Doris Yankelewitz Berger

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Doris Yankelewitz Berger
First Lady of Costa Rica
In role
May 8, 1982 – May 8, 1986
PresidentLuis Alberto Monge
Preceded byEstrella Zeledón Lizano
Succeeded byMargarita Penón
Personal details
Born(1934-05-07)May 7, 1934
San José, Costa Rica
DiedMay 18, 2016(2016-05-18) (aged 82)
San José, Costa Rica
Political partyNational Liberation Party
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1965; div. 1988)​
ProfessionArtist, politician

Doris Yankelewitz Berger (May 7, 1934 – May 18, 2016) was a Costa Rican artist, politician, political activist, and member of the

Jewish First Lady.[4]

Biography

Early life

Yankelewitz was born to

Jewish parents on May 7, 1934, in San José, Costa Rica.[1][4] Her mother, Rosita Berger Spiro, was British, while her father, Jorge Yankelewitz Rodstein, was from Argentina.[3] She had two brothers, Samuel and Daniel.[3] Yankelewitz picked up her interest in the arts as a child. She took piano lessons and learned oil painting, which would become her focus as an artist.[3]

She attended secondary school at the Methodist School of Costa Rica (Colegio Metodista) in San José. Yankelewitz received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Costa Rica in 1966.[1][3]

Yankelewitz met her future husband,

luncheon while she was studying at the University of Costa Rica.[3] Monge was serving as Costa Rica's first Ambassador to Israel (1963–1966) at the time of their first meeting.[3] They soon began dating. Monge and Yankelewitz married on November 25, 1965, at a ceremony held in San José.[3] She was 31-years old, while he was 39-years old at the time of their wedding.[3] The couple had one daughter, Lena.[4][3]

Politics and First Lady of Costa Rica

Yankelewitz became active in the women's wing of the National Liberation Party (PLN) beginning in the 1970s.[3] She went on to chair the national women's committee of the PLN for six years.[3] Under Yankelewitz, the women's committee established local branches throughout Costa Rica.[3]

Luis Alberto Monge ran for President of Costa Rica in

First Lady of Costa Rica on May 8, 1982, the day her husband was sworn in as President of Costa Rica.[3] She became the first Jew to serve as the country's First Lady in history.[4]

Yankelewitz initially planned to focus on

Red Cross.[1][2] Owing to her background in the arts, Yankelewitz established two artistic institutions, the Casa de la Cultura de Puntarenas and the Artesanías de Sarchí (Sarchí Craft Market).[2][3]

The Consejo Nacional de las Mujeres (National Council of Women) of

Juan Carlos I of Spain awarded Yankelewitz the Order of Isabella the Catholic.[3]

Yankelewitz and Luis Alberto Monge separated at the end of his presidency in 1986.[3] They divorced in June 1988, two years after leaving office.[3][5]

Doris Yankelewitz Berger, who had been ill for several months, died on May 18, 2016, at the age of 82.[1]

References

  1. ^
    La Nación (San José)
    . Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  2. ^
    La Nación (San José)
    . Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Biografía: Doris Yankelewitz Berger". Cambio Politico. May 18, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  4. ^
    Jewish Telegraph Agency
    . April 20, 1982. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  5. ^ Akepsimidis, Sofia (May 18, 2014). "Fallece exprimera dama de Costa Rica, Doris Yankelewitz Berger". Ameliarueda.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
Honorary titles
Preceded by
First Lady of Costa Rica

1982–1986 		Succeeded by
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