This longtime teacher just hit triple digits!
A crowd of more than 50 people crammed into Brooklyn Heights Italian standby Noodle Pudding on Nov. 12 to ring in a native daughter’s 100th birthday at a bash where celebrants young and old toasted centenarian Bertha Lowitt’s long and wholesome life of service, according to her daughter.
“It was just a wonderful experience that united relatives and friends from various circles,” said Susan Dowling, whose mother turned 100-years-old on Nov. 1. “We had a lovely time celebrating a person who is strong and incredible.”
Lowitt, who was born in Williamsburg and now resides in Brooklyn Heights, spent much of the past century serving her neighbors, Dowling said. She worked as a school secretary for years before becoming an educator at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, in Manhattan, where she helped start the institution’s educational-resource program nearly 20 years ago, according to her daughter, who said her mother’s jobs at various learning facilities inspired her and her son to pursue their own paths as teachers.
“It’s always been vital in my family to give back to your community in any way you can — especially in Brooklyn, where we’ve grown up our whole lives,” said Dowling, who ended her 47-year career in education when she retired two years ago. “It’s important to teach your curriculum, but also to impart your understanding of the world and your desire to make it a better place for your students.”
And even though Lowitt no longer strolls the halls of schools or museums, she still finds ways to broaden her mind and those of people around her, according to her daughter.
“My mom is always reading. She still reads the New York Times from cover to cover, and is a member of the book club in our building,” Dowling said. “She’s always been dedicated to peace movements and working towards equality for people, and she brought me up like that, too. As one of my cousins wrote on Facebook, she’s always been an amazing role model to her family.”
