Judith Benita Tankel

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Judith Benita Tankel Glasgow Zionist and 'anti-racist' activist.


Judith Benita Tankel (nee Woolfson, Mothers' maiden name GOTTLIEB, died 2006 Glasgow, Martha St) was a prominent Glasgow based Zionist activist.

Family

Daughter of Edward Woolfson and Adele Woolfson. Sister of Maurice Woolfson. Married to Henry Tankel (1956, Cathcart).

  • Judith Benita Tankel Electoral Roll: 2002-03, 2005-06 , Director 26, Dalziel Drive, Glasgow, Glasgow, G41 4PU. Other occupants: Henry I Tankel



From an obituary notice:

Judith Tankel was Chair of the West of Scotland Racial Equality Council from September 2004 to January 2006; during her time here, she consistently showed pioneering leadership for the racial equality movement. She became Chair after many years service, chairing many of our sub committees and showing exemplary commitment to the cause. Through her commitment and dedication in this capacity and indeed countless other community causes, she gained the respect and certainly the affection from everyone here at WSREC. Her capacity for work constantly surprised us all here at WSREC despite her serious disabling injuries she sustained following a car crash in 1989. In spite of this, Judith’s enthusiasm and drive were not depleted in any way.[1]

Herald obituary:

JUDITH Tankel, a pioneering worker for interfaith and race relations as well as a host of other causes, has died at the age of 71.
Put simply, she loved helping others. She devoted herself to social welfare in its broadest sense whether it was to an individual or to a housing association, to the needs of Jewish women or needs of the elderly. She was a prominent member of the Glasgow Jewish community and a long-time worker in the field of race and interfaith relations, and a founder member of several organisations devoted to these causes. Judith was born in Pollokshields, Glasgow, where she lived nearly all her life. She was educated at the Glasgow High School for Girls and at Glasgow University, where she graduated with an MA and obtained a diploma in social work. Judith became secretary of the Glasgow University dramatic society and her love of theatre continued throughout her life.
Early on she began to show the leadership skills, wisdom and dogged determination to get things done which characterised her future work. Her leadership qualities were evident as a youth leader in Habonim, a Jewish youth movement. Soon after her marriage in 1956 she turned her energies to voluntary social work. She became the honorary social worker to the Glasgow Jewish Welfare Board (now Jewish Care Scotland) for 35 years. Here she exhibited wisdom, common sense, integrity and absolute confidentiality. Her work with the welfare board introduced her to the management committee of the Glasgow Jewish Housing Association (now Arklet Housing Association) where she was interested in the welfare of the tenants.
Judith became a marriage guidance counsellor and was a member of the DSS appeals tribunal. She was also a member of the children's panel for 13 years and then became a safe guarder to the panel. Following in her parents' footsteps, she took a great interest in Jewish communal affairs both in Glasgow and nationally, becoming the first woman president of the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council. In this, her charm, humour and diplomatic skills were honed and she was a feisty and respected representative and ambassador. On the national scene she became a member of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, where she chaired its regional committee for three years. She also served on the defence and group relations committee.
Judith was a founder member of the Glasgow Jewish Choral Society and was its energetic chairwoman and concert manager for 37 of its 45 years, during which she brought it to a high standard of presentation and performance, including an appearance on the television show Songs of Praise. With a strong sense of social justice, she fought hard against racism while campaigning for equal rights for all. She was a founder member and sat on the executive committee of the now defunct Scottish AntiRacist Movement (SARM). She was, likewise, a founder member of Positive Action in Housing, where her votes of thanks at the AGMs became a highlight of the event. Judith was also a founder member and, at the time of her death, honorary secretary of Access Apna Ghar, Scotland's first black and minority ethnic housing association and was chairwoman of the West of Scotland Racial Equality Council after having chaired many of its sub-committees. She was also a member of the East Renfrewshire Ethnic Minority Forum and through her dedication in all these capacities she gained the respect and indeed the affection of very many of the black and minority ethnic communities. She was an inveterate letter writer, whether it was a thankyou note or an admonitory explanation of a point she felt had not been clearly understood, always elegantly and cogently expressed.
On the interfaith scene, she was involved for many years in a dialogue between the Church of Scotland and the Jewish community, which became the basis of many firm friendships and mutual understanding, and she also sat on the executive of the West of Scotland Council of Christians and Jews.

Judith also used her great knowledge to write many of the policy documents relating to Jewish cultural and religious needs for the NHS, the police, the procurators fiscal and the prison service. Her capacity for work was unending and her drive and enthusiasm infectious. Despite significant and disabling injuries following a car accident in 1989, she continued to live at the same pace that she had before. She will be remembered for her friendly personality, her warmth and good humour, and the huge impetus and sense of focus she always gave to the many committees on which she worked.

Judith is survived by her husband of almost 50 years, four children and six grandchildren.
Judith Tankel; born March 4, 1934, died January 11, 2006.[2]

Affiliations

Family

Jeremy Tankel (1957), Alan Tankel (1961), Belinda Tankel (1964) and Laura Tankel (1968)

Resources

Notes

  1. ↑ https://wsrec.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/WSREC-Annual-Report-05-06.pdf p.5.
  2. ↑ https://archive.is/zlE4X
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