Dinah Krongold, née Shemberg (1920 – 2023)
Dinah was born in Lomza, Poland, and in the 1930s her family migrated to Australia. She grew up in Melbourne enjoying her academic and social life in the Jewish community. She was overjoyed when she met her future husband Henry and soon after married on 12 December 1942.
A portrait of Dinah Krongold by William Dargie
They would go on to share three sons together, Ronald, Dennis, and Paul. Dinah and Henry remained a loving and devoted couple, with Dinah not only fully supporting Henry in all his business ventures and community duties, but also playing an active role in their many and varied philanthropic pursuits enriching education, the arts, and numerous charitable causes.
Some of their many businesses included textile and hosiery import and manufacture, house and land development, including the purchase of the iconic central Melbourne building Mitchell House, and the operation of one of Australia’s largest carpet manufacturing groups.
Lot 19 | A Van Cleef and Arpels gold and coral suite
Dinah and Henry’s energy expanded from a primary focus within the Jewish community to a much broader reach, becoming recognised among the country’s major philanthropists in the arts and education sectors. In 1972, Dinah and Henry made a very generous donation to Monash University for the construction of a new learning centre. Built over four years, it was originally known as The Dinah & Henry Krongold Centre for Exceptional Children. Subsequently, the building has transformed to become the Monash Krongold Clinic, Krongold Services for Children and Krongold Research Programs. They were also major sponsors to many charities, including the Epworth Medical Foundation, Cabrini Hospital, Scotch College Foundation, Mount Scopus College, the Victorian State Opera, United Israel Appeal, and Tel Aviv University.
Dinah was the perfect hostess, committed to her philanthropic work in the arts and the many charitable causes she supported. On their many trips overseas Dinah and Henry would always purchase the finest jewellery, some of which now forms part of the collection being auctioned by Gibson’s.