An unsung Israeli hero

Jean Kloos-Fishman laid to rest in Be'er Sheva, 14 Feb 2016

Today I attented the funeral of my wife's cousin Jean Kloos-Fishman in Be'er Sheva. Jean was very well known in Be'er Sheva having dedicated her professional life to improving the health of Bedouins in the Negev, but her story needs to be known more widely. She is typical of many unsung heroes whose lives expose the lies of the antisemites who known nothing about Israel and yet ludicrously and ignorantly use the term 'apartheid state' to refer to the only country in the Middle East that is not an apartheid state.

The following tribute was written by another family member:

Jean made aliyah from London in 1958 when one of the directors from Saroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva told her she was needed there. She spent 25 years wondering the desert treating bedouins and introducing them to hygiene and health care. She was an excellent pediatrician and she specialized in helping children with all kinds of problems focusing on under-privileged children. She received an award in Be'er Sheva for her outstanding service to the community.

In her later years she devoted her life to trying to find as much information about Raoul Wallenberg and to giving him the recognition he deserved. She also helped Holocaust survivors. Today at the funeral we saw and heard many people who knew and loved Jean. She was buried next to the love of her life Max who died very early in their marriage. I am proud and thankful that Jean Kloos-Fishman was a member of my family.