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 IN
MEMORIAM: HILLEL RUSKIN, PhD
World
Leisure is saddened that one of its longest serving members
and Chair of the World Leisure Education Commission died
on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at the age of 69. Professor
Ruskin was a Life Member of World Leisure and an active
member of the Education Commission since its inception.
Professor Ruskin was born in Israel in 1934. He was
the Chairman of the Cosell Center for Physical Education,
Leisure and Health Promotion, and the Director of the
Graduate Program in Physical Education in Public Health
of the Faculty of Medicine, the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem. He was also Chairman of the Israel Leisure
and Recreation Association, Chairman of the Variety
National Center of Jerusalem for Children of Special
Needs, Commissioner of Leisure Education of the School
System in Israel, a Past President of the International
Council of Physical Activity and Fitness Research (ICPAFR),
Vice President of the European Leisure and Recreation
Association (ELRA), a member of the WICE faculty and
Program Committee, and a former member of the Board
of World Leisure.
Professor Ruskin attended Wingate Physical Education
Teachers College (Teaching Certificate); the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem (B.A.), and New York University
(M.A., Ph.D). Throughout his professional career of
over 45 years, his experience traversed the areas of:
leisure and recreation, physical education, health promotion;
all of which he was involved in research and senior
policy development on international, national, regional
and institutional levels. He lectured and conducted
research at the Hebrew University in various areas of
physical education, health, leisure and recreation.
He was a keynote speaker at numerous international congresses
and seminars, and produced more than 200 publications.
Among the books he edited was “Leisure, Toward
a Theory and Policy:, London: Associated University
Presses (Fairleigh Dickenson University Press, 1984).
He also co-edited with Atara Sivan the Book “Leisure
Education Towards the 21st Century” (1995), Brigham
Young University, Provo, Utah, and “Leisure Education,
Community Development and Populations with Special Needs”
(2000) Wallingford, U.K. CABI Publishing. He was the
recipient of many awards during his career. In 1996
he was awarded the highest honour for Life Time Achievement
in Education by the President of Israel.
Professor Ruskin made an enormous contribution to the
development of World Leisure in his role as Chair of
the Education Commission. He utilized his strong people
skills in the marketing and promotion of education and
the Association world wide. His pronounced leadership
qualities were invaluable in his organizing numerous
International Conferences and Seminars, which resulted
in the world-wide dissemination of several position
papers including, the EDCOM International Charter, Leisure
Education and Community Development, Leisure Education
and Populations with Special Needs, Leisure Education
and Youth at Risk and Serious Leisure. He was also the
catalyst for the organization of the Education Commission’s
keynote speakers and papers for each of the World Leisure
Congresses.
Professor Hillel Ruskin was a dedicated professional,
a superb role model for many members of World Leisure
and beyond, a world traveler and an ambassador for his
profession. He was a man of considerable charm, who
enjoyed life and exhibited a great sense of what it
meant to have fun. His inspiration to education in general
and through World Leisure will continue. He instilled
the values of international leisure and education in
us all. Our heartfelt condolences go to his wife Nitsa,
his son Guy, daughter Dana and his grandchildren.
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Purpose, Goals and Objectives
The aim of the World Leisure Commission on Education, and consistent with the general aims of World Leisure, is to facilitate and stimulate the training and development of leisure leaders world-wide and to develop leisure education programs and strategies through international exchange and co-operation.
Objectives
To promote awareness of the significance of leisure and recreation.
To provide forums for discussion of global issues in all aspects of leisure education in the schools, in community settings and in the training of personnel in the various areas of leisure education.
To promote and foster quality research in leisure education.
To disseminate information on leisure education.
To promote and offer technical, educational and consultative services in leisure education to public and private organizations and institutions.
To foster the development of international, regional and national policies and programs on leisure education.
To develop a resource bank of research information, leisure education materials, literature guide, and electronic mail. |
