May 16, 2017

Ellen Krane

Ellen Krane came from a German Jewish family, some of whom she described as French-speaking. She was born in Germany, and her father brought the family to the United States as her father sought to get away from what was happening under Hitler. He first settled in Memphis, where relatives had already arrived, and he fell in love with the city and never left. Ellen grew up there as, in her words, a nice southern girl, taking on considerable responsibility as a child who helped her parents with English and with the tasks required for them to become citizens. Her family carried memories of relatives who helped others escape, including her father's efforts to hide and distract guards to aid others, and later generations of the family returned to Germany to visit her grandparents' house and family sites.

Ellen attended Goucher College in Baltimore, where she met her husband Harry while he was in the service. She went on to Northwestern University, graduating in 1960 as a married student while raising her young son. She recounted Northwestern's quota system for Jewish students and her determination to attend despite obstacles, as well as a demeaning encounter with a dean that only spurred her to make the Dean's List. She and Harry lived in the Chicago area, including Northfield and Sheridan, from the mid-1950s until they moved to Dallas in January 1962. She loved Chicago deeply and returned there over the years. After a divorce, she lived in California, in the San Diego area, from 1988, and returned to Dallas about twelve years before the interview to be closer to family.

Ellen was strongly committed to Jewish life and community. She taught Sunday school children and became involved in adult Jewish learning, which she described as a revelation. She was active at Temple B'nai and in hospital and community volunteer work, and in San Diego she served as co-chair of a building committee for a new temple campus and on the art committee. In Dallas she served on the art committee for the Stern Chapel, helping work with artists on the menorah, ner tamid, and ark. As an adult she became a bat mitzvah, learning to read Hebrew at age 17 and later chanting Torah, choosing a portion about the building of the tabernacle that echoed her building-committee work. She had two children, including her son Lee born in Chicago, and grandchildren, and she remained a devoted supporter of Jewish institutions and Reform congregational life.

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