Isabell was born and grew up in Newark. She met her husband, David, when she was 18. They lived on Avon Avenue and began their family.

Isabell and David then moved to Springfield and joined with other families at what was then called the Jewish Center of Springfield. Friday evening services were held in the Presbyterian Church Parish House. As the synagogue grew, it needed larger quarters, so the families bought land, hired Rabbi Reuben Levine, and became Temple Beth Ahm, the only synagogue in Springfield at the time. Isabell and the other early members helped build the shul - painting the walls, laying tiles and scrubbing the floors.

David became president of the shul’s men’s club, and Isabell was elected president of its sisterhood. After that, she spent 16 years on the synagogue board as recording secretary and vice president. During those years, she also was the president of the Springfield chapter of the Jewish National Home for Asthmatic children, which later became the Children’s Asthma Research Institute and Hospital.

Isabell and David created a second home in Florida in 1980. When David died in 1994, Isabell joined another newly forming synagogue, Temple Torah, and helped get that started as well. She sang in the choir in both synagogues, in New Jersey and in Florida, belongs to both sisterhoods, and is a regular in the daily minyan at both shuls. She became a bat mitzvah on the weekend of her 90th birthday.

Isabell continues to support her synagogues - always asking what is needed and pitching in to help build community. Her lifetime of service and engagement in synagogues - including Newark's Ahavas Sholom - is deeply appreciated.