Esther Marks Schleifer

Esther Marks Schleifer died peacefully at her home on May 17, 2026 in Boston, MA. She was 91 years old.

Esther was born in Newark, NJ to Jeannette and Barnard Marks, later joined by her beloved sister Golda. Her friends from Temple B’nai Abraham and Weequahic High School remained friends for life.

Her independent spirit showed early. After graduating from Smith College, she continued on to Smith College School for Social Work – even her parents’ call to the dean could not dissuade her from earning her master’s in social work.

She moved to Boston after completing her clinical internship in Denver. She went to work, focusing on children and families, at Mass General Hospital in 1957, living with college friends in the old West End.

In 1959, she married Professor Maxwell Schleifer, eventually settling in Newton, residing there from 1961 to 2004. Esther joined forces with neighborhood moms to organize children into activities and sports – believing that the most dangerous thing to unleash on the city of Newton were “free-range” children.

She was an active participant in the community. From organizing a neighborhood food coop, establishing a local daycare center and advocating for affordable daycare, to supporting the Hebrew school. She was also a member of the Newton Community Centers, President of the PTA, on the board of National Organization of Rare Diseases. She demonstrated by example the importance of care and community to her children and others.

In 1976, Esther was awarded a fellowship at Maclean Hospital. Upon her return to full-time work, she was part of the team that addressed the needs of families on Hull and South Shore after the Blizzard of ‘78. She also worked as the Chief Social Worker at Medfield State Hospital and at the Judge Baker Guidance Clinic at Children’s Hospital. Ultimately, she was recruited to the leadership team which established the Children’s Assessment Unit at Cambridge Hospital. Her career was measured by the care she provided to her patients and the training she administered to several generations of social workers, psychologists, and physicians on the social and emotional needs of children and families.

Esther was committed to Judaism in observance and practice, passing that on to her children. For years she was a regular at Temple Emanuel’s morning minyan, and a member of sisterhood and other synagogue activities. She hosted large gatherings for Rosh Hashanah, Passover, and other Jewish holidays, delighting in sharing these festivities with Jewish and non-Jewish friends. As part of her religious journey, in her 70s, she joined a group of women to become an adult bat mitzvah.

Esther embraced travel to new and different places, including camping into her 60s, and exploring with friends and family across the United States, Europe, and South America. As her grandchildren grew, she was a spectator extraordinaire, sporting her folding chair, umbrella and sun hat at every soccer, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, and basketball game. She passed on her love of sports and the outdoors to her children and grandchildren.

She is predeceased by her husband, Maxwell Joseph Schleifer. She is survived by her children - her son Aaron, his wife Dana Rubin, granddaughter Hannah and grandson Elijah; daughter Rebecca and her wife Lina Céspedes Báez; son Joseph; son Daniel, his wife Jane Flagler Fogg, and grandsons Maxwell and Arthur.

The Funeral will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 11:00am at Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA. Interment will follow immediately at Vilno Cemetery, 776 Baker Street, West Roxbury, MA. Shiva will be held following the service at Daniel and Jane's Home, until 9:00 pm (Minyan at 7:30 pm) and on Thursday from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm (Minyan at 7:00 am).

In lieu of flowers, donations in Esther’s memory can be made to Beit Issie Shapiro at https://beitissie.org.il/en/ or Greater Boston Food Bank at www.gbfb.org/

Livestream: https://www.templeemanuel.com/livestream-links/