Rae Mandel z'l
Rae was born in 1923 in Safed, Israel. In 1929 she accompanied her mother and sister to Perth, West Australia to join up with her father. Rae graduated as a Kindergarten and pre-school teacher in 1943.
In 1938, Ida Ben Zion (later Ida Wynn) came to Perth as a WIZO emissary. Her mother took her to the inaugural meeting and then they both became active members, she as Treasurer and Rae as a helper. Tom and Rae were married in 1944 and when he was discharged from the army, after active service overseas, they went to live in his hometown, Melbourne. There she was involved with WIZO North and came under the eye of Ida Wynn again. She wanted Rae to organize a young WIZO group but neither Rae nor Melbourne was ready for it yet. Some friends in North Kew where Rae lived, started a WIZO group of which she was an active member between the birth of her three children.
In 1954 she moved to Israel for 5 years in connection with Tom’s work and that started their particular interest and association with Ahuzat Yeladim. They then moved on to London in 1958 and once settled and the children in school, Rae contacted WIZO headquarters, and was put in touch with WIZO Hadassim whose members, to this day are her close friends in London. She served in various capacities including that of Chairman for several years. At that time she was awarded Life Membership of British WIZO and Tom, in recognition of his help and assistance over the years, was awarded British WIZO Male associate membership.
In her 40 years association, the outstanding function she chaired was a dinner at the House of Commons when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of England. She was WIZO’s Guest Speaker and Rae had to introduce her. Before their return to Australia, Tom and Rae donated a new sitting room/cafe for an immigrant centre at Afakim where the women came together for sewing and chatting as well as for a light snack.
When Tom officially retired and they returned to Australia, Rae once again approached the WIZO office and was put in touch with WIZO Tsafon. On their annual visits to Israel they took an active interest in Ahuzat Yeladim, where a dormitory is named in their honour, and especially the Rae and Tom Mandel WIZO Centre in Modi’in.
Their daughter Vivienne Selwyn in Sydney has made each of her children Life Governors of Ahuzat Yeladim on the occasion of their Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Her daughter has now become the fourth generation of WIZO members starting with Bracha Berad, Rachel Mandel, Vivienne Selwyn and Jessica Selwyn.