Rose Toms

Rose was born in New Zealand. Her father came from Scotland and her mother's family immigrated to South Australia in 1849. Rose is the youngest of seven children and the youngest of triplet girls. Rose grew up on sheep farm in an idyllic countryside in the Hawkes Bay area of the New Zealand. Roses' parents were very hard working, always with a 'determination' and a 'perseverance', qualities they instilled in her as a young child.

Rose has been married to Maurice for 64 years and has lived in Australia just on 40 years.

They have 6 beautiful children - 3 boys and 3 girls, 16 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. This left Rose little time for outside involvement, but she was always involved in the social needs from the local church in the community.

In 1987 and again in 1990, Rose went on a conducted tour to Israel, an experience which was to shape her future from that time onwards. The beauty of Israel and its history etc. was quite overwhelming. It was while visiting Yad Vashem, hearing and seeing the horror of what happened in WW2 and going through the Avenue of the "Righteous Amongst the Nation's" that Rose became determined to do everything she could to show commitment to the Jewish People.

Rose's introduction to WIZO was through WIZO Aviva in Brisbane, where she heard about the amazing work WIZO does! Two years later Rose had the privilege of starting WIZO Kesher on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. WIZO Kesher is unique in that the group is made up of Jewish and non-Jewish women (and men). There are now also two Kesher groups in New Zealand and a group in Western Australia. Our mandate is taken from Ruth in the Bible when she said "your people shall be my people, and your G-d my G-d, where you go I will go" Ruth 1:16-18. We are a "TEAM" of dedicated women and men who have a passion to bless Israel and that is why we do what we do!