A Bittersweet Sept 1

The start of the school year in Israel is a new beginning, a return to normal routine. This year, it’s more complicated than that.

We are pleased to welcome you to the second edition of the WIZO newsletter, the WIZO Review, showcasing our extensive activities with a special focus on WIZO’s work in the context of the ongoing war.

In Israel, as always, public life inevitably intertwines with the private lives of every citizen, creating a bittersweet mix. We feel this blend keenly today as a new school year begins, bringing excitement mixed with sorrow for the tens of thousands of displaced families whose children are scattered across schools far from home.

At WIZO, with our hands full and our schedules packed with tasks, we look forward to the upcoming MOR events planned for January 2025 in Israel—a gathering where we will once again host you, our friends from the federations, in this unique, complex, joyful-sorrowful country, our one and only homeland.

Especially this year, and particularly now, it is important for us to demonstrate unity, camaraderie, and strength, and to show you a resilient and defensive Israel, along with our WIZO, with its myriad projects and achievements. We cannot predict what this winter will bring or what lies ahead on various fronts, but our front—the social and educational—will, as always, be rich in deeds and vibrant with inspiring Zionist stories.

We hope to see you soon, and until then, may we receive good news, continue our blessed work, and, God willing, see the safe return of the hostages to their homes and lives.

Anat Vidor, World WIZO President & Anita Friedman, World WIZO Chairperson