A New Social Order: Turning Women’s Leadership into Action

In the aftermath of October 7, the role of women in Israeli society has become more visible and more urgent than ever. Across the country, women have led civilian and community emergency efforts, built support networks, launched local initiatives, and carried the complex weight of family, service, work, and community responsibility.

At the same time, this period has also exposed a painful and persistent gap: women continue to be underrepresented in key decision-making spaces, precisely when their voices, experience, and leadership are needed most.

Out of this reality, WIZO’s Division for the Advancement of the Status of Women launched “A New Social Order”, a leadership program for women who want to deepen their understanding of gender equality, advance the status of women, and take part in creating innovative social initiatives.

The program opened in April in WIZO branches in Herzliya and Haifa, with 16 participants in each group. Led by WIZO’s Division for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Leadership Program Manager Shirley Ackerman, the initiative brings together women who come with a sense of purpose, whether through a personal concern, a social issue they want to address, or a strong desire to create change.

Over the course of 12 meetings, participants are guided through the process of turning an idea, concern, or “social pain point” into a practical initiative with real impact. The program combines gender-based knowledge, leadership development, peer learning, and hands-on tools for social entrepreneurship.

Participants explore the history of women’s struggles for rights and representation, women’s leadership in times of emergency and war, gender-sensitive language, women in politics, gender-based medicine, economic violence, and the role of community as a platform for change. The program also includes a field visit to Jerusalem, including a visit to a WIZO shelter for women experiencing violence and a meeting with WIZO’s emergency services leadership.

Alongside this learning, the participants work step by step on developing their own initiatives. They learn how to define a target audience, sharpen the social problem they want to address, use gender data, build partnerships, develop messaging, market their initiative, and present it effectively through storytelling and an “elevator pitch.”

The strength of the program lies in the combination of knowledge and action. It does not only ask participants to learn about inequality. It gives them the tools, support, and confidence to do something about it.

The feedback from participants reflects both the emotional depth and the practical value of the experience. Women spoke about arriving with open hearts, discovering the power of female action, and understanding how much work remains to be done. One participant shared that learning about women throughout history who fought for their rights strengthened her belief that women can change reality. Another said she is determined to understand how to educate future generations through a gender-conscious lens.

For participants, the program has also become a powerful meeting point between generations, personal stories, and shared purpose. Meital Tamir, a participant in the Herzliya program, described the opening session as a reminder that “there is no force stronger than a women’s space.” Reflecting on the lecture by Dr. Esther Carmel Hakim about women in the early days of Zionism, she wrote about the generations of women who fought to enter the room, and about the responsibility of women today not only to be in the room, but to help shape it.

“What do I take from all of this?” Meital wrote. “Not only inspiration. Responsibility. To lead. To influence. And to open doors for more women.”

Another participant, Naomi Weinstein, shared that she joined the program out of curiosity, without fully knowing the scope of WIZO’s work. After several meetings, she described discovering “the incredible work of this organization” and the meaningful connection created among women of different ages, backgrounds, and life experiences. For Naomi, the circle of women in the program became a place filled with knowledge, action, and a shared desire to change the social conversation about women and for women.

Again and again, one message emerges clearly: women are seeking meaning, renewal, and action.

“A New Social Order” creates a space where that energy can become leadership. It invites women to connect, learn, develop a shared language, and build initiatives that respond to the needs of today’s Israeli society.

At a time when the challenges facing women and communities are more complex than ever, WIZO continues to invest in women’s leadership not as an abstract value, but as a practical force for shaping a more equal, just, and responsive society.