Martha Jacobson OBE z'I

Martha Jacobson nee Lederman was born in Warsaw and arrived in Melbourne at the age of the 3. She matriculated from University High School and shortly after married Nathan Jacobson.

Martha was active in Jewish and Zionist Organizations. She became the Honorary Secretary of the Melbourne Jewish Hebrew Society and joined the Melbourne Youth Aliya Committee in 1942. Later Martha became Hon. Secretary of the Aid for Israel.

She joined WIZO Younger Set in 1947, which later became WIZO Hadassim. Martha became a member of the WIZO State Council of Victoria in 1948 and was Hon. Secretary from 1950 - 1954.

She was elected Chairman of the WIZO State Council of Victoria 1954-1956. In 1957 Martha became the youngest ever State President of WIZO at a 33, a position she held for 11 years. On June 1970 Martha was elected President of the Australian Federation of WIZO.

It was due to Martha's efforts that Australian Federation of WIZO managed to receive the sponsorship of a number of new projects, the Raya Jaglom and the Chorley Day Care Centre. Prior to that Ahuzat Yeladim was the only Australian sponsored project.

At the time that the "refuseniks" were not allowed to leave Russia, Martha led a delegation of WIZO women to present a petition to the Russian ambassador in Canberra. The delegation was refused access to the embassy but produced a lot of publicity.

Her high qualities of leadership and her charm, a combination of gentleness and dynamic energy served her well in her position at the helm of WIZO. She was a recipient of the prestigious Rebecca Sieff Award (1974). Her outstanding leadership on both State and Federal level has left a lasting mark on WIZO Australia.

Martha was made an Honorary Life Member of the World WIZO Executive.

Martha passed away in 1991.