Grace Berkowitz was born on May 18th, 1887 in Brooklyn, New York. The address listed on her passport was 404 Hart Street, Brooklyn, New York. During WWI, Berkowitz served as a nurse and gained experience treating patients of war. In 1935, Berkowitz became the social secretary of The Ladies’ Hebrew Benevolent Society based in Brooklyn, NY. At age 50, Berkowitz registered to serve in the Spanish Civil War. Her passport number was 378162 and it was issued on March 24th, 2937.
During the Spanish Civil War, she served as a nurse with the Republican Medical Service at Murcia Hospital. In May 1938, Berkowitz returned to the US due to contracting rheumatic fever at Belacazar. A fun fact is that she was regarded as a prudish old maid by her fellow volunteers because she would not treat naked men. In the later years of her life, Berkowitz moved to The Bronx, NY 10467 area and resided there until her death in September 1973.
“Temple Beth-El of Greenpoint.” History of Brooklyn Jewry, by Samuel P. Abelow, Scheba Publishing Co, 1937, pp. 48–50.
“Grace Berkowitz in Social Security Death Index.” Fold3, Social Security Administration, 28 July 2017, www.fold3.com/record/74016203-grace-berkowitz.
Scope of Soviet Activity in the U.S. Hearings before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee To Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws, Eighty-Fourth Congress, Second Session, on Apr. 5, 6, 1956. U.S. G.P.O., 1956.
Lynaugh, Joan E. Nursing History Review: Official Journal of the American Association for the History of Nursing. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.
“Grace Berkowitz .” Grace Berkowitz - Abraham Lincoln Brigade, alba-valb.org/volunteers/grace-berkowitz.
Ink, Social. “Grace Berkowitz.” The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, 6 Apr. 2020, alba-valb.org/volunteers/grace-berkowitz/.