Rosenblüth, Zessi

Zessi Rosenblüth was born in 1898 in Berlin and died in 1981 in Kibbutz Geneygar. She started her social work studies in Breslau, but did not graduate. Being an enthusiastic Zionist, she emigrated in 1921 to Palestine, together with her husband Felix Rosenblüth, with whom she later had 3 sons. Since she did not have an official social work diploma, it was difficult for her to work as a professional at the forming welfare services of the Yishuv. She started working as an educational volunteer with Oriental Jewish children in Haifa. Later, the couple moved to Jerusalem and Zessi headed the Jerusalem WIZO branch and continued to volunteer under the instruction of Henrietta Szold. As she spoke German as a native language, she started working with German Jews. Only in her 40s did she graduate from Siddy Wronsky's social work school in Jerusalem and finally become a professional social worker. First, she worked at the social work department in Jerusalem and was trained to help the victims of the 1936–39 riots. After 1948 she was elected to represent Israel as a practitioner of the UN in a professional rehabilitation training programme in England. She also established the first professional rehabilitation centres in Israel. Afterwards, she initiated social work courses for Jews and Arabs in the city of Haifa. Following their son, Zessi and Felix moved to Kibbutz Geneygar, where Zessi worked as a social worker and was one of the founders of the social work service for the Kibbutzim movement, until her retirement. In 1979, she was awarded the ‘Hazani’ award for her contributions to social work.