ELLEN ISLER

ISLER--Ellen, age 78, died in Manhattan on January 31, 2022. At the time of her death, Ellen had been President and Chief Executive Officer of JBI International, Inc. for 20 years, bringing its library to the blind and visually impaired, in local languages, all over the world. Before that, she was Vice President of the Abraham Fund; Director General of World ORT, one of the world's largest education and training NGOs; Director of Operations of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; Vice President for Advancement at Hunter College; and an Associate Dean at Columbia University. A dedicated New Yorker - born in Queens, and a graduate of Hunter High School and Queens College - she was equally at home in Israel, London, and Sag Harbor. She earned a master's degree from Harvard University, a Ph.D. in English Literature from Columbia University, and taught at Queens College and Tel-Aviv University. She was fluent in Hebrew and French, and read Latin and Greek with ease and pleasure. Her sons, Adam and Ethan Gahtan (Beth Larson), stepson, Josh Isler (Dulce), grandchildren - Ursula, Zeta, Jordan, Rebecca, and Ben - and partner, Paul Sperry, honor her devotion to family, friends, and the arts, especially literature and music. A memorial service is planned.