Wilmington Mayor Declares Today As 'Ruth Siegel Day' To Celebrate Her 100th Birthday

From the City of Wilmington:

November 26, 2020

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki has declared Thursday, November 26, 2020, as “Ruth Siegel Day” in Wilmington to honor this long-time Wilmington resident on her 100th birthday. Ruth partnered for many years with her late husband, Bernard, who died in 2010, in service to the local Jewish community and to the Wilmington community as a whole.

Ruth’s commitment to education, which she has imbued to her four children and large extended family as their beloved matriarch, is part of a deep desire to help others learn. Ruth taught Hebrew school, pre-school and second grade, tutored inner city children with reading, helped recent immigrants to the U.S. with English, taught Hebrew to adults, served on two school boards, and established the Gratz Hebrew High School Program in Wilmington in partnership Philadelphia’s Gratz College, serving as its first president.

“It is my honor to celebrate Ruth Seigel’s wonderful milestone of 100 years of life—a life dedicated to her family and her community,” said Mayor Purzycki. “Today, we say thank you to Ruth and congratulate her by issuing the following Mayoral Proclamation declaring this day in her honor.”

WHEREAS, Ruth Benjamin Siegel was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 26, 1920, the oldest of three children born to Benjamin C. Benjamin, a native of Slabodka, Russia, and Baltimore-born Reba Lipnick Benjamin; and

WHEREAS, Ruth was an excellent student who not only attended Hebrew school as a young girl, but managed to skip two grades to graduate high school at age 16 before earning a two-year teaching degree from Towson Teachers’ College (Towson University) while attending Hebrew College, and later completing a four-year bachelor’s degree at the University of Delaware in 1968; and

WHEREAS, Ruth’s commitment to education, which she has imbued to her four children and large extended family as their beloved matriarch, led her to teach Hebrew school, pre-school and second grade as well as tutor inner city children with reading, help recent immigrants to the U.S. with English, teach Hebrew to adults, serve on two school boards, and establish the Gratz Hebrew High School Program in Wilmington in partnership Philadelphia’s Gratz College, serving as its first president, a position she held for ten years; and

WHEREAS, Ruth was extremely active in the Jewish community, chairing the Women’s Division of Israel Bonds, the Torah Fund Luncheons, and Sunday Night Lecture Series; being involved in Hadassah, Congregation Beth Shalom and the Jewish Community Center; participating in a Mishna study group for years; and even taking the unusual step of learning to read Haftorah in her 50’s, serving as a role model and inspiration to others.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MICHAEL S. PURZYCKI,
Mayor of the City of Wilmington, Delaware, do hereby declare Thursday, November 26, 2020, as

Ruth Siegel Day

in Wilmington. On behalf of all Wilmingtonians, I thank her for her many contributions to the community over the course of her long life and wish her the happiest of birthdays – and Thanksgivings! – as she celebrates this important milestone with friends and family.

100-year-old Ruth Siegel relaxing at her home with her Mayoral Proclamation and ready to party!

This press release was produced by the City of Wilmington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.