With great sadness, we share the news of the passing of
Adrienne Sussman MBE z”l
Life Patron and former Co-Chair of Youth Aliyah Child Rescue
Born in Belgium and brought to London as a baby, Adrienne was raised in a home where service to community was a way of life. Her mother and great aunt were early champions of Youth Aliyah, opening their home, sharing their passion, and planting in Adrienne the seeds of empathy and responsibility that would guide her path for more than eight decades.
Adrienne and Leslie Sussman at one of our Youth Villages
In October 1956, Adrienne married her devoted husband, Leslie, and raised their three wonderful children. Leslie shared her passion for Youth Aliyah Child Rescue, and together they supported extraordinary projects that changed hundreds of young lives in Israel.
Adrienne loved every single one of our five Youth Villages. She visiting each Village, speaking with children, educators, and graduates. She listened to their stories, remembered their names, and carried their hopes with her.
She was quite simply one in a million.
As a Life Patron and former co-chair for 10 years, Adrienne helped shape key projects across our Youth Villages, including the courtyard at Neve Hadassah, the bike shed at Aloney Yitzchak, theatre equipment, and a therapy room at the Animal Therapy Centre in Talpiot Youth Village.
Adrienne’s generosity of spirit extended far beyond our organisation. For many years she served as a Cub Scout leader. She also had a steadfast presence within the Kinloss community.
Awarding a scholarship to one of our children
In 2011, Adrienne was awarded an MBE for her outstanding dedication to the children of Israel and for her service to Cub Scouting – a recognition she accepted with the same humility and grace that defined her life.
Those who knew Adrienne will remember her kindness and her unmistakable witty charm. She held a deep respect for formality, tradition, and doing things properly – always ensuring that the organisations she loved were represented with professionalism. Her dedication to Israel’s most vulnerable children has been unsurpassed, as her commitment to good grammar and spelling.
Awarding a scholarship to one of our children
Adrienne’s passing leaves a profound void in her family’s hearts and within our Youth Aliyah Child Rescue family, both here in the UK and in Israel. Yet her legacy – the thousands of young lives uplifted, the Villages she cherished, and the spaces she transformed will continue to shine for generations.
Adrienne with children from our Village
Adrienne with her daughter Debra at the JVN awards