Elma Ehrlich Levinger

Born in Chicago on October 6, 1887, Elma Ehrlich Levinger began her career as a teacher in rural schools in Iowa and Illinois. She later studied English and drama at the University of Chicago and Radcliffe College, training that shaped the clear, engaging style she brought to both education and writing.

After marrying Rabbi Lee J. Levinger in 1916, she became deeply involved in Jewish educational and cultural life. She edited Jewish Child and wrote more than thirty books for children, along with several books for adults, using stories, drama, and biography to encourage Jewish identity in American life.

Among her notable works are In Many Lands (1923), which introduced young readers to Jewish traditions across the diaspora, Great Jewish Women (1940), and Fighting Angel (1946), a biography of Henrietta Szold. She died on January 28, 1958, leaving behind a body of work remembered for its commitment to education, culture, and community.