Judith Elizabeth Nessim

With sadness, the family of Judith Elisabeth (Singer) Nessim announce that our dearly beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 24th at her home aged 90.

Judith was born on March 14, 1933 in Berlin, Germany the daughter of Ludwig (Mordechai) and Frieda Singer. Two years after her father lost his life due to Nazi persecution, my mother chose her Papa II: Frank Georg Schmidt. It was a match made in heaven both for her mother and for her. Fleeing Berlin in favour of little villages in the east, and under cover of a German name, the family avoided detection and despite some close calls, they escaped and survived the ravages of the horrific persecution of the Holocaust. The close knit family moved to England in 1946, where Judith was legally adopted and began a new life without fear and hiding, becoming a registered children’s nurse and midwife. In London she met her love and soulmate, Elias Nessim, whom she married in 1959. In 1969 they moved to Canada. Elias passed away in November, and Judith knew that she would soon join him. Her faith was strong, and her future in heaven very real.

Judith is mourned by her three children, Daniel (Debi), Benjamin (Liisa) and Rebecca (Yoel d.2002), grandchildren and great grandchildren whom she delighted in; her sisters in law Joy Wrightson and Ruth Nessim, and nieces and nephews in Israel and in Spain.

Judith was born on March 14, 1933 in Berlin to Ludwig (Mordechai) and Frieda Singer. The evil winds of Nazi persecution were blowing even then, and in an effort to save her, she was baptized by a Jewish Christian minister. Her father fell prey to the persecution the following May, leaving Judith orphaned and her mother struggling in a hostile environment. It was difficult to find anyone to look after a Jewish child, and finally it was the nuns that took her in during the day. Her mother would bundle her up in the early hours of the morning, and drop her off at the convent still sleeping, while she went to work in a factory.

When Judith was 3 she chose her Papa II: Frank Georg Schmidt, a friend of the family she met at her aunt’s house. She asked him to be her Papa, causing embarrassed surprise amongst those present. But he agreed three years later, and overriding concerns from his family about the dangers involved, married her mother and became her father. With the new family name, and the nickname Jutta, Judith was able to keep below the radar.

The family moved out of Berlin to a little village on the Oder river; and from there to Wendemark in the west, where Judith spent some of the most joyful times of her youth after the war. She was able to study in a High School in Seehausen on scholarship, living in a boarding house nearby, and often spoke of the wonderful 14 km walk home on weekends. In 1946 she received an urgent phone call in the middle of the week – come home now! Without saying anything to her friends, she packed her suitcase and slipped out. Her mother met her with the bicycle halfway. That day they fled Germany for the UK, eventually arriving in Liverpool.

After numerous attempts to find an occupation, Judith was accepted for a trial year at a nursing school. She learned English quickly and found nursing very much to her liking, continuing her studies to become a registered children’s nurse and midwife.

In 1958 Judith met her future husband, Elias Nessim, who had grown up in Japan, Cairo and Bombay, and been educated in India and Switzerland, eventually reaching England for further education. It was love at first sight, and this love lasted 65 years and beyond. They shared a passion for God, for service to others, and a deep love for their people and the land of Israel.

Together Judith and Elias had three children, and delighted in each grandchild born to them over the years – and eventually the great grandchildren who brought them much joy.

The memorial will be held on Friday, February 2nd at Calvin Presbyterian Church in Abbotsford at 10:00 a.m. For those unable to attend, the memorial will be live streamed at:

https://www.youtube.com/live/2qv8-falDLM?feature=shared

The Jewish graveside service led by her son will be held the same day at 1300 (1 pm) at Victory Memorial Park Cemetery in White Rock.