre, which is now the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. As part of the project, Chortek co-founded the School of Professional Arts, where she taught acting, oral interpretation, speech, history, persuasion and more.
In 1958 the Miller Theatre was turned over to community management. That, she said, marked “the end of my major interest in theater.”
Besides, as a newlywed — she married Samuel Chortek in 1957 — she “wanted to be home at night to make dinner for my husband.”
Teaching by giving
For Chortek, teaching is a short step from the volunteerism that has defined her years since. “The whole point [of my volunteer work] is to help them so they can help themselves. A lot of that comes from being a teacher.”
She has chosen a life of volunteering because “that’s what my parents taught me…. You grow up knowing that’s the way to be.”
“I think she’s probably the brightest woman in the Jewish community of Milwaukee,” said longtime friend Lois Shumow, who described Chortek as “very dedicated” and “very talented.”
“She’s probably one of the few women who could’ve been president of a company somewhere, and instead she chose a volunteer route,” Shumow continued, “When I need some advice I always call on her.”
Chortek has been involved with organizations including Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Inc., Jewish Family Services, Milwaukee Center for Independence and Community Care Organization. She said she “tends to choose the [organizations] that will help the most people.”
One of her more memorable endeavors was her involvement with Women in Community Service Job Corps as project director and Wisconsin coordinator between 1965 and 1969.
Out of this project emerged the Children’s Performing Arts group in the late 1960s. As president of Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun Sisterhood, Chortek felt it would be valuable to expose the young congregants to the inner city children who “weren’t white and just like them.”
On Saturdays, therefore, the group would bus the inner-city kids into the synagogue and run programs to build self-esteem through music, dance, makeup and drama. (Chortek also served as president of the synagogue.)
That intersection between doing good works and being a Jew is central to Chortek’s values. “The philosophy of Judaism and being a Jew is very important to me. It pretty much stands behind what I do,” she said.
“What’s right in Judaism is right in a lot of places,” she added, noting honesty, fairness and goodwill. “Some things are right and some things are wrong and you have to speak up about it…. You can usually find a Jewish basis for those kinds of decisions.”
Chortek received many awards for her service, including Woman of Distinction Award from Jewish Family Services in 2012 and the Human Rights Award from the Milwaukee Chapter of B’nai B’rith.
She also became a partner in the Create a Jewish Legacy program of the Jewish Community Foundation of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. (See April issue.)
Her husband died in 2006. She is survived by sisters-in-law Sharon Chortek and Sandra Hersh, and brother-in-law Irving Chortek, all of Milwaukee; and nieces and nephews.
Blane Goodman Funeral Service handled arrangements. Rabbi Marc Berkson officiated at the funeral on April 2. Burial was in Spring Hill Cemetery.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun or Jewish Family Services.
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