Dr. Judith R. Birsh, 90, died on June 17, 2026, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, after a brief illness.
A longtime resident of West Tisbury, first as a summer visitor, then, since 2020, as a year-round resident, she was an active and generous community member. Dr. Birsh served on the West Tisbury Library Foundation board and, for many years, contributed her expertise as a dyslexia and learning disabilities educator to those in need of help on the Island. She was an active member of the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, and was especially grateful for its book group focused on anti-racism. Her 90th birthday, on Oct. 21, 2025, was a gala celebration hosted at Granary Gallery on Old County Road, near Dr. Birsh’s home. A recent passion of hers was Zentangle Method, a relaxing, meditative art form that requires a steady hand and a good eye. She also regularly hosted exercise classes for friends in her swimming pool.
A graduate of Vassar College with a doctorate from Teacher’s College–Columbia University, Dr. Birsh’s passion and scholarship centered on training teachers in the science of reading. Long an officer of the International Dyslexia Association, Dr. Birsh also trained teachers of reading in a variety of venues. Her most recent co-authored publication is “Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills,” fourth edition. She served as a longtime curricular consultant to the Garvey School in Bronx, N.Y.; the school recently named its resource center for students after Dr. Birsh.
Dr. Birsh is survived by her children, Andrew, Philip, and Joanne Hope Birsh; six grandchildren and their spouses; and two great-grandchildren. A memorial gathering will be held later in the year.