When Sandra “Sandee” Lever needed an iron infusion during cancer treatment and was told there was a long wait for an appointment, she suggested that the receptionist mention to the doctor that she had once been his nursery school teacher. An opening appeared for the next day.

When Lever arrived, the doctor greeted her warmly and pulled an old nursery school photograph from his wallet.

For Lever’s family, the episode captured the reach of a woman whose work in Jewish early childhood education touched generations of Baltimore-area families. Lever, a longtime Pikesville resident who founded and led early childhood programs at Chizuk Amuno Congregation and Oheb Shalom, died Sept. 11 at age 91.

Her daughter Beth Gold said Lever believed Jewish identity should begin early and be taught with warmth, creativity and joy.

“She wanted it to be fun,” Gold said. “She wanted the Jewish education to be a part of them.”

Lever built programs around holidays, rituals, costumes, art projects and hands-on learning. Gold said her mother could easily get down on the floor with children, and that her small stature, energy and openness made young children gravitate toward her.

She also created a welcoming environment for parents. Gold said Baltimore’s Jewish community could sometimes feel hard to enter for families who had not grown up locally, and many parents told the family that Lever made them feel immediately at home.

“She just opened her arms,” Gold said.

Lever was born Jan. 20, 1935, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Samuel and Rose Levin. She grew up in a close-knit Jewish family and was especially influenced by her father, who was deeply religious. Jewish ritual, holidays and a strong sense of belonging were central to her upbringing.

She met Barry Lever in kindergarten Hebrew school in Harrisburg, and their courtship produced the kind of family story that lasted for decades. On their first date at age 11, Barry asked Sandee if she wanted to “smooch”; she thought he meant an ice cream soda and happily agreed.

The two continued dating through school and college and were married for 63 years. Barry Lever died in 2019.

Sandee Lever attended Penn State. After college and marriage, she followed Barry through several Navy postings, living in places including Rhode Island, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She had two of her three children by age 25. She later returned to school, earning a master’s degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in early childhood education at Johns Hopkins University.

Her children described her as what would now be called a “social entrepreneur” in Jewish education. She created and led early childhood programs at Chizuk Amuno and later Temple Oheb Shalom beginning in the late 1970s, developing places where children could begin their Jewish education in an atmosphere that felt playful rather than formal.

Gold said Lever also encouraged the teachers who worked with her to continue learning and stay current in education. She was collaborative rather than hierarchical, Gold said, and valued kindness, attentiveness and genuine interest in children.

The family heard repeatedly from former students, parents and teachers about Lever’s influence. At shiva, people who had not seen her in decades came forward to tell stories about what she had meant to them.

Lever’s Jewish life extended well beyond her professional work. She kept kosher, observed Jewish holidays, lit Shabbat candles and regularly hosted family Shabbat dinners. Near the end of her life, she asked that Jewish music and prayers be played by her bedside.

She also remained deeply connected to Israel and traveled there several times.

Family connection was another defining part of Lever’s life. After Barry’s death, she created a family message thread called “FamilyVavness,” drawing on the Hebrew letter vav, which can serve as a connector. Nearly every Friday she sent updates to dozens of relatives about birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, travels and accomplishments.

Her son Jonathan Lever said the idea reflected his mother perfectly: she was the family connector.

She attended scores of graduations over the years and kept close track of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended relatives.

Gold described her mother as her best friend, confidante and loudest cheerleader. Lever pushed her children toward independence and urged them to follow their interests rather than traditional expectations.

She was also known for her unmistakable appearance and youthful spirit: white hair, colorful clothes and small multicolored glasses that often drew compliments from strangers.

Lever resisted the idea that age should limit her. She lived independently after her husband’s death, used an Apple Watch instead of a medical alert device, stayed active on social media, ordered supplies through DoorDash and even played fantasy football. She was a Baltimore Ravens fan and exchanged game-day messages and GIFs with family members.

In retirement, she continued volunteering, including work as a CASA volunteer, helping Israelis learn English through Israel Connects and assisting incarcerated women preparing for parole and job interviews through the Women’s Giving Fund.

Her family said Lever remained optimistic even through illness. She often said she had lived a wonderful life and was grateful for it. She once told Gold that God was like her best friend because God had always taken care of her.

Near the end of her life, Lever told her children that what mattered most was leaving a “shem tov,” a good name.

Gold said that goal fit the life her mother had already built — one centered on Jewish learning, family connection, generosity and an abiding belief in showing up for people.

“She was a little tiny giant,” Gold said.

Ellen Braunstein is a freelance obituary writer. She welcomes suggestions for individuals who had meaningful ties to the Baltimore Jewish community. Email csix@midatlanticmedia.com.