Leila Wynbourne, MBE
National women’s leader who kept plight of Soviet Jewry in the public domain
THE FORMER WIZO National Chairman, Leila Wynbourne, who has died aged 99, was a distinguished and popular leader. She was noted for Wizo’s fundraising campaign during Israel’s 1973 War and her passionate concern for the welfare of Soviet Jewry, resulting in Wizo’s adoption and support of many Prisoners of Conscience.
Leila herself adopted the refusenik Evgeny Lein in Siberia and, although she never received a reply during his years of internment, she continued to write to him each week, not knowing if he was still alive.
One day, Sir Martin Gilbert told Leila he had met the liberated Evgeny Lein at the railway station and was asked to pass on a message to her. Lein told her the only letter he had received during his years in Siberia was from Leila, and he had kept it in his pocket next to his heart. The knowledge that people outside cared gave him hope.
Leila’s compassion, generosity and humanity were evident much earlier in her career when she delivered Meals on Wheels to people in the East End of London. She would tell sad stories of people who found life extremely hard and lonely, and who used to wait for her smiling face to brighten their week
For 60 years, she worked for Wizo at head office, rising through the ranks to National Chairman, from 1973 to 1981, and working with many Wizo founders, including Rebecca Sieff.
Leila endeared herself to members and colleagues alike with her capacity for building relationships and taking a genuine interest in everyone. A tireless leader, she also built close relationships with other communal organisations.
She was particularly concerned with keeping the plight of Soviet Jewry in the public domain, ceasing only when this work was no longer needed in the late ’80s. Leila wrote numerous letters, persuading hundreds of women to join the effort. Her activities included leading delegations to the Soviet Embassy, organising and taking appeals to 10 Downing Street and sending food parcels and medical supplies to Russia.
For many years Leila maintained close contact with Ilya Glezer, a famous Soviet brain biologist adopted by Wizo, who had been subjected to years of professional harassment simply because he was a Jew. He applied for a visa for Israel after being discharged from his post at the State University and was sentenced to three years imprisonment and then a further three years exile in Siberia.
Leila also befriended his sick mother in Jerusalem. When he was finally released to join her in 1978, he wrote to Leila: “I saw my mother’s eyes full of tears. I have a strong desire to meet you personally and to thank you and all the thousands of Wizo women”.
Leila was born in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, the daughter of Samuel and Dora Klaff. Her paternal grandfather was a delegate to the 2nd Zionist Congress in Basle, 1903, and her maternal grandfather is buried beside Rabbi Kook on the Mount of Olives. Her childhood was deeply rooted in Zionism, and as a teenager she took care of babies and young refugee girls from Germany, teaching them English and dancing.
At the age of 19, she married Harry Wynbourne in 1940 and they moved to Leicester. Throughout the war, she worked in her husband’s munitions factory making aircraft parts. Their home, near a US Air Force Base, soon became ‘‘open house’’ for Jewish American personnel. When Bergen Belsen was liberated, Leila donated her wedding dress to other brides.
After the war, the family returned to London and settled in Hampstead Garden Suburb where she became a life-long member and leader of her local Wizo.
At the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in 1973 she led Wizo’s executive through the night in taking emergency action and raising many thousands of pounds, bringing all the Jewish women’s organisations together in support. They staffed blood centres, became donors and provided hospitality and help for many young Israelis who were stranded waiting to get back to fight for Israel.
A member of the foreign affairs committee of the Board of Deputies for nine years, Leila organised the Commonwealth Conference at St James’ Palace.
For eight years, she represented World Wizo on the Board of Governors of the World Jewish Congress and stood on the quayside of Haifa greeting the first immigrants and was in Vienna to meet the Russians on their way to Israel.
Widowed in 1978, she launched a Sunday social group for the newly bereaved in her home. It was the first time many had ventured out after the loss of their husbands. Leila bore other personal tragedies with outstanding fortitude, suffering the loss of her grandchild David and then her children Barbara and Tony.
In the year 2000, Leila received an MBE for her lifetime of service to British Wizo and the Jewish community.
Barbara described her mother “as always young at heart” who encouraged change. In her late 80s Leila became computer literate, keeping in touch with her grandson and his family in Israel and her wide circle of friends.
Through her inspiration and guidance, her children Barbara and Tony learned a love for Israel and gave of themselves to the community. Barbara became the first Aviv representative to World Wizo in Israel; Chairman of Education and Hon Secretary and second recipient of Wizo’s prestigious Lily Sieff Award in 1999 for her services to Wizo.
Leila had a ready wit and a warm sense of humour. She lit up Wizo meetings with her grace and charm and a joke (or two). She is survived by her daughterin-law Cheryl, grandsons Marc, Robin, Jonathan and Ami and nine great great grandchildren. Her great grandson Shmuel was born days after Leila died. RUTH SOTNICK
Leila Wynbourne MBE: born December 17, 1920. Died April 7, 2020