Henriette Siksek (16 January 1918 - 15 March 2014),[1][2] also called Henrietta Seksek, was a Palestinian children's writer, educator, and radio personality.
In 1939, she began working at Jerusalem Radio. Ibrahim Tuqan, who also worked at the station, gave her the broadcasting name "Miss Souad". She primarily produced children's programs, including plays, educational content, and music. She also headed a program to teach children how to work in radio. She was present at the station when it was bombed in 1939. Later, Siksek worked for Radio Lebanon and Radio Near East.[4] She was working on Jordanian radio programs by 1957,[10] and later was the "Director of the Children's Hour on the Jordanian radio".[6] Siksek remained involved with Jerusalem Radio until 1967, when it closed.[11][12] She appeared in the 2011 documentary Here is Jerusalem (Arabic: هنا القدس), about Jerusalem Radio.[13]
Following her mother's death in 1973, Siksek took over leadership of the Four Homes of Mercy, a group of homes for the disabled which her mother had founded.[2][14]
Writing
Siksek wrote multiple short stories for children, and was published in magazines such as the International Red Cross magazine, Al-Nashra, Al-Bustan, and Al-Quds.[4][6] By the mid-1950s, she was "well known in Israel as [an] author and illustrator of children's books".[7]
In 1963, Siksek published The Gallant Five, a novel following the legendary five mares which established the Arabian horse bloodline.[15][16][17]
Personal life and death
Siksek married Rurik Farradj.[6] She died in Jerusalem in March 2014. Her funeral was held on 18 March at the Church of Zion for the Greek Orthodox, and whe was buried in the Orthodox cemetery on Mount Zion.[4][11]