Tamar Kollek, widow of former Jerusalem mayor, dies at 96

Tamar Schwartz Kollek, the widow of Teddy Kollek to whom she was married for 70 years, died today in Jerusalem. She was 96.

Known as a dedicated volunteer, she served as chairman of ILAN, the association for handicapped children in Jerusalem. She founded many different institutions and homes for severely disabled youth. Kollek was active in a number of other volunteer organizations, oftentimes serving as president.

Born in Vienna in 1917 during the turbulent years of the Great War, she graduated cum laude from the Gymnasium there. As the Nazi movement began to grow in influence in Austria, she and her family elected to move to what was then Palestine in 1936. She was a member of Blau Weiss, the Zionist youth movement, and met Teddy Kollek, whose family had arrived from Hungary a year prior. She and Kollek were married and soon were founders of Kibbutz Ein-Gev located on the edge of Lake Kinneret.

Tamar Kollek, left, with her husband. (Photo courtesy Osnat Kollek)

With the election of her husband as mayor from 1965 through 1993, she was first lady of Jerusalem through the biggest period of building in the ancient city since the time of Herod.

She is survived by her son, movie director Amos Kollek, and a daughter, Osnat and five grandchildren. The funeral took place this afternoon, Friday, July 26th, at the The Nation’s Greats lot atop Mt. Herzl, where she was buried next to her husband.