Josie Lacey OAM

Josie was born in Ploesti, Romania and arrived in Australia, with her parents, in 1939. They were the lucky ones, as many of her family were killed in the Holocaust.

Josie's family settled in the western suburbs of Sydney, Wentworthville. Josie's memories of being called a 'reffo', and the Anti-Semitism that she encountered at school left its mark. Fear of racism and the consequences have been the motivating force and inspiration for Josie's interfaith work. Josie was a youth leader in Habonim in her teens, a kindergarten teacher and also taught Jewish studies for 8 years at the Strathfield Synagogue Sunday School.

She is married to lan, who is a great supporter of all she does. They have 3 daughters who are also staunch Zionists and active in the Community.

As a young mother she was a founding member of her WIZO group in Strathfield, later becoming President for 7 years. She was elected to the Executive of WIZO NSW where she headed the Public Relations Portfolio and soon was elevated to President, serving from 1981 - 1985. During those years she was also a Vice President of the WIZO Federation of Australia. When the seat of the Federation moved back to Sydney she again held the portfolio of Public Affairs.

Josie has received a Rebecca Sieff Award and is an Honorary Life Member of the WIZO Federation of Australia. In 2013 Josie was awarded the Premier's Inaugural Lifetime Community Service Award. In 1992 Josie was awarded an OAM for Services to Community Relations and the Jewish Community. Josie has been an executive member of the NSW Board of Deputies, a life member of the Executive of Australian Jewry and is an Honorary Life Member of the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW.

Josie recently wrote her memoir "An Inevitable Path". It is a detailed account of her incredible life, giving the reader an idea of what leads a person down an inevitable path. Josie Lacey has come a long way from the young Romanian refugee who first landed in Australia so many years ago.