Esther Hellman Wallenstein (November 1846 – July 8, 1903) was the founding president of the Hebrew Infant Asylum, an orphanage in New York City.
As a member of the Hebrew Sheltering Guarding Society and a guide of the Ahavath Chesed Sisterhood of Personal Service, Wallenstein had been approached for help by parents of infants for years.
On May 26, 1895, the Hebrew Infant Asylum was dedicated at well attended ceremony at its new home on Mott Avenue and 149th Street in the Bronx (today the site of Hostos Community College).
Wallenstein gave welcoming remarks in her original German, where she declared "the Hebrew Infant Asylum of the City of New York formally opened for the reception of those unfortunate little creatures to whom that blessing has been denied, to call the sweet names, 'Papa—Mama'; but we will endeavor to take the place of parents for those innocent infants with the aid of our Heavenly Father.
In the years that followed, Wallenstein's children stayed active in the Hebrew Infant Asylum (Joseph and Jennie remained on the board.