Ruth Matar, co-founder of the “Women in Green” movement 25 years ago with her husband, passed away this weekend on the Sabbath, on Saturday.
Originally called “Women for Israel’s Tomorrow”, the group sought to destroy media stereotypes of those opposing land concessions by showing mothers, housewives, and career women who could intelligently articulate Israel’s cause.
Matar first founded the organization in 1993 following the signing of the Oslo Accords by the Rabin Government and the resulting plans for a Palestinian Authority state.
In recent years, Women in Green has been leading the discourse over the vision of full Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
Ruth’s daughter-in-law Nadia Matar, together with Yehudit Katzover, currently lead the movement.
“Her spirit was exemplary, and modeled in our activities both in the practical grasp on the ground and in advancing the vision of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria,” said Katzover.
At a recent event celebrating 25 years since the movement’s founding, Nadia recounted Ruth’s influence.
“Ruth taught all of us that we must not be silent and that when a Jew is in distress, you leave everything else aside and mobilize to help him; she taught us not be afraid to tell the truth and that loyalty is the highest virtue – loyalty to the People, to the Torah, to the Land, and to the family,” Nadia recalled. “She was a great woman who worked very hard for the Land of Israel. A woman with great vision”.
The funeral was held at the Sanhedria cemetery and was followed by interment on the Mount of Olives.
Baruch Dayan Emet.