Lore Zusman was an invaluable Blue Box worker within the WA Jewish community for 40 years. She has forever left a legacy through her many years of dedication and service to the community and Israel.
Lore Zusman, was born in Konigsberg, East Prussia on the 22nd of August 1926. Her passion for JNF began when she attended the only Jewish school in her area, and at the age of 9 her principal David Kaelter, educated the school on the importance of JNF and its work to grow the land of Israel. After collecting Blue Box money for 3 years with her friend, in 1938, Lore’s life was torn apart when Kristallnacht occurred. Lore and her only sister Eva were forced into separation from their parents for 6 months after being sent out of Germany on a Kinder transport.
In March of 1939, the generosity of Jos and Minnie Simenson, who had sponsored the family, meant that they were saved from a terrible fate and able to get a permit to live in Australia. In August 1939, Lore’s family had an emotional reunion in London, before embarking on an unpredictable sea voyage to Fremantle. At age 13, Lore’s family arrived in Western Australia, where her family settled into the suburb of Mount Lawley.
After Lore finished her schooling, she joined the workforce in the Insurance industry and married Sol Zusman. They had two children, Michael and Yvonne. Lore’s sister Eva also married and had two children. The sisters lived across the street from one another, and their children had the happy childhood the two girls had always dreamed of.
Lore has many grandchildren and great grandchildren around the world. Her grandson, Ziv Zusman, has begun to follow in her footsteps, after being named a ‘JNF Hero’ at the JNF USA National Conference in South Florida. He founded the Sababa Society, a JNF youth network across America that contributes to the support of Israel.
In 1980, Lore took on the role as the WA Blue Box convenor. Her role had her preparing two Blue Box campaigns a year as well as recruiting and overseeing a team of Blue Box Volunteers. She quickly became an invaluable member of the team within the JNF WA office and was honoured as the first-ever JNF Australia Blue Box Worker of the Century.
Lore retired from JNF in 2019, after 40 years of service in the JNF WA office. She said this about her time at JNF, “As a Holocaust survivor, Israel has always been a beacon of light for me and other survivors. I was blessed to visit many times in my life and see how the coins from the Blue Box have made a huge impact to those living in Israel. I will never be fully retired from JNF, they have my support forever.”
Lore remained an active JNF member until her passing at age 94 on the 21st of October, 2020 (3 Cheshvan 5781). Lore will be remembered always for her hard work, commitment, passion, humour, and incredible memory for addresses and birthdays (making her Perth’s most valuable database). Her legacy will live on due to her passion for the Jewish community that she served, her family, her many friends and her amazing work through the Jewish National Fund.
