Sylvia Koppel was a survivor. She was born 1909 in Scranton, Pennsylvania (“the flats”), the coal country where the water was unsafe, and many infants did not survive. When she was orphaned, relatives took her into their homes, thus keeping her out of orphanages.
She came to Philadelphia in 1927 to train as a registered nurse at The Jewish Hospital (now Albert Einstein Medical Center, a part of Jefferson Health). Sylvia was proud to be a nurse.
As a student, she met and fell in love with Jefferson alumnus Alexander Koppel, MD ’28. On the day Alexander proposed in 1931, the couple was so eager to marry, they turned the car around and went to Philadelphia City Hall to tie the knot. They kept their marriage a secret because Sylvia would have been expelled from nursing school. Their son, Max, was born in 1934.
Sylvia worked several years as a registered nurse. She was a proud and strong woman, who supported other women through Hadassah, an organization that works to advance health equity, fight hate and antisemitism, and support Israel. After World War II, Sylvia was instrumental in the effort to build a new medical system in Israel. She was a demonstrated leader and had the honor of introducing Eleanor Roosevelt at a Hadassah event. In addition, Sylvia worked to support the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Although she felt there was no better degree than an RN, she knew the importance of advancing medical education for women.
