Harriet Rosenthal

6/30/1931 - 9/5/2025

San Jacinto, Calif. - Harriet Eisenstein Rosenthal, age 94, of San Jacinto, Calif., and formerly of New London, passed away on the evening of Sept. 5, 2025, in her home, leaving a tapestry of memories woven with kindness and warmth. We pause to reflect upon a full life well lived and the remarkable journey of one whose presence touched so many.

Harriet was born Harriet Florence Eisenstein on June 30, 1931, to Sarah and Joseph Eisenstein, both immigrants who came through Ellis Island in 1903 from Russia thanks to the United States immigration policy at that time that gave legal entry favor to Jewish people escaping persecution in Eastern Europe. Harriet was the first generation born in America.

Harriet grew up in a two-story, two-family New England home. Her father, Joseph, owned and operated a European market and fancy delicatessen.

Harriet attended a private school, the Williams Memorial Institute (WMI), now The Williams School, where she played violin in the WMI orchestra and among other academics she studied and spoke French. She graduated in 1949, and went on to attend Grace New Haven Nursing School (now part of Yale New Haven Nursing School). It was in New Haven that she met her future husband, Norman Rosenthal. Harriet and Norman were married in 1950, and took the train 98 miles to New York City for their honeymoon. When Norman and Harriet were younger, they enjoyed dancing, especially the jitterbug and in the ensuing decades, they raised six children.

Norman was a welder building nuclear submarines, including the USS Nautilus, our first nuclear submarine. Harriet was a busy mother and helped her father at his market. In 1996, Norman and Harriet moved to San Jacinto, Calif., to enjoy a year-round warm climate, and to enjoy living close to Howard, and daughter Nadene. She also lived close to her brother, Ben Eisenstein.

Through the years, Harriet participated in many organizations and was a volunteer at Beth El Synagogue, longtime member of their Sisterhood, life member of Hadassah, and a volunteer at the former Solomon Schecter Academy, where Nadene and grandsons, Joe and Aaron, attended. Harriet was also active in the Harbor School (her former grammar school), alumni organization. She found enjoyment in her membership in the Hemet Valley Women's Club in Hemet, Calif. While living in New London, she enjoyed her weekly mahjong games with her good friends. Her passions were her family, and she instilled in her children a love of reading.

Harriet, a feisty woman, had a wry sense of humor and a playful side. Whether or not it was food fights with Howard or wearing her very scary Halloween mask, scaring children while giving out candy. While living in San Jacinto, Harriet built many friendships of all ages who loved and adored her and appreciated how special she was. She was a prolific reader all her life and when her eyesight began to fail, she began to listen to books on tape and listened to multiple books every week for four years.

Harriet continued to the time of her passing to maintain her traditional Jewish customs and values, replicating every year the traditional Passover Seder and complying with the special dietary laws during Passover, as well as the traditional celebration of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, and several other minor holidays. She would make sure that the traditional foods right down to the baked goods were always on hand, each type in the tradition and custom of that holiday. Her friends in the valley included a Catholic priest, teachers, nurses, all the women of her age and anybody that worked for her were always considered family.

Norman predeceased her in 2011. She is survived by her brother, Yale Benson Eisenstein; her children: David Rosenthal, Howard Rosenthal, Susan Rosenthal Condry, Simie Rosenthal Whalen, Libie Rosenthal Attwater, Nadene Rosenthal Zack, and their spouses; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews and cousins.

Funeral arrangements will be handled by the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Beth El Cemetery in Groton. Donations may be made to Hadassah https://www.hadassah.org/