Celebrating 105 Years of Impact: WIZO’s Legacy, Leadership, and Continued Commitment

Dear Friends, Women of WIZO,

Greetings and blessings to all of you from hot Tel Aviv. Even in the midst of the summer vacation months, there are good things constantly happening at WIZO and we’re happy to share them with you. In this newsletter, you’ll find many reasons to feel proud as well as enjoy success stories from our various divisions.

Among other things this month, WIZO was recognized as the only social organization in Israel holding the highest rating – “Platinum+” in the “Ma’ale Index” ranking – the social responsibility index of the 140 largest bodies in Israel. In Petah Tikva, a square was named after WIZO in recognition by the city leadership of the contribution of WIZO Israel’s local branch to community life there. Additional moments of pride were provided by WIZO Israel women, who initiated sending aid in equipment and clothing to the Druze in Syria, following the military attack on them by the state authorities.

Meanwhile, WIZO celebrated its 105th birthday this month, and this time we celebrated according to the Hebrew date: the 25th of Tamuz. Not many organizations celebrate their own birthday, but we maintain this tradition as a sign of the binding connection between our current activities and WIZO’s legacy and values. WIZO, which on its birthday may have seemed like a presumptuous and questionable idea, in retrospect, has completely transformed the map of Zionist action and took an enormous role in shaping the reality of our current lives. That historic day of setting out on this journey is a formative date of a national event worthy of marking, and if we don’t, who will?

WIZO’s birthday is also a good opportunity to look at ourselves with a more festive and broader perspective than usual, and to connect a cross-generational idea to current affairs. While Israeli society is immersed in a charged and sharp discussion about national burden-sharing, WIZO represents the part of the people that is always ready for any mission and any national need, and even when not called upon, volunteers on its own initiative. We are always accompanied by the vision of the founding mothers which states: we are all here to serve our people, with the belief that the Zionist enterprise always needs us, at our best. We believe that contributing to the collective and commitment to shared existence, more than being a duty, is a moral right that contains Zionist and Jewish values of giving and mutual responsibility.

In this spirit, the students of our youth villages are also educated, and it’s no wonder that despite many coming from difficult social backgrounds, the recruitment rate to the IDF among their graduates is almost 100%, and very many of them choose to serve in meaningful service. This is also our commitment as we enter the organization’s 106^th year: to continue to always stand ready with a shared purpose and belief in one destiny, in the spirit of mutual responsibility that has preserved our people throughout the generations.

In this festive spirit, we invite you all to peruse the newsletter, enjoy our achievements and contribution to Israeli society, and continue in partnership in the historic enterprise of strengthening the nation!

With great gratitude and appreciation to all our partners,

Anat Vidor, World WIZO President

Anita Friedman,  World WIZO Chairperson