Ragolsky, Dr. Sophia (born Illich/Illch)

Dr. Sophia Ragolsky (née Illich/Illch) was born on 8.1.1909 in Berlin and died on 9.4.1981 in Jerusalem. Her father was a lawyer. She studied medicine but did not graduate. Afterwards, she did her PhD in ‘Nationalökonomie’ in Germany. Later she studied social work at the Verein Jugendheim, Berlin-Charlottenburg (1931–33). She worked in a Jewish orphanage and nursery home in Kreuzberg with Friedrich Ollendorff. Around 1936 she emigrated to Palestine. There, she established and headed the welfare department in Ramataim between 1941 and 1948; As part of her position there, in 1947 she worked at the social welfare office in Magdiel, and later with soldiers' families in Petah Tikva. After 1948 she worked under the supervision of Zipora Bloch, monitoring out-of-home care, foster families and adoption. After her retirement, she helped establish the social welfare department in Eilat while living in Nili Street in Katamon, Jerusalem. Sophia was married in Germany and later divorced after her emigration to Palestine. She had one daughter.