Ruth Scheuer OAM
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Ruth Scheuer OAM was born in Lodz, Poland in 1934 and came to Australia as a 15 year old in 1949. She had attended state school in Poland and on her arrival in Melbourne, attended MacRobertson’s Girls High School and then Stotts Business College. Ruth also Studied at the Berlitz School of Languages in Paris and the Nova School of Languages – “Leonardo Da Vinci” in Florence, Italy. As a result, Ruth speaks fluent English, Polish. French, Italian, Russian and Yiddish.
She married in 1953. She is computer literate and enjoys playing bridge.
Ruth joined WIZO Nirim in 1958 and became its President from 1991 for over 30 years. As President she organised glamorous fashion parades, launched art shows and book launches, produced brochures, organized WIZO parties and raised a lot of money in donations for those in WIZO’s care in Israel. Ruth always managed to organise a party on board cruises, raising many dollars for WIZO.
Ruth held the portfolio of Wills and Bequests on the WIZO Victoria Executive for many years and is a member of the WIZO Australia Federal Executive.
She also received many volunteer awards from Glen Eira Council, NCJW and other organisations.
Ruth was very involved in the Pop Up Opportunity shops which raised a great deal of money for WIZO Victoria. She has been a volunteer at Regis Armadale Aged Care facility. Emmy Monash Home and Arcare Caulfield, in each one inaugurating a WIZO group-WIZO Chavera at Regis and WIZO Forever at Arcare.
In gratitude for being welcomed to Australia with open arms, Ruth maintains she must give something back. That she has definitely done in her volunteering work.
In 2019 Ruth received an OAM in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List for her service to the Jewish Community of Victoria. Ruth said it is lovely to receive awards, but even more rewarding knowing the good work that she has done.
Her involvement with WIZO has been a veryimportant part of her life, consistently raising large amounts of money for all kinds of celebrations and doing so again on her 85th birthday.