Funeral Details

Lya Dym Rosenblum, 94, former Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School at Columbia College Chicago, died peacefully at home in Evanston on December 17, 2020.

Lya was born in 1926 in Dresden, Germany, and came to the U.S. with her parents and sister in 1938. She earned Ph.B. and M.A. degrees from the University of Chicago, where she was president of the Midwest region of the Intercollegiate Zionist Federation of American. She worked briefly at the newly established Israeli Consulate in New York before returning to Chicago to marry Lou Rosenblum in 1949.

Following college, in addition to raising three children, Lya served as President of the League of Women Voters in Rhode Island and as Associate Director of the United Nations Association of Chicago and, on the Winnetka Village Caucus. She spoke multiple languages and occasionally taught German at New Trier High School.

Lya resumed her graduate studies,, receiving her Ph.D. in Political Science and Education from Northwestern University, and began her academic career at Columbia College in Chicago. She held several titles over the years, eventually being named Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School. Lya took great pride in her work during 30 year career at Columbia. When she came to the College there were less than 2000 students and at the time of her retirement, enrollment was almost 10,000. Lya’s fundraising efforts, academic and administrative leadership and work with faculty, developing new academic policies and introducing new programs and academic standards which had lasting impact.

During these years she also served as President of the American Jewish Congress, Midwest Region, and Chair of the Academic Seminar on Zionist Thought and attended the World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem in 1987.

Lya and Lou were active, long-time Board members of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. A lifelong educator, Lya brought her Jewish values,, and a commitment to social justice to her role at JCUA. In addition to serving on the JCUA Board, Lya also served on the boards of the Illinois chapter of the ACLU, Perspectives Charter School and Urban Gateways. Lya and Lou actively participated in interviewing survivors as part of the Holocaust Survivors Project.

Lya and Lou loved to travel and visited almost every continent during their life together. She is survived by her husband Lou, their children Daniel (Maura), Debi, Jordan (Susan),and grandchildren, Jonah, Cydney, Maya, Luke and Madeline, as well as nine nieces and nephews and two great- grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs at jcua.org/donate/. - 4700 N. Ravenswood, Suite B, Chicago, IL 60640