When things opened up, she found herself spending more time with her three daughters and three grandchildren (two were born during the pandemic). She volunteered extensively, often incorporating her passion for learning, books and libraries. 

She became President of the Baltimore County Board of Library Trustees and Chair of the Board of the Macks Center for Jewish Education. 

And it was after that position that she was approached with the opportunity to become the Chair of The Associated’s New Jewish Library*. It was a chance to take what she called the community’s “best secret,” and work with its Executive Director Jessica Fink, to transform it into a vibrant community hub. 

Although Maureen David says she’s an open book, here are 10 things to know about her. 

The All of a Kind Family series inspired her to learn more about Judaism as a child. 

An avid reader as a young child, she became drawn to the All of a Kind Family series by Sidney Taylor. The books, which focus on the lives of a Jewish family growing up in New York at the turn of the 20^th century, became favorites. “I loved the concept of Shabbat—the way the family always got together every week and lived Judaism.” 
 
Later, while attending Catholic High School, she completed an independent study on Judaism. She managed to pass Hebrew in college, studied with a Rabbi in Lexington, MA, converted in 1980, and continued to become an adult Bat Mitzvah and lifelong Jewish learner.  

She met her husband at Harvard. 

She was an undergraduate, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. He was a graduate student in the government department. The two met at the Center for Science and International Affairs where Maureen was a work-study student in the library. The rest is history. 

They almost ended up living in the Midwest. 

Following his post-doctorate, Steven was looking for a job. There was an opening at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.  “I was 22 at the time and I started to panic that I would get married and live in the middle of nowhere. Most of the women were older and didn’t work. It was before many women had careers. I thought, ‘I’m not ready for this.’ Fortunately, the next year, Steven received offers in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and we ended up moving to Baltimore.” Steven was an Assistant Professor in the Johns Hopkins University political science department and Maureen was a law librarian.  

She went to Law School when pregnant—twice. 

When she first moved to Baltimore, Maureen worked as the law librarian at Whiteford, Taylor and Preston.  She decided to get her law degree and ended up having two of her three daughters while finishing her J.D. She jokingly laughs that Sarah, who is currently Deputy State Prosecutor in Maryland, came out loving law. “We always joke that she was paying more attention than me.”  

Julia became a nurse practitioner and Katie is an assistant professor of Russian history. All of us love to read and share the latest from our favorite authors.  

Recommended book list 

Her recommendations are extensive, but she managed to narrow it down by focusing on Israeli authors. A few favorites: Three Floors Up by Eskol Nevo, The Best Place on Earth by Ayelet Tsabari and The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi (now a Netflix series).  

As for children’s favorites, two picture books her grandkids like are Goodnight Bubbala by Sheryl Haft and Challah!  by Ellen Kahan Zager. And of course, anything PJ Library. 

Yet her culinary fame soon grew beyond the household. When the track team would practice outside, they would make a daily detour to her house. Just for a quick nosh. 

*Name is temporary