Neville Friedland 1938 – 2024

Our beloved father, Neville Friedland, was born on July 1938 in Oudtshoorn, South Africa to Jenny and David Friedland. The family moved to Cape Town when Neville was a young toddler.

Neville studied at Herzliya High School in Cape Town and and was a member of the Habonim Youth Movement.

He was a true Zionist, and made aliyah to Israel alone in 1964, leaving his family back in South Africa. He joined a group of young South Africans as part of the "Machal" program. He enlisted in the IDF, and as part of his service lived and worked in Kibbutz Nitsanim.

When he finished his army service, he arrived in Tel Aviv and shortly after that he started a long career at the American airline TWA.

In 1966 he married Malvina Blumsztein, a new immigrant from Australia, and they built a home filled with love where they raised us, their two daughters, Dana and Galia.

Neville was a real peoples' person; he liked to meet new people and it was in his DNA to be a very generous and giving person, whether it was the desire to help everyone in whatever way he could and volunteering at the ESRA organization for more than 25 years. He always did everything with his whole heart and with great care and dedication.

Our dad was a man with a huge heart, who always put everyone before himself, with a positive attitude to life, always with a smile and a strong desire to do good and bring good.

In recent years, he took care of our mom, the big love of his life, with endless devotion, tenderness and amazing love.

He will be missed terribly by all of us, may his soul rest in peace.

His daughters, Dana Friedland and Galia Shaba, and families

From Phyllis Bloch, former Chair ESRA Kfar Saba

It is with great sadness that I mourn this kind, humble. good friend of many years. I treasure his friendship especially during these past months.

From Adele Rubin, former ESRA Volunteer Coordinator, Sderot

Neville Friedland was a valuable volunteer of ESRA and a good friend to someone who lives in the periphery. He was always there for me when I needed advice as there is no ESRA branch where I live.

From Libby and Max Strous, Volunteers

We met Neville on many occasions while packing ESRA Magazines in the office in Herzliya. He was a very pedantic gentleman with the labelling and packing of magazines. We'd arrive late and Neville was already labelling. He instructed us on his way of where to place the label, where to place the magazines, where to place the inserts. We enjoyed the task until we moved from Kfar Saba to Modiin. Now we distribute the magazines in the postboxes in The Palace where we live.

From Austen Science, an ESRA Magazine Advertiser

I was very saddened to learn of the death of Neville Friedland who was always so helpful and considerate. He will be sorely missed.

From Shavit Ben-Chorin, Advocate, an ESRA Magazine Advertiser

I was very sad to hear this news that Neville passed away. He took excellent care of my

advertising matters, and we always had a short chat upon doing so – he was such a friendly

and nice person. Please convey my condolences to his family.

From Brenda Katten, ESRA Chairperson 2012 

September 27th 2012

Dear Neville,

ESRA prides itself on being an organization that is privileged to count its volunteers as the greater part of its workforce. This is only possible because of individuals such as yourself whose volunteering knows few boundaries. How fortunate is our organization to benefit from your dynamic support.

At the start of our new year I write, on behalf of ESRA, to thank you most warmly for years of dedicated volunteerism to this organization. We are fully aware of your commitment to ESRA Magazine – responsible as you are for the financial accounting, making deliveries and acting as a liason between Gan Rashal and Beth Protea.

ESRA is truly indebted to you for all of the above and far more. Many thanks.

Wishing you and your dear ones a year blessed with good health and happiness.

Chag Sameach and warm regards,

Brenda Katten

Chairperson

From Merle Guttmann, Editor ESRA Magazine 

I mourn the loss of Neville, my right hand man without whom I could not have managed for tens of years. He was indispensable to my work. Totally committed to administering the magazine, to running the magazine office, to collecting and managing the adverts and to being the contact with the advertisers, I would hear from Neville daily either by phone or email. All this with the utmost humility and self-effacement. He wanted no acknowledgement nor awards, a rare human being to whom I owe so much. Thank you dear Neville for all you have done for me and for ESRA Magazine.