A chapter closes
MORIAH College matriarch Edith Hausmann has passed away aged 80 from a brief illness, leaving the community with fond memories of her passion for books.
MORIAH College matriarch Edith Hausmann has passed away aged 80 from a brief illness, leaving the community with fond memories of her passion for books.
Hausmann became Moriah’s first librarian in 1967 and held the position for 28 years.
Her daughters Judi and Ilana, who were Moriah students, recalled the unique ways she conducted her librarian duties.
“During her years at Moriah, she was a much loved member of the staff and every year, in the end-of-school student play, she was always sent up mercilessly about her habit of interrupting headmaster Mr Nagley during assembly to read her list of overdues,” Judi explained.
“She often sent students home to get their library books and remained a librarian right until the end – hours before her passing she was telling me to remember to return the book in her bedside drawer to the hospital library.”
Hausmann also trained and then volunteered at JewishCare as a bereavement counsellor in her later years after her husband Leo passed away.
Moriah teacher Velvel Lederman, who was a colleague and friend of Hausmann for more than 35 years, remembered her as the “Google” of Moriah College.
“Because she was living in the era of pre-computer days, when students and staff would walk into the library and ask for anything and everything, she would know exactly where it was, take them to the books and find the information, more than even a computer can do,” he explained.
Lederman likened the books she gave to staff when they went out of circulation to the permanent mark she left on the community.
“On the inside cover, she would write ‘on permanent loan’, and really everyone is here on permanent loan from the Almighty.
“We’re put here to do good and Edith brought so much goodness, information and meaning to children and staff, but now the chief librarian upstairs has called her back, where she’s returned as a very well-read, loved book.
“She will go straight to gan eden [heaven] because she wasn’t only a caring mother, but also a caring human being who never did bad or spoke badly of anyone and who related to everyone around her.”
CASSILEE KAHN
The late Edith Hausmann (centre) with her daughters and grandchildren.
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