Michelle Spiro

Michelle was born in Sydney in 1955. Michelle’s father, Joseph Brender, came to Australia from Israel. His parents had come to Palestine in 1929 and Joseph was born in 1931. He grew up in Palestine, later Israel, and after his army service, he came to Australia, and soon after he met Michelle’s mother, Gerda. She was born in Vienna. In 1938, when the Nazis invaded Austria, she was only 4 years old. Together with her parents, she managed to flee to Shanghai, which was a free port at the time, and she spent the war years there. In 1948 the family immigrated to Sydney. Gerda and Joseph married in 1954.

Michelle’s father became a successful businessman and he has always been actively involved in the Jewish Community in Sydney.

Coming from such a prominent family, Michelle also embraced the idea of becoming involved in a communal organization and the one she chose was WIZO.

When Michelle finished school, she spent one year in Israel doing the Mechina Programme at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. When she returned to Sydney, she went to Sydney University and studied Pharmacy and in 1982 she bought her pharmacy in Bondi. She did all the bookkeeping for the pharmacy so to be treasurer of her group was a natural thing for her to do.

Michelle joined WIZO Yaffa about 36 years ago. She soon took on the role of group treasurer. In 1999, when WIZO NSW needed a new treasurer, Michelle was offered the position. Michelle modernized the WIZO NSW office by getting a computer programme to manage the finances of the organization. She also became Honorary Bookkeeper.

As well as running her own pharmacy, being a board member of the Pharmacy Guild of NSW for 3 years, and being a WIZO treasurer, Michelle also managed to have three beautiful children. So life was very busy for her. Today her children have children of their own so she is also a very happy grandmother. One of Michelle’s sons recently joined the board of the Central Synagogue so communal life is continuing in the next generation.

Michelle continued as NSW Treasurer for 16 years – until 2015. In 2010 Michelle also became WIZO Australia Treasurer, a position she held until 2016 when the Federal office moved to Melbourne.

In 2008 Michelle was awarded the Rebecca Sieff award for her dedication to WIZO, and in 2015, when she retired as NSW treasurer, she was made a Life Governor of Ahuzat Yeladim and an Honorary Life Member of WIZO Australia.

Since July 2016, Michelle has been a Director of the newly formed WIZO Australia Pty Ltd – the entity that can receive tax-deductible donations. Michelle was one of the people involved in organising DGR status for WIZO Australia. She is also currently on the board of management of WIZO NSW and next year, when the Federal office moves to Sydney, she has been asked to take on the Federal Presidency.

And so her wonderful WIZO journey continues.

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Susan Eichenbaum z'l