Esther Rome

(1945 - 1995)

Rome's family lived in Norwich, Connecticut.  After graduating from Brandeis University and earning a Masters from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, she helped found the Boston Women's Health Collective. The Collective produced many articles and led to the publication of the sourcebook Our Bodies, Ourselves. Rome worked tirelessly to advance many issues within the broad framework of women's health: she led the lobby to force tampon manufacturers to insert warning on Toxic Shock Syndrome in their packaging; she gathered information on silicone breast implants and fought for regulation of the implants by the Food and Drug Administration.  Rome consistently explained every issue in the context of the social and economic status of women and, at the time of her death, was co-editing a book on such issues as HIV, dieting, domestic violence and cosmetic surgery.  Rome and her family kept a kosher home and were active in their Temple and celebrated the Sabbath with her family on Friday nights. She died of breast cancer at the very young age of fifty.

Sources: Jewish Women's Archive