Jewish Care

Judith Hassan, Jewish Care's director of services for Holocaust survivors and refugees, was awarded the OBE in the New Year's honours list.

This is the second recent national award for Ms Hassan, who founded the Holocaust Survivors' Centre (HSC) in Hendon 14 years ago. She also received a Lifetime Achievement in Care Award in the national Care Awards in November, in recognition of her career which spans 38 years.

She said: “I am thrilled to get the OBE – it is great honour to be given public recognition of my lifetime’s work with people who have suffered so severely. Although the OBE has been given to me personally for the work that I have done it also reflects on the important role that Jewish Care has played in helping me to reach this stage.”

With a degree in psychology, she trained as a social worker and worked with older people and people with mental health needs before setting up the HSC. She has spearheaded techniques to help people live with the aftermath of emotional trauma and the centre offers a programme of social and therapeutic activities six days a week.

Ms Hassan has also written a book, A House Next Door to Trauma: Learning from Holocaust Survivors How to Respond to Atrocity, published in 2003.

Speaking on behalf of the HSC members, Alec Ward, a survivor of two ghettos, three slave labour camps and two concentration camps – Buchenwald and Mauthausen – said: “Since joining the HSC our lives have been greatly enriched because of Judith’s love, care and devotion and her outstanding expertise. The OBE is well deserved and we are delighted for her.”

Jewish Care’s chief executive Simon Morris, said: “It is fantastic news and we are very proud that Judith has gained national recognition for the amazing work she does in this important area.”