Ann Zablud OAM z'I

Ann was born in Brestlitovsk, Poland. She came to Australia with husband Robert in 1939. Early years were spent in Albury, where Robert was stationed in the Army. The family moved to Melbourne in 1953 so that their two children could attend Mt Scopus, when their Jewish education became an important consideration. Soon Ann was involved in a manufacturing business and public relations.

In 1953, Ann joined WIZO Yarkon, holding the position of President for four years. She then joined the WIZO State Executive, first as Chairman of Fundraising, then as President for six years, finally becoming Federal President in 1977, a position she held till 1983. She stepped in to be Acting President once again in 1997 for a year on the passing of Zosia Mercer OAM. Ann is an Honorary Life member of the World WIZO Executive. She was WIZO’s delegate for the 29th and 30th Zionist Conference in Jerusalem and given the great honour of addressing the Plenum on behalf of WIZO at the 30th Congress.

Ann represented WIZO Australia at the World Conference of Women Leaders in Jerusalem in 1979. She represented WIZO as a delegate to the Victorian Jewish Board of Deputies and the ECAJ and in 1986 was the Chairperson of the Victorian Jewish Board of Deputies (now known as Jewish Community Council of Victoria).

One of her greatest commitments has been to the equal opportunity to women. She was a member (1975 – 87) of the United Nations of Australia Status of Women Committee, on the Steering Committee of the Copenhagen Conference, on the Steering Committee to organise a seminar “Women of the Year 2000”, on the Women’s Committee of Victoria’s 150th Birthday Celebrations, in 1978-79 a member of the Victorian State Committee of the International Year of the Child and in 1982 founding secretary of the Bayside Business & Professional Women and worked hard to strengthen ties between Israel and Australia.

Ann was also very involved at the same time with numerous other communal organisations. In 1979 she was elected Chairperson of the Women’s Division of the UIA Israel Appeal, 1964 – 1990 an Executive member of the SZC of Victoria, 1966 – 1984 an Executive member of the ZFA, 1984 Chairperson of Public Affairs of the ZFA, 1990 – 1994 Deputy President of the ZFA and from 1994 – 1996 President of the ZFA.

In 1991, for her contributions to the Jewish Community and Women’s Affairs Ann was honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

Ann has been awarded the Chaim Weizmann Award by the State Zionist Council of Victoria and the Theodore Herzl Award by the Zionist Federation of Australia.