Rebecca Gratz

Biography

Rebecca Gratz was a pioneering philanthropist and educator born in 1781 who dedicated her life to charitable work and the advancement of education. As a prominent member of the Jewish community in Philadelphia, she founded the Hebrew Sunday School, one of the first Jewish educational institutions in America, and was instrumental in establishing numerous charitable organizations that served both Jewish and broader communities.

Gratz's legacy of compassion and commitment to education extended throughout her long life until her death in 1869. She was buried at Mikveh Israel Cemetery, where she is remembered as a trailblazer who combined deep religious faith with practical social action, leaving an enduring impact on American philanthropy and Jewish-American history.