May 18, 2015

Maureen Israelson

Maureen's great-grandparents came from Latvia on her father's side and Poland on her mother's side. Her maternal grandmother, one of seven siblings, was sent from London to South Africa as a child during World War One to stay with a cousin, and she was the only one of her siblings to make the move. There she met Maureen's grandfather. Maureen grew up in Port Elizabeth on the coast, surrounded by cousins who were also her closest friends, with Friday night family gatherings, holiday picnics along the shore, and a strong Jewish upbringing. Her parents were deeply involved in Jewish organizations, her father a founding member of the first Jewish day school and her mother a president of the women's Zionist organization.

Maureen attended university in Johannesburg, one of the two English-speaking universities at the time, where she met Hilton, who was studying dentistry. They married soon after he graduated and moved to London, where a reciprocity arrangement allowed him to practice. Hilton wanted to specialize in periodontics and was accepted into a program in Boston, where the couple lived for four years and where their two daughters were born. Disliking the harsh winters, Hilton sought a position elsewhere and found one in Dallas, and the family moved there in 1979. Maureen came down first, staying with an acquaintance and renting an apartment before the family settled in.

In Dallas, Maureen managed Hilton's dental office for twenty to twenty-five years and raised their family, sending their daughters through Solomon Schechter and Greenhill. Hilton became active in organized dentistry, serving as president of local, state, and national dental associations. The couple found a warm welcome and lasting friendships within the South African community and beyond. Maureen's parents and two sisters eventually settled in Israel, and she has visited often over the years. Her three children are grown, with two daughters raising families in New York and Toronto and a son living in New York. Maureen speaks of the family's journey with gratitude, saying they arrived with little and no expectations, which she considers a blessing.

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