[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 9 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E52]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN MEMORY OF SHIRLEY LEVINE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 23, 2012

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark the loss of a titan of 
education in Los Angeles, Shirley Levine, who passed away on January 9, 
2012. The entire Los Angeles community suffered a great loss in her 
passing.
  Shirley Levine served as an educator in the LA Unified School 
District before founding the Abraham Joshua Heschel School in 1972. 
Encouraged by several local leaders, such as Rabbi Harold Schulweis and 
Mark Lainer, Shirley laid the groundwork for a school that would fuse 
humanistic values, a love of Judaism, and unparalleled secular studies. 
She originally opened the school in North Hollywood, CA, but Heschel 
quickly outgrew facilities at Adat An El and Valley Beth Shalom 
synagogues, among other locations, and the school eventually found a 
permanent home in Northridge, CA. As noted by Rabbi Jan Goldstein, the 
rabbi-in-residence during Heschel Day School's early years, each 
institution was forever impacted by Shirley's vision and passion.
  As Heschel's Congressman during the 1980s and 1990s, I watched the 
school mature into a powerful source of moral strength in the San 
Fernando Valley community, with thousands of roots that trace back to 
Shirley's instruction and guidance. I have seen these roots firsthand--
many of my constituents are current students and graduates of Heschel, 
as are some of my staff and close family friends. I can see Shirley's 
legacy through the activism and Jewish vitality of these individuals.
  One graduate related to me stories of weekly Sabbath gatherings in 
every classroom at Heschel, and how meaningful it was to mark that day 
each week with peers. The week had an anchor, with the Sabbath as the 
focus. That epitomizes Shirley's approach--she created an institution 
with a warm, welcoming environment, one imbued with Jewish and 
humanistic values. I am also aware that many graduates credit Shirley 
for making them the person they are today, especially those who spent 
an inordinate amount of time for disciplinary reasons in Shirley's 
office. Shirley's son, Darren, stated during Shirley's eulogy that his 
mother's lasting message is: ``Be passionate about what you do, treat 
others with compassion, and take actions to make the world a better 
place.'' I am inspired by the passion in which Shirley led her life; I 
am mindful of the compassion she imbued in her students; and I am 
grateful to Shirley for indeed making our community a better place.
  My condolences go out to Shirley's husband, Arnold; children Mark, 
Darren and Marci; and the entire Heschel family.

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