Yvonne Levy Kushner
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Kushner (1906–1990) was an American actress and fund raiser for women's and Jewish causes.
Coguenhem) Levy. Her father was
originally from Alsace
and emigrated
to America in 1879, where he worked as a merchant and in real estate. He was born in Wingersheim, Alsace, in 1864, when it was part of France, along the disputed border regions between Germany and France. Yvonne’s mother was a native of Louisiana
, the daughter of a French father and American mother. In 1916, Leopold Levy took over the lease for the failed Louisiana State Bank in New Orleans and renamed the building The Antique Dome, where he sold old furniture and antiques. Some six years later, Yvonne's family relocated to Washington D. C. where she would captain the debating team at Central High School and perform in school plays.
. Yvonne was also an active fund raiser for the Columbia Hospital for Women
and a member of Hadassah
, B'nai B'rith
and Youth Aliyah
.
. Dr. Kushner was a gynecologist-obstetrician and infertility
specialist who founded the International Fertility Society and served as chief of staff at the Columbia Hospital for Women. The couple became the parents of three daughters, Judith, Jane and Delia. Judith, a promising young actress and singer, died prematurely in 1952 at age eighteen from a rare but fatal blood disorder.
Yvonne’s older sister, Denise Levy Tourover (1903–1980), was an attorney who served as Hadassah’s first representative in Washington D.C. During the Second World War she lobbied relentlessly to save hundreds of Polish orphans called the “Tehran Children”
, stranded in Persia after fleeing Nazi occupied Europe. Her efforts bore fruit when the Allies dispatched British war ships to transport the children to the relative safety of British Palestine.
Her brother, Oscar Isaac Levy (1892-1957) attended Tulane University
as a science major and later the University of Chicago
. By the time of World War One he was an assistant examiner with the United States Patent Office in New Orleans.
in Washington D. C. She was survived by her husband and daughters.
Early life
Yvonne Levy was born on October 12, 1906 at New Iberia, Louisiana, to Leopold and Blanche (néeNEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Coguenhem) Levy. Her father was
originally from Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and emigrated
Emigre
Emigre, also known as Emigre Graphics, is a digital type foundry, publisher and distributor of graphic design centered information based in Berkeley, California, that was founded in 1984 by husband-and-wife team Rudy VanderLans and Zuzana Licko. The type foundry also published Emigre magazine...
to America in 1879, where he worked as a merchant and in real estate. He was born in Wingersheim, Alsace, in 1864, when it was part of France, along the disputed border regions between Germany and France. Yvonne’s mother was a native of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, the daughter of a French father and American mother. In 1916, Leopold Levy took over the lease for the failed Louisiana State Bank in New Orleans and renamed the building The Antique Dome, where he sold old furniture and antiques. Some six years later, Yvonne's family relocated to Washington D. C. where she would captain the debating team at Central High School and perform in school plays.
Career
Not long after her high school graduation Yvonne began working as an actress in New York City, but around the time of her marriage in the late 1920s chose to return to the Nation’s Capitol where she became a regular performer at the City Theatre. In later years she would act and direct dramatic productions put on at the Adas Israel CongregationAdas Israel Congregation (Washington, D.C.)
Adas Israel, located in the Cleveland Park neighborhood, is the largest Conservative synagogue in Washington, D.C.-History:The congregation was founded in 1869 by 69 members of the Washington Hebrew Congregation who objected to that congregation's move towards Reform Judaism.Sermons were given in...
. Yvonne was also an active fund raiser for the Columbia Hospital for Women
Columbia Hospital for Women
The Columbia Hospital for Women was a hospital located in Washington, D.C. Originally opening in 1866 as a health-care facility for wives and widows of Civil War soldiers, it moved in 1870 from Thomas Circle to its later location at 2425 L Street, NW in the West End neighborhood. The Columbia...
and a member of Hadassah
Hadassah
Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America is an American Jewish volunteer women's organization. Founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold, it is one of the largest international Jewish organizations, with around...
, B'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith International |Covenant]]" is the oldest continually operating Jewish service organization in the world. It was initially founded as the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith in New York City, on , 1843, by Henry Jones and 11 others....
and Youth Aliyah
Youth Aliyah
Szold was initially skeptical about the merits of Freier's proposal, as she believed that Germany offered better educational opportunities for Jewish children than Palestine. However, Hitler's rise to power convinced her otherwise. The Nuremberg Laws were enacted in 1935 and on 31 March 1936 German...
.
Family
Yvonne’s husband of sixty-one years was Dr. David Howard Kushner (1904–1994), a native of Washington D. C. and a graduate of Central High School and Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. Dr. Kushner was a gynecologist-obstetrician and infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
specialist who founded the International Fertility Society and served as chief of staff at the Columbia Hospital for Women. The couple became the parents of three daughters, Judith, Jane and Delia. Judith, a promising young actress and singer, died prematurely in 1952 at age eighteen from a rare but fatal blood disorder.
Yvonne’s older sister, Denise Levy Tourover (1903–1980), was an attorney who served as Hadassah’s first representative in Washington D.C. During the Second World War she lobbied relentlessly to save hundreds of Polish orphans called the “Tehran Children”
Children of Zion
The Children of Zion is a book written by Henryk Grynberg about “the fate of the Polish Jews”.-Synopsis:...
, stranded in Persia after fleeing Nazi occupied Europe. Her efforts bore fruit when the Allies dispatched British war ships to transport the children to the relative safety of British Palestine.
Her brother, Oscar Isaac Levy (1892-1957) attended Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
as a science major and later the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. By the time of World War One he was an assistant examiner with the United States Patent Office in New Orleans.
Death
Yvonne Levy Kushner died from pneumonia on the eighth of February 1990, at George Washington University HospitalGeorge Washington University Hospital
The George Washington University Hospital is a hospital in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It opened on On August 23, 2002, with 371 beds in a 400,000 sq. ft. building, housing than $45 million of medical equipment and cost more than $96 million to construct...
in Washington D. C. She was survived by her husband and daughters.