Last Update: Jan. 6, 2003.
Previous Update: Dec. 31, 2000.
(Eva) Ruth (Alexander) Zeilberger was born on Aug. 2, 1915, in Berlin, Germany, to Paul Alexander(1870-1942) and Elfride (Pinner) Alexander(c. 1875-1942) . After graduating from high-school, she entered a teacher training college, preparing to be a kinder-garten teacher.
After graduating, in 1937, she immigrated to Palestine, and became a student at the `Midrasha lemorei Musika' (College(Seminary) for music teachers), and was certified as a music teacher. In 1940 she volunteered to the ATS, the women's corps of the Palestine unit of the British army, and was stationed for most of the time in Alexandria, Egypt. She eventually became a First Sergeant.
In Alexandria she met, and became a very good friend of, (William) Harry Gabb (April 5, 1909- March 16, 1995), CVO, an organ player, who also gave her organ lessons. Harry later became sub-organist of St. Paul's Cathedral, and organist of Her Majesty's Royal Chapel.
After the war, in 1945, she moved back to Jerusalem, teaching music in elementary schools. In 1948, during the war of independence, she was drafted, and became Lieutenant in the Women's corps (Khen) of the Israeli Defense Force. About then, she met her husband, Yehuda Heinz Zeilberger(1915-1994). They were married on Feb. 28, 1949.
In 1950 they moved to Haifa, where Doron Zeilberger was born. Shortly after, they moved into a former chicken coop, in the farm of her sister Marianne and her husband Alfred, in Kfar Bialik, near Haifa. A few months later, they moved to an apartment in shikun Pentagon, Kiryat Motzkin (Rehov Yehuda Halevy 5). In Jan. 11, 1952, her second son, Gil Chaim Zeilberger, was born. Between 1955 and 1958 Ruth and her family were in Kopenhagen, Denmark, where Yehuda was sent, by the Jewish Agency, to teach Hebrew to the local Jews. After their return to Israel, in 1958, Ruth worked part-time, teaching recorder to the neighborhood kids (including Doron and Gil).
In 1963 she took an intensive one-year course for the teaching of Rythmics, and got certified again. In 1964, the family moved from Motzkin to Holon, near Tel-Aviv. Ruth got a full-time teaching position in special education, teaching music and movement to very retarded children. (Read her Introduction to a Demo-Lesson she gave to colleagues c. 1970.) She held this job until her retirement in 1977.
In 1977 she became sick, and died on Oct. 22, 1979. She was the best mother in the world, and always cheerful. She loved reading.
Her children are: Gil Zeilberger and Doron Zeilberger(b. July 2, 1950).
Her parents are: Paul Alexander (1870-1944) and
Elfride (Pinner) Alexander (1875-1944).
pe"nun
yakiratenu
ruth zeilberger
lebet alexander
nun pe' alef khesvan tav shin"mem
bat samekh"dalet lekhayeah
tav nun tsadek bet" heh