52 May 9 • 2019
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rieda Smolinsky Leemon, 98, 
was born in Baklarzevo, Poland, 
in 1921 and was brought to the 
United States as an infant. She died 
May 2, 2019.
As the oldest of five daughters, she 
had familial responsibilities 
from a very early age. She 
was the original English 
speaker in her extended 
family and took care of 
many family obligations 
usually handled by adults.
She did well in school 
and while she only men-
tions her degree from 
Wayne, she took a com-
mercial course in high 
school and then worked to pay for her 
college education. She sold handker-
chiefs at a linen store in downtown 
Detroit and rose to office manager 
and buyer before she left work after 
her marriage. She was very intelligent 
and had an outstanding memory.
Frieda lived most of her life in the 
Metropolitan Detroit area and gradu-
ated from Northwestern High School 
and then from Wayne University. She 
also graduated from United Hebrew 
School High School Department 
at Philadelphia Byron Branch and 
received the Gold Medal awarded by 
Feigenson (Faygo) brothers as the out-
standing student of her class. 
Frieda resumed the study of 
Hebrew in later life and was a fluent 
Hebrew speaker.
She was actively involved with the 
Adat Shalom Sisterhood and served 
at one time as president. She was also 
a Cub Scout leader for son Mark, and 

she was a volunteer at Sinai Hospital. 
Frieda said fundraising was easy 
because she was presenting a person 
who had the ability to donate with the 
opportunity to perform a mitzvah. 
Her dedication to this aspect of her 
work was probably inspired by 
the row of pushkes her mother 
kept on the window sill.
In 1961, she was elect-
ed president of the Greater 
Detroit Council of Pioneer 
Women (now Na’
amat). In 
1963, she was chairman of the 
National Convention held in 
Detroit at the Book Cadillac 
Hotel. At that time, she was 
elected to the national board 
and served in many positions mainly 
in fundraising. 
She received the State of Israel 
Award in 1977 at the National 
Convention held in Washington, D.C., 
and was elected national president of 
Pioneer Women, serving for many 
years.
In 1981, for Frieda’
s 60th birthday, 
the Leemon family built a three-class 
day care center in Ramle, Israel, for 
the children of working mothers; it 
was named Beit Frieda. Children age 
3 months to 5 years are educated and 
cared for there.
In 1982, in gratitude for Frieda’
s 
service, Na’
amat Israel dedicated the 
Frieda Leemon Technological High 
School in Lod, a school for students at 
risk. In 1991, this school received the 
Israel Education Prize for Excellence. 
Mrs. Leemon attended most of the 
graduation ceremonies at the school 
and traveled to Israel 46 times.

 She served on the Conference of 
Presidents of Major American Jewish 
Organizations and attended many 
meetings at the White House, State 
Department and Pentagon. She was 
honored to speak at the Knesset and 
was a guest at the signing of the Peace 
Treaty between Israel and Egypt and 
at the dinner at the White House the 
following the evening. She became 
friends with Golda Meir and knew all 
the presidents and prime ministers of 
Israel personally.
Mrs. Leemon was the first per-
son from Michigan to serve on the 
Actions Committee and Presidium of 
the World Zionist Organization and 
attended many World Zionist con-
gresses. She served on the National 
Board of the World Jewish Congress, 
the Jewish National Fund, State of 
Israel Bonds and the United Israel 
Appeals. In 1985, she was elected vice 
president of the World Movement of 
Na’
amat, the largest women’
s organi-
zation in Israel. At this conference, 
delegates from 13 countries voted to 
accept the name of their sister orga-
nization in Israel, Na’
amat, a Hebrew 
acronym for women who work 
and volunteer. Pioneer Women did 
not lose its pioneering spirit; it just 
changed its name to Na’
amat, U.S.A.
At the age of 70, Mrs. Leemon vol-
unteered to serve in the Israeli Army 
and was assigned to the Southern 
Army Command in Beersheba for a 
month.
For 30 years, she served as a chair-
man of the board of the Golda Meir 
Child Development Fund, a special 
fund for child care centers in develop-

ment towns and poor neighborhoods 
as well as advanced pedagogical pro-
grams for child care staff. 
At the World Zionist Congress in 
2004, she was named an Honorary 
Fellow of the World Zionist 
Organization, a yakira Yerushalayim, 
a beloved of Jerusalem. She was also a 
life member of the National Council 
of Jewish Women, ORT America and 
Brandeis University Women. 
Mrs. Leemon was married to the 
late Norman I. Leemon. She is sur-
vived by her children, Judith Ann 
Holtz, Mark (Sidney Stillerman 
Royer) Leemon and Sheldon (Lenore 
Waldhorn) Leemon; grandchildren, 
Meredith Robin (Adam) Weingarden, 
Jason Richard Holtz, Ethan Randall 
(Dana Kushkin) Holtz, Elizabeth 
Sarah (Michael) Snyder, Joseph 
Reuben (Courtney) Leemon, Joseph 
P.L. Henry and Sonia Yonit Portney 
Leemon; great-grandchildren, Noah 
Ryan Weingarden, Emilie Renee 
Weingarden, Linley Ava Holtz, Braden 
Julius Holtz, Sutton Asher Holtz and 
Brooke Lois Snyder. 
She was the daughter of the late 
Tillie and the late Henry Smolinsky; 
sister of the late Pauline (late Dr. 
Leonard) Schreiber, late Miriam (late 
Sol) Hoberman, Jacqueline (late Paul) 
Drucker and Gail (late Dr. Floyd) 
Tukel. 
Contributions may be made to 
Na’
amat USA, 21515 Vanowen St., 
Suite 102, Canoga Park, CA 91303. 
Interment was held at Beth Tefilo 
Emanuel Cemetery in Ferndale. 
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial 
Chapel. ■

An International Zionist Leader

soul

of blessed memory

c. 1977

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