Shelburne Falls, MA – Ellen was born in Brooklyn, NY, on November 2, 1942, the second of three daughters, to Gert and Jon Levine.
She graduated from Erasmus Hall High School, in Brooklyn in 1960, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at New York University in 1964. In 1970, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy at Columbia University Medical School. She used her degree in a variety of ways: She worked under a grant at St. Luke’s Hospital, using dance in Physical Therapy with patients who had long term motor challenges. She taught anatomy and kinesiology to dancers at both the Dance Notation Bureau in New York City and at the Hartford Ballet teacher training program. She worked with pre-school children in the Buckland Shelburne Regional School District, then at the REACH program with newborns up to age 3. Later in her career, she worked with homebound adults and children, for Visiting Nurse groups. Her last job, from which she retired at age 70, and called “very satisfying” was as the weekend Physical Therapist at Baystate Franklin Medical Center.
Other projects that Ellen was involved with included “Reel World,” which involved screening documentaries usually not found in mainstream media, often filling the basement of Arms Library, in Shelburne Falls. For a number of years, she also submitted documentary films for local public access viewing. She was a member of the Buckland Town Energy Committee. She was a local coach for the Massachusetts Solarize Program, and worked on establishing a Community Solar Project in 2020.
In Ellen’s words: “I leave a most loving family – my husband Marc (married in 1980) and two magnificent children, Sarah (Andy Robinson) and David (Willow Jones.) I am so proud of who they are and the lives they have chosen. I leave two grandchildren, Keel and Elsa, my sister Phyllis Linda, and my brother-in-law Bennett Dubiner. I am also grateful for my extended family: nieces Amy and Jena, nephew Ben, and cousin Amy, as well as their spouses and children. I was sadly predeceased by my sister, Betsy, as well as my mother-in-law, Elaine.
I am deeply, deeply grateful for the life I was given – safe, and free from want. I wish that everyone on this planet can have something close to the security of the life I was privileged to have. I wish I was brave enough to take more chances, and to be more dedicated to the work for Peace and Equality.
My greatest dream was to see humanity evolve toward world peace, shared wealth, and freedom for all. I hope and do believe that another world is possible for all our grandchildren. I can see the image clearly.” Graveside services will be observed on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 @11:00AM at the Greenfield Hebrew Cemetery, Log Plain Road – East, Greenfield, MA with Rabbi Simcah Halpert-Hanson, of Temple Israel, Greenfield, MA to officiate. At the conclusion of the services, a reception will follow at Temple Israel, 27 Pierce Street, in the Social Hall to be followed by an observance of Shivah @3:00PM. Subsequently, Shivah will be observed at the Kaufmann residence, 68 Main Street, Shelburne Falls, MA on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7PM.
Donations may be made to relevant funds of the donor’s choice, or to ACLU, AFSC, or Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice in Northampton, MA. McCarthy Funeral Homes of Greenfield and Turners Falls, MA, have been entrusted with Ellen’s care and arrangements. Expressions of remembrance maybe directed to Ellen’s Tribute Wall at www.mccarthyfuneralhomes.com.
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