The oldest person in Israel, Adele Samuelson, passed away at the age of 111 in Michmoret on Saturday.
Born in Adelaide, South Africa, in 1914, Samuelson was known as a beloved and active figure in the local community and maintained an independent lifestyle until late in her life.
People in her life said that, even at 100, she would walk along the beach every morning, radiating youthful spirit and optimism.
After many years, she immigrated to Israel, where she lived in the center of the country and spent several decades working in the office of the president of Tel Aviv University, a position she retired from at 86.
Extraordinary, hardworking, and purposeful
Her grandchildren, Keren and Guy Gourfil, said that their grandmother was "an extraordinary, hardworking, and purposeful woman."
"She worked all her life, believed in the future, and never complained. She always looked for ways to contribute to the environment and remain relevant," they said.
According to them, it was her family that gave her strength.
“She felt loved [and] appreciated... and this, along with her kindness and positivity, was the driving force of her life."
In 2020, the Emek Hefer Regional Council sent a public message congratulating her on her 106th birthday, calling her "a source of inspiration for a healthy and happy life." Since then, she has remained a respected and beloved figure in the community.
With Samuelson's passing, the title of "Israel’s oldest person" has passed to Tzila Cohen from Netanya, aged 110 and 335 days. She is followed by Miriam Bola-Levy from Jerusalem (108), Annie Shkolnik from Tel Aviv (108), and Yehuda Aharon Videvsky, also from Tel Aviv (106).
Adele Samuelson's funeral took place on Sunday at the cemetery in Michmoret, where she was buried alongside her family.