March 3, 1947—March 26, 2013
Marcy Migdal of Seattle died on March 26, 2013 while enjoying a Passover visit with her family. Marcy was born Ruth Marcia Alexander to Reba and Asher Alexander, in Philadelphia, Pa. She grew up in Philadelphia and in Oceanside, Long Island. She attended Douglass College, the women’s college of Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she met her husband Joel Migdal. They married in 1968. They lived in Watertown, Mass.; Tel Aviv, Israel (1972-1975); and Brookline, Mass. and traveled all over the world together before moving to Seattle in 1980. Marcy was an active member of Congregation Beth Shalom, where she regularly attended services and classes, served on the board, and played many other roles. She was also a founding participant and parent at the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle and director and parent at the Community High School for Jewish Studies.
Marcy was an educator who pioneered the field of multi-cultural education. Fluent in Spanish and Hebrew, she taught in bilingual classrooms early in her career and then joined one of the first multicultural education teams in Boston. While living in Israel, she wrote curriculum for the Ministry of Education and taught in the Givatayim Teachers College. In Seattle, she was one of the founding group of the Seattle Children’s Museum, worked for the Wing Luke Museum, taught in Highline Community College, wrote multi-cultural activity books for Uwajimaya, wrote curricula for many institutions including the Jewish Day School and Jewish Education Council, taught an anti-racism curriculum using the Anti-Defamation League’s “A World of Difference” program, and served as the principal of the Community High School for Jewish Studies. From 1992 to 2005 she worked as the director of multi-cultural education, Title IX compliance officer, and director of Indian education for the Edmonds School District, where she won national awards and recognition for her work in multicultural education. She also consulted around the state on issues of religion in schools.
Marcy’s greatest joy was the family she raised with Joel: Her children, Ariela Migdal of New York, Tamar Azous of Seattle, and Amram Migdal of Charlottesville. She loved her children-in-law Ethan Tucker, Paul Azous, and Rebecca Migdal. She delighted in her grandchildren, Eden Migdal, Yitzhak Tucker, Yoav Tucker, and Zahava Migdal Azous, and in her large extended family, including her recently deceased brother Steve Alexander and her dear siblings-in-law, nieces and nephews. Her other great joys included studying and spending time with her many close friends, with whom she liked to take walks around Greenlake, see plays, discuss books and ideas, and share Shabbat and holiday meals. She was a spectacular cook, baker, and hostess who enjoyed welcoming new people and old friends to her home on a regular basis. She was also passionate about travel, social justice, and women’s equality.
Contributions may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center and to Congregation Beth Shalom in Seattle.
Marcy Migdal
