From Australia’s Jewish past

Laura Boas – known as Aunty Laura in her career as a teacher of religion for over a quarter of a century

Laura was born on 5 January 1886 in Adelaide.  She was the fifth of six daughters and one of ten children to Abraham and Elizabeth Boas.  Her father was a Rabbi who had emigrated from the Netherlands in 1873 and was the minister of the Adelaide congregation for fifty-three years.  Her mother was born and raised in Adelaide.  The family was not well off financially but lacked nothing essential as was the case, in many families at that time.  The home atmosphere was filled with affection and one of Laura’s brothers described in a diary: ‘We lived in a school of good example, kindliness and loving comradeship.  If sometimes the home was rowdy, and with the usual differences and difficulties associated with large families, there are pleasant memories of the home always being open to all and sundry, and a host of friends made our home theirs.’  Whilst the family was large, it was Laura, who stayed home to look after her parents.  She taught religion and Hebrew in Adelaide and helped train the synagogue choir.

She first visited Sydney in 1910 after a seven-week trip with her father to New Zealand.  When she eventually came to live in Sydney in the late 1920s, she commenced singing with the Great Synagogue Choir in 1936 when females were included and remained a member for many years. In 1933 she began teaching for the New South Wales Board of Jewish Education in their religious classes and right-of-entry classes in schools.  She was especially known for her work in Strathfield and Parramatta public schools.  She looked after many of her nieces and nephews when their parents were overseas and they loved her kindness, soft nature, great sense of humour, and infectious laugh.  In 1957 she retired from the Board of Jewish Education, after twenty-four years, receiving a presentation annually at the end-of-year prize-giving.  On retirement, she received a special pension for her long-standing service.  At their request, she returned for a time after her retirement.  She would also give private bar mitzvah lessons and took great pleasure and interest in the achievements of her former pupils.

Once retired, she remained in Sydney, living for several years with her niece, Ruth Burns.  The last few years of her life were spent as a resident in the Montefiore Home at Hunters Hill.   She was always generous and poor and gave away what little money she had but still managed to enjoy her life playing mahjong or card games with her many friends.  She passed away, having never married, aged eighty-nine on 20 September 1975.

The AJHS acknowledges the following references in the preparation of this story:

Beginning with Esther – Lysbeth Cohen; History Trust of South Australia

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