Rebecca Sieff Day 2024

Some of our most dedicated supporters were honoured at the annual Rebecca Sieff Day celebration in July. Over 150 guests gathered at St John’s Wood Synagogue to witness the WIZO UK award presentations and hear talks from barrister Natasha Hausdorff, Legal Director of UK Lawyers for Israel and a WIZOuk Trustee followed by  award-winning author and journalist Howard Jacobson in conversation with Naomi Greenaway, deputy editor of The Telegraph Magazine.

The Rebecca Sieff Award, recognising an outstanding and lengthy contribution to WIZO, went to Cheryl Gold of Glasgow Strictly WIZO. Cheryl has been a leading light in Scottish WIZO for close on four decades, initially as a founder member of the Golda Meir group. Prominent in the organisation of Dancing Strictly, Strictly Masterchef and Desert Island Discs events, she is described as a good-hearted “whirlwind of ideas”.

As her involvement increased, Cheryl joined the Scottish WIZO Council and organised Jewish Women’s Week collections. Her greatest love, however, was being the resident “expert” in the designer section of Glasgow Central & Edith Eder WIZO’s nearly new sale, which Strictly WIZO took over, making it their biggest money-spinner.

Cheryl was unable to accept the award in person as she was on holiday but was represented by her daughter Candice Sammeroff “a huge advocate for women and WIZO”.

Francene Littlestone, Jennifer Speculand, Lorraine Norman and Susie Dunston received Woman of Worth Awards, reflecting outstanding service and commitment.

Francene has been the treasurer of Cardiff Ziona WIZO for more than a decade and members value her calm competency.

Jennifer’s WIZO involvement dates back to 1948, when as a seven-year-old, she penned postcards informing Glasgow Western WIZO members about forthcoming meetings. Serving as Glasgow’s first Aviv co-chair, she went on to lead Western WIZO and has been a regular visitor to WIZO projects in Israel.  Her granddaughter has a social work degree from Haifa University, based on the pioneering early work of WIZO.

Born and raised in Cardiff, Lorraine threw herself into Merseyside communal life after moving to Liverpool in 1978, chairing the city’s Young WIZO, which became Liverpool Revive. She remains an active committee member and is Treasurer of the Liverpool Women’s WIZO Appeal.

Susie has been a tireless worker for Oxford WIZO, chairing and organising a variety of events and being the genial host of the successful Oxford team in the annual WIZO Quiz@Home.

Maureen Lewin and Evy Paul were the first recipients of the regional Lady Beryl Steinberg Award, established in memory of a woman who was passionately committed to change lives and strengthen Israeli society.

Maureen has been the devoted Treasurer of Leeds Anne Frank WIZO for 47 years and has been ever present at its events, greeting guests, taking entrance and raffle money and keeping accurate to-the-penny accounts. She has also served as treasurer for other charitable groups including her children’s Jewish primary school PTA, her synagogue’s events committee and University of the Third Age, a secular organisation providing leisure activities for the retired.

Evy, an Independent WIZO life member, took on the organisation of Jewish Women’s Week in South Manchester after the retirement of Sandra Matlow, her attention to detail helping to maintain South Manchester as one of the highest JWW donor areas. Her ambition “is to encourage the next generation to take a bigger interest in WIZO, either by volunteering or providing financial support. I have high hopes that they will be the backbone of the organisation going forward”. Having known Beryl Steinberg, she recalled her as “a role model for both WIZO and the wider community”. Evy was unable to attend but her award was accepted on her behalf by Joanna Wulwik, Chair of Jewish Women’s Week.

The Lily Sieff Award went to Susan Cresswell, honorary vice president. Originally a member of Nottingham WIZO, Susan became a member of the WIZO Executive and in the 1980s was joint chair of Jewish Women’s Week.  Combining her love of literature and poetry she has been an integral part of the Literary Lunch committee and has made a great contribution to WIZO for decades.

WIZO UK Interim Chair Danielle Shane, President Annabel Stelzer and Honorary Presidents Michele Pollock and Ronit-Robak Madari were among the award presenters.

In her welcome address, Danielle spoke about her family’s history of WIZO involvement, explaining that her mother, Phillipa Bloom – a long-time WIZO member in Leeds – had encouraged her to join a WIZO group when she moved to London, and then to Elstree.

Danielle’s role as a trustee had allowed her to work with WIZO CEOs and generally support leadership. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Maureen [Fisher] for many years and look forward to continuing our partnership.” She added that she would be visiting members and groups nationwide to progress “the wonderful and vital work of the organisation”.

Thanking Annabel “for your unwavering dedication and commitment” as chair, she looked forward to furthering that relationship “to continue moving WIZO forward”.

In her remarks, Natasha Hausdorff stressed that any opportunity to challenge misrepresentations – and modern blood libels – about Jews and Israel “has to be grasped by both hands. We have the benefit of right on our side – the facts and the law. Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, is fighting in unparalleled circumstances… in a way which we can all be extremely proud of.”

Guests then enjoyed the opportunity to eavesdrop on a conversation between Howard Jacobson and Naomi Greenaway  who discussed amongst other things, Israel, the BBC and Howard’s new book “What Will Survive of Us”.  Howard fascinated the audience reminiscing about his family, childhood and what had driven him to write his first book about romance and love.