Marilyn Tonkon
Marilyn Tonkon was born in 1931 in Dallas, TX. Her father moved from Chicago to Dallas with his mother, who opened a delicatessen on Commerce Street called Chicago Deli. Marilyn worked at Neiman Marcus while her husband, at the time her fiancé, was stationed in Korea. Marilyn attributes her development of self to her having had the time to build up her business. As a dedicated member of the Jewish community and a loving mother, Marilyn has given a lot to Dallas’s Jewish community.
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Nita Mae Tannebaum was born in 1933 in St. Louis, MO, but grew up mainly in Oklahoma. Nita studied education, while her husband studied accounting. Marrying in 1995, a week after their graduation from the University of Oklahoma, Nita and her husband moved to Dallas, where Nita got a job teaching in the Dallas Independent School District. Nita and family have been dedicated members of Temple Emanu-El since 1957, and Nita has been a part of its Sisterhood. Nita sat on the board of the Jewish Community Center, and additionally taught in the JCC preschool. She has been involved in many other Jewish organizations, including the National Council of Jewish Women and the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.
Helen Stern, a native Dallasite, was born in 1926 during the Depression. Helen’s father came to the U.S. around 1911 through Galveston at age 16 and was the only one in his family at the time to leave Diersburg, Germany. He didn’t speak any English at the time, and was taken in by a family in South Dallas. Her mother, also from Germany, was one of nine children. Helen went to the University of Texas at Austin during the war and described it as being a girls’ school during the week due to the nature of the war. Helen and her late husband, Arthur, had three children. She remembers learning to drive on Northwest Highway and telling the milkman and baker when to make deliveries to their home. Helen volunteered her time with the Sisterhood in Temple Emanu-El, working as treasurer and working on the yearbook as her first job with them.
Rosie Stromberg was born in 1937 in Dallas, TX. After marrying and giving birth to her two sons, Rosie became very active in the Jewish community. Rosie has worked with the National Council of Jewish Women, served on the board of the Southwest Jewish Congress, worked with the American Jewish Committee, along with many other organizations. Rosie is a natural connector, dedicating her time to connecting various ethnic and religious groups. Education has always been Rosie’s first love and she has been involved in supporting the Dallas public schools for many years.
Rena Silverberg has long been an active member of the Dallas Jewish Community, serving as a past Executive Director of Jewish Family Service, among her many other activities.
Hilde Schwartz was born in Germany and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She married husband Bill Schwartz in 1950, and they moved together to Dallas in the summer of 1951. Hilde discusses the challenges, particularly segregation and discrimination, that she experienced while adapting to life in the South. Having worked for the Civil Service in Chicago, Hilde temporarily worked at the downtown flagship Neiman Marcus store, until she was hired as a Women of the Air Force (WAF) and Women of the Army Corps (WAC) Recruiter. The mother of three, Hilde has family located thorughout the United States. She is a wonderful volunteer at Legacy and an active member of Temple Emanu-El, particularly involved with its Sisterhood.
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