Ruth Silverman Meisel: cleric, teacher and Zionist
Meisel
RUTH SILVERMAN MEISEL, a native and lifelong resident of New Orleans until her forced relocation following Hurricane Katrina, passed away in Branford, CT on Wednesday, November 14, after a lengthy illness. She was 93. Meisel was a cleric and administrative assistant who, despite her advanced age of 86 at the time, was still working for the New Orleans Convention Center when the storm struck the city. After the storm had passed and prior to her relocation to CT, she assisted the Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) teams in Baton Rouge, processing claims for Katrina victims. Previously, she worked for the insurance industry, the Louisiana Attorney General’s office, the University of New Orleans and began her career at City Hall, working in the Finance Department of the City of New Orleans for twelve years before leaving to start her family.
Born at Touro Infirmary, Meisel attended Sophie B. Wright High School and also graduated from Allen Business School. She grew up as a member of Young Judaea, was president of Junior Hadassah and later became a lifetime member of Hadassah. She also served as the treasurer of Hadassah’s Greater New Orleans Chapter. Because of her longtime commitment to Hadassah, she was selected to chaperone summer campers to Camp Judaea in Hendersonville, NC for many years.
A fourth generation member of Congregation Beth Israel, Meisel had a lifelong love of learning. She attended religious school training at Beth Israel and later became a Sunday School teacher there and years later at Congregation Chevra Thillim.
Meisel was also steeped in a love of Judaism through her parents and grandparents and loved attending religious services, Hebrew School and enjoying Shabbat dinners with family, a practice she continued with her own family. She also maintained a lifelong study of Torah and Talmud under the guidance of many rabbis. Additionally, Meisel was noted as a fine needlepoint worker, many of her designs expressing Jewish themes.
Meisel’s ability to learn and master challenging work is evident in the fact that she began to learn computers while attending the University of New Orleans as an octogenarian and semi-retiree.
She met German immigrant and naturalized American citizen Leon Meisel, a soldier during World War II, at the YMHA and wed him at her parents’ home. She was married to him for 42 years until his death in 1992. Meisel is survived by sons Farrell (Vered) of Indio, CA and Andre and daughter Cheri of Naugatauk, CT, brother Elliot Silverman of Sun City West, AZ and numerous nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were held at Jewish Burial Rites Cemetery, 4321 Frenchmen Street on Sunday, November 18 with Rabbi Ethan Linden of Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation officiating. Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.tharpsontheimer.com. In lieu of flowers donations are suggested to Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT.
