Mini-School Pioneer

in setting high standards and felt
strongly that adults should pay
tuition fees and become demand-
lorence Melton will forever
ing 'customers.' In the 1980s, these
be immortalized in the
concepts were no less than revolu-
schools of adult Jewish
tionary."
education around the world that
Mrs. Melton saw her philanthropy
bear her name.
as an investment. The returns:
Mrs. Melton, who died Feb. 8,
Jews studying and increasing the
2007, in Florida at age 95, was a
commitment to their roots.
philanthropist, entrepreneur, lec-
After the death of her first hus-
turer, yoga teacher, inventor and
band, she married Sam Melton,
poet who stayed active even in her
a philanthropist who had been
advancing years.
involved in financing Jewish educa-
Born in Philadelphia to Russian
tion worldwide. From his research,
immigrant parents, she never
she adopted the idea of the "inter-
graduated from high school, but
active classroom" where students
described herself as having been
could be active, rather than pas-
born with "an extra amount of
sive, learners.
curiosity." It was that curiosity that
The program was intended to
led to a pioneering concept in adult
remedy what Mrs. Melton saw as a
Jewish education — one that would
major deficiency in the Jewish edu-
become a global enter-
cational system.
prise.
Mrs. Melton said
In her 70s, Mrs. Melton
she believed she
proposed a two-year pro-
had "opened up the
gram that would provide
windows for learn-
answers to religious and
ing opportunities for
spiritual questions.
adults regardless of
The Florence Melton
upbringing, beliefs
Adult Mini-School,
or background. We
developed at the Melton
linked the concept of
Center for Jewish
the intellectual and
Education at the Hebrew Florence Melt
the spiritual in learn-
on
University of Jerusalem,
ing what the Torah
was launched in 1986
has to say about
with three pilot sites in North
life ... and to argue and debate and
America. Today it's the largest
comment."
pluralistic adult education network
Her lifelong passion for Jewish
in the world with 63 mini-schools
education garnered her many
in 62 cities in the United States,
awards, among them honorary doc-
Canada, the United Kingdom,
torates from Hebrew University and
Australia and South Africa.
the Jewish Theological Seminary
Detroit's own Melton school
of America; the Scopus Award
— co-sponsored by Federation's
from the American Friends of the
Alliance for Jewish Education and
Hebrew University; the Mesorah
the Jewish Community Center of
Award for Jewish Educational
Metropolitan Detroit — has 385
Leadership from JESNA; and the
grads and 258 current students.
Ohio State University Distinguished
Professor Menachem Magidor,
Service Award. She was inducted
president of Hebrew University,
into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
described Mrs. Melton as "small in
in October 1994.
frame" but "a leader, an absolute
Mrs. Melton's true legacy can be
giant. We shall miss her creativity
measured in the 20,000 alumni and
and commitment."
5,000 students in five countries
The mini-school's international
whose lives she touched through
director Yonatan Mirvis described
her foresight and determination.
her as "very much a 'people per-
Survivors include her son,
son.' It was because of her that
Gordon, chairman of R.G. Barry
this program developed. She really
Corp. (which manufactures foam-
understood what people wanted."
soled slippers Florence invented)
Mirvis recalled that "Florence
and of the Florence Melton Adult
was committed to quality adult
Mini-School; six grandchildren; and
Jewish education; she believed
11 great-grandchildren.

Moira Schneider
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

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February 15 2007

97