Margalit Ornstein

1888–1973

by Gaby Aldor

In Brief

Choreographer and dance teacher Margalit Ornstein is perceived as the “founding mother” of Israeli dance and a pioneer of modern dance in Erez Israel. In 1922, she founded the first Israeli dance school in Tel Aviv and helped create two important dance theaters in the 1920s.

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How to cite this page

Aldor, Gaby. "Margalit Ornstein." Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. 27 February 2009. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on June 13, 2026) <https://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/ornstein-margalit>.