A Guide to the Esther Vexler Papers, 1950-2008 (bulk 1964-1980)
Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator: | Vexler, Esther, 1918- | |
| Title: | Esther Vexler Papers | |
| Dates: | 1950-2008 | |
| Bulk Dates: | 1964-1980 | |
| Creator Abstract: | Esther Vexler, a native of San Antonio, is a yoga instructor and community volunteer. Esther Vexler did volunteer work with Jewish charities and was the first female president of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio. She also worked with the League of Women Voters and the Child Guidance Clinic, amongst others. | |
| Content Abstract: | Includes correspondence, memoranda, advertisements, clippings, newsletters, and reports; also included are meeting minutes, agendas, organizational lists, coursework, and Vexler's master's thesis. | |
| Identification: | MS 81 | |
| Extent: | 2.5 linear feet (6 Boxes) + 2 oversize folders | |
| Language: | Materials are in English. | |
| Repository: | University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections | |
Biographical Note
Esther Vexler, a native of San Antonio, is a yoga instructor, and community volunteer. Vexler was born Esther Scharlack in 1918 and was the youngest of eight children. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1936 and studied modern dance at Mills College before graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in English. She returned to San Antonio where she met and married Harold Vexler. They had three children: two sons and a daughter.
Esther Vexler did volunteer work with Jewish charities and was the first female president of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio. She also worked with the League of Women Voters and the Child Guidance Clinic. In 1963, John F. Kennedy invited her to Washington, D.C. to attend a meeting on civil rights and women’s roles. The next year she was named a "Headliner" in the San Antonio Express-News. In 1972, Vexler received her master's degree in urban studies from Trinity University and became the executive director of the Community Housing Development.
In her later years, Vexler has focused more on yoga. Teaching yoga since 1968, she is a Founding Partner at San Antonio Yoga Synergy studio. She teaches yoga classes for senior citizens at the Association for Learning in Retirement. In 2007, Vexler’s former students established the Esther Vexler School of Yoga in her honor.
Sources:
Fisher, Mary M. "A Woman of Position". San Antonio Express-News, undated.
"Texas Yoga Retreat, Presenters 2007". Texas Yoga. Accessed May 12, 2008 from http://www.texasyoga.com/presenters2007.htm#EstherVexler.
Scope and Content Note
The collection spans the years 1950 through 2008 (with the bulk of the materials dating 1960-1980). Most of the material covers her role as a volunteer but also documents her personal life and interest in yoga and well-being. The collection is divided into four series: Health and Well-being Collection, Volunteer Work, Education and Teaching, and Personal Files.
The Health and Well-being series document Esther Vexler's interests with organizations related to mental health as well as physical health. The series is comprised of advertisements, clippings, articles, correspondence, memoranda, newsletters, and reports.
The Volunteer Work series documents the organizations in which Esther Vexler has been actively involved, including the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, the Association of Learning in Retirement, and the National Council of Jewish Women. The series is comprised of meeting minutes, agendas, and committee lists from the various organizations with which she has worked.
The Education and Teaching series includes material on yoga classes and seminars taught by Esther Vexler, as well as coursework completed by Vexler.
The Personal Files series contains biographical material on Esther Vexler, a book written by Vexler entitled Missing You: Letters of Remembrance, correspondence, including assorted cards and invitations, newspaper and magazine articles, and material related to her family. Also included are clippings related to Esther Vexler, her family, and the community.
Organization of Collection | ||
| Series 1. Health and Well-being | ||
| Series 2. Volunteer Work | ||
| Series 3. Education and Teaching | ||
| Series 4. Personal Files | ||
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.
Usage Restrictions
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections
Index Terms | ||
| Personal Names | ||
| Vexler, Esther, 1918- | ||
| Organizations | ||
| Association of Learning in Retirement (San Antonio, Tex.) | ||
| Child Guidance Clinic (San Antonio, Tex.) | ||
| Jewish Federation of San Antonio (San Antonio, Tex.) | ||
| League of Women Voters (San Antonio, Tex.) | ||
| Subjects | ||
| Jewish women--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Jews--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Women--Child advocacy--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Women--Civil rights--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Women political activists--Texas. | ||
| Yoga. | ||
| Locations | ||
| San Antonio (Tex.)--History--20th century. | ||
| Genres/Formats | ||
| Correspondence. | ||
| Memorandums. | ||
| Clippings. | ||
| Greeting cards. | ||
| Minutes. | ||
| Reports. | ||
| Agendas. | ||
| Newsletters. | ||
| Advertisements. | ||
| Invitations. | ||
| Local Subjects | ||
| Activism/Activists | ||
| Healthcare/Health Issues | ||
| Jewish Organizations | ||
| Women | ||
Related Material
Related collections available at the University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections include the National Council of Jewish Women, San Antonio Section Records (MS 50) . |
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Esther Vexler Papers, MS 81, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Information
Received as a gift from Esther Vexler, 1997-2008 (Acc. 1997-033, 1999-012, 2001-042, 2008-042).
Processing Information
Processed by Tatina Wulzer, Collections Assistant, May 2008, June 2008, and November 2008.
Detailed Description of the Collection