Mimi Polin Ferraro was raised in a family that was passionate about Jewish life and education. Her deep Jewish roots nurtured her desire to live and work Jewishly. Throughout her lifetime, she was a tireless Jewish leader and educator. In her early years, Mimi attended Gratz Hebrew High School, graduating in 1980. She returned to Gratz to earn a Master of Arts in Jewish Education in 1990 and in 2013 completed her Ed.D. in Jewish Education. She was the first graduate of the Gratz Doctoral program and acted as a mentor to many students who followed her. Her thesis examined the ways in which the Jewish community provides for the educational needs of children with learning differences. This was one of the earliest analyses on this question and remains an important resource for communal planning. Her research enabled her to engage in academic work, teaching at Gratz and at Temple University.

For many years, Mimi served as the Educational Director at Old York Road Temple - Beth Am. While there, she was a leading collaborator with Helen Tigay, the Director of the Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education, in many innovative educational initiatives.

Mimi’s love of learning and passion for Judaism led her to pursue rabbinic studies at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Her final post was as Rabbi and Educational Director at Tiferes B’nai Israel in Warrington, PA.

Mimi was a person of integrity and strongly held beliefs. Gratz was important to her and we are very proud of her as a person and as a colleague.

Yehi Zikhrah Barukh

Dr. Saul Wachs