Freda Lanesman 1931 – 2025

By Hazel Skapinker, Freda's daughter

My mom was born in Johannesburg in 1931 but grew up on a farm near Pretoria. She went to high school in Johannesburg and was a boarder at Herber House which was a boarding home for Jewish students from rural communities. On completion of high school, she moved to Pretoria where she worked as a secretary and subsequently as an office manager for an architectural firm. She met my dad Ralph Lanesman in 1949, on his return from Israel where, as a member of Mahal, he fought in the Israel War of Independence. They got married a few years later and had three children, Jeffrey, David and Hazel.

When the Lanesmans came on Aliyah to Raanana in 1980, Freda brought with her the warmth of spirit and determination that would characterize her life until her passing this year.

She was the matriarch of the Lanesman family and had a deep and loving connection with her three children and their spouses, her six grandchildren and their spouses, and her seven great-grandchildren. Some of her grandchildren called her "Granny" and others "Sabi."

From the moment Freda and Ralph arrived in Raanana, they immersed themselves in the fabric of life in Raanana, and made many friends, while continuing the spirit of volunteerism that defined their lives in Pretoria, South Africa. Freda was among the very early volunteers for ESRA, dedicating countless hours across many committees. Whether she was working in the Raanana ESRA office, helping in the book shop or the film club, she did so with enthusiasm and care.

Freda had a passion for genealogy. She formed a relationship with the curators of the Lost Shtetl Museum that will be opening this year in Seduva, Lithuania, the town from which both her parents had emigrated to South Africa. Among her donations to the museum was her mother's treasured samovar, carried all the way from Lithuania. This precious family heirloom will now have a permanent place of honor in the museum, ensuring that future generations can connect with their heritage.

It was wonderful to see her close relationship with her family in Israel: Jeff, David, Sara, Amir, Nadav and Yaara. Freda was highly instrumental in bringing up her Israeli grandchildren through their childhood and remained a stable part of their adult lives. She taught them to speak English with good South African-English accents and even taught them such things as how to use a fish knife. She loved the fact that more recently they pampered her with proper English tea parties.

Freda lived a productive and purposeful life. She raised a loving family during turbulent times in South Africa, and then embarked on Aliyah with Ralph to build a new life in Israel. What made Freda truly special was her ability to form meaningful connections with people of all ages and backgrounds.

She will be remembered lovingly, not only by the family she loved so deeply, but by her community and friends and family around the world.

FROM ESRA

Freda was one of ESRA's most incredible long-time volunteers, hardworking, efficient, humble, kind and humane. She was loved and revered by all who worked with her in her many different functions.

In recognition of her work, she received on three different occasions awards from ESRA as an outstanding volunteer:

1995 For promoting volunteering in Raanana, assisting Russian immigrants, and helping set up a center for English-speaking immigrants in the Raanana office.

2008 For her work with Russian immigrants; managing the ESRA shop on Bar Ilan Street; for being the first chairperson of the ESRA Raanana branch, and serving as its chair or vice-chair for 12 years; for representing ESRA on various committees in the Raanana community; for working for many years in the ESRA Raanana office.

2010 For being a Distributor of ESRA Magazine over many long years.