Women’s History Month Spotlight: Miriam Levitt-Flisser

In honor of Women's History Month, Scarsdale Patch will be running a series of Q&As every Friday afternoon highlighting the Village's notable women. This week, Scarsdale Patch interviewed mayoral candidate Miriam Levitt-Flisser, who is up for election on March 15.

Women’s History Month is about celebrating past achievements, planting seeds of hope for the future and living out one’s potential as completely as possible in the present. Miriam Levitt-Flisser, MD, Scarsdale’s current candidate for mayor, is a walking, talking embodiment of these elusive ideals.

Levitt-Flisser is a practicing pediatrician, the medical director of the Bronxville School District, a 35-year Scarsdale resident, the wife of Harvey, a Scarsdale Middle School teacher and a mother of three grown children and three grand-children.

Other titles on Levitt-Flisser's resume include police commissioner, chair for the Village’s Municipal Services, Sustainability, Recreation and Technology committees and a liaison for several councils, including the Board of Architecture Review, the Advisory Council on Parks and Recreation and the Committee for Historic Preservation. Anyone else feeling like a layabout?

Patch managed to catch Levitt-Flisser in a rare quiet moment to chat about women, Scarsdale and the upcoming election.

Women’s history often colors our day-to-day lives in unexpected ways. Levitt-Flisser admits that her unusual life and family definitely affect both her worldview and her behavior.

“I was born in Europe during the upheavals after World War II,” Levitt-Flisser said. “I spent time in a displaced persons camp in Germany. I came to America on a converted Marine troops ship arranged for hundreds of refugees by the U.S. government. That’s why I’m so involved in the community. Both of my parents were resistance fighters in the war, and as survivors they – and I – really appreciated what America did for us; gratitude to the country compels me to participate in public service.”

In addition to her inherent sense of patriotism and duty, Levitt-Flisser cites strong female role models as inspiration.

“My grandmother had her own business almost 100 years ago,” Levitt-Flisser said. “In Europe in the early 1900s, very few women did that. But she didn’t want to be confined to working in the home. In my family, there has never been a prohibition on what women versus men produce. Every one was raised as an individual with their own inherent talents, regardless of their gender. Scarsdale, in many ways, is modeled on the same philosophy. Two of our previous mayors were women, and we’ve routinely held positions as chairs, presidents of boards and councils and members of countless committees.”

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, Scarsdale's elections are rapidly approaching. While Levitt-Flisser is running unopposed in the Village's March 15 election, she still believes that votes are important.

Scarsdale has 17,800 residents and is run by nonpartisan volunteers who “run” on their track records of community service, not political affiliations. Therefore, the mayor, the commissioners, board, council and committees are all unpaid jobs. By voting for Levitt-Flisser, residents would be voicing their support of her track record – and, she said, giving her a strong mandate to continue to improve technology, sustainability, physical plants and public services.

In honor of Women’s History Month, Levitt-Flisser gives Patch a peek into her perspective:

Patch: What historical woman do you admire the most?

Levitt-Flisser: That would be my mother, Esther Keningstein Levitt, a resistance fighter in World War II. She was able to save her own mother and other family members from the Holocaust, and she escaped from Communist Europe by hiding under a mail truck. My mother, who recently died at 98, was a 30-year resident of Garth Road, Scarsdale.

Patch: What living woman or women do you most want to emulate?

Levitt-Flisser: All the physicians and nurses who went before me, providing medical care and breaking down barriers in education and opportunity.

Patch: If you could change one thing about the role of women in Scarsdale, what would it be?

Levitt-Flisser: Women in Scarsdale are models of success in whatever they choose, whether it be the home, as community volunteers or in the workplace. 96 percent of Scarsdale residents have a college education. I don't think that they need changing.

Patch: Have you ever personally witnessed a milestone for women?

Levitt-Flisser: Yes, when Detective Sherri Albano, Scarsdale’s first woman detective since the town was established in 1702, was appointed in January of this year. I spoke at the ceremony; it was a milestone for the community, and I am personally very excited to have Detective Albano, a smart woman, and a very young woman and mom, take on the post. Also, our new Public Safety Building, which should open in June of this year, will house the police and fire headquarters – and it will offer equal facilities for men and women! Previously, there were just official restrooms for men, so everyone shared. The new building is also ADA (Americans with Disability Act) compliant.

Patch: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your career?

Levitt-Flisser: In my role in Scarsdale, I would say that I’m really thrilled with our commitment to technology. We have set up an emergency notification system that sends out notices to residents via text, email or the phone, depending on their preferences, about everything from road closures to unsafe conditions. Residents can also now pay taxes and sign up for parking permits and activities - all online. Not only is it easy, fast and efficient, it’s also green and sustainable.

Make sure to vote in the Village's upcoming elections this Tuesday, March 15 at Scarsdale Village Hall. The election will be held from 6 - 9 a.m. and 12- 9 p.m. For more information, call the Village Clerk’s office at (914) 722-1175.