Ochs, Gerda (born Rau)

Hebrew-Name
גרדה ציפורה אוקס (נולדה ראו)
Biography
Gerda Zippora Ochs (née Rau) was born on 1.4.1909 in Berlin and died on 26.11.1999 in Israel. She was the youngest of eight children of the Rau family. Her father Raphael worked as a physician in Berlin until the Nazis’ rise to power. Her elder brother Arthur (Aharon) ran the German branch of the Palästina-Amt, an organization for helping Jews immigrate to Palestine, after having been dismissed from his position as a judge when the Nazis seized power. Another brother, Heinz Rau, an architect and city planner, was one of the leaders of theInternational Style architectural movement in Israel and one of the pioneers who planned modern Jerusalem in the early years of the state. Gerda studied law at the University of Berlin and married Rabbi Dr. David Ochs. The couple moved to Königsberg before moving to Leipzig in 1936, where David worked as a rabbi. Gerda was very engaged in the Leipzig Jewish community and worked to help save endangered Jews during the 1930s. She served as Chairwoman of Leipzig’s Brit Halutzim Dati'im, the Union of Religious Pioneers, a religious youth movement, until she left Germany at the end of 1938. The day after Kristallnacht, David was arrested by the Gestapo and was sent to Buchenwald. After his release, the couple moved to London. At the beginning of 1939, they immigrated to Mandatory Palestine and settled in the religious youth village in Kfar Hasidim. There, Gerda worked as a guide, storekeeper and house mother of the immigrants' home, which included orphans from Frankfurt. She later served as national supervisor for the children of the religious Youth Aliyah movement. In 1946 the couple moved to Tel Aviv, where David served as the rabbi of a religious youth group in addition to pursuing his educational activities. Gerda was one of the founders of Reut Social Women's Service, one of Israel's oldest and largest welfare and health organizations, which was established to help Holocaust survivors who came to Israel. Among Reut’s numerous projects were a rehabilitation hospital for victims of diseases, accidents and terrorist attacks, long-term hospitalization services, protected housing for the elderly, Holocaust survivors and immigrants from disadvantaged backgrounds, nursing homes and social activities for seniors. After serving for many years as a Reut board member, Gerda was recruited by Paula Burt, the founder of the organization, and served as Chairwoman of the Association. Gerda also served as Chairwoman of the Lichtenstater Hospital, now named the Reut Medical Center. In her last years, she moved to the Burt House in Jerusalem, continuing her voluntary activities with Reut, and later with Yad Sarah, a national volunteer organization providing health equipment and services. In 1989, Gerda was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of Tel Aviv."
Father
Raphael Rau, a physician
Siblings
Gerda had seven siblings. among them where her brother Arthur (Aharon), who ran the German branch of the Palestine Office to bring Jews to Palestine and Heinz Rau, an architect was one of the leaders of the international style in Israel.
Marriage/Children
Gerda was married to Rabbi Dr. David Ochs
Age at Migration
29
Year of Migration
1938