WIZO Milestones
2010 – 100 Zionist lay leaders from 30 countries arrive in Israel to attend the annual World WIZO MOR (Meeting of Representatives) marking 90 years since World WIZO’s establishment.
On International Women’s Day, WIZO Israel launches a new emergency hotline for female victims of violence.
WIZO brings 500 disadvantaged youth from across Israel together to celebrate their bar and bat mitzvahs at the Kotel.
2011 – WIZO Nir Ha’Emek hosts European Wheelchair Basketball Championship.
Tova Ben-Dov, Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive, is awarded the “Tel Aviv 2011 Prestigious Citizen’s Award” on Israel’s 63rd Independence Day.
2012 – WIZO Nachlat Yehuda Youth Village celebrates its 90th anniversary with a gala event attended by former and current students and staff, families and friends.
WIZO’s Early Age Division initiates a countrywide healthy eating campaign aimed at enhancing children’s meals within WIZO’s day care centers.
2013 – “Personal Relations,” a short film created by the young filmmakers of the WIZO Helena Kagan Community Center for Youth and Communications in Jerusalem, wins 1st Prize in nationwide film competition called “48 Hours” in which film crews must write, shoot and produce films within two days.
Inauguration of Ecological Garden at WIZO Nir Ha’Emek for the Research and Protection of the Quality of the Environment.
2014 — Using the hashtag #SpreadingLight, WIZO chaverot around the world participate in The Shabbat Project, calling on women across the globe to promote Jewish unity by lighting Shabbat candles in their homes and communities.
2014 – WIZO delegates from the MOR (Meeting of Representatives) meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu who commends them on their important work strengthening the Israel-Diaspora relationship abroad.
WIZO’s Early Age Division teams up with the Green Light organization to launch innovative road safety educational programming for two-year-olds.
2015 – Students at WIZO Nir Ha’Emek Youth Village establish “A Day Without Hunger” to battle the apathy surrounding the issues of poverty and hunger in Israel. The students enlist dozens of eateries in the north to sell meals on that day for just 2 NIS each.
Ghada Kamel, long-time chairperson of WIZO in the Druze town of Daliyat El Karmel, receives the President’s Prize for Volunteerism from President Reuven Rivlin in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of the women of her community, changing their lives while preserving their traditions.
Two new innovative specialty educational tracks: fire & rescue services at WIZO’s Nachalat Yehuda youth village and veterinary medicine at WIZO’s Gan VaNof youth village are introduced.
2016 – “Women and their Olive Trees” WIZO art exhibition of olive trees, a well-known symbol of peace, drawn by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim women from the Afula area as part of project to promote and symbolize coexistence in Israel, is successfully displayed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg and at the UN in Geneva.
The WIZO summer camp for Israeli children and children from abroad is launched at WIZO Nir Ha’Emek.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett visits WIZO Nir Ha’Emek for the opening of the 2016-2017 school year.
Four WIZO schools, WIZO Nir Ha’Emek Youth Village, WIZO Nachalat Yehuda Youth Village, CHW Nahalal Youth Village, and WIZO Technology High School in Rehovot, are awarded grants from the Ministry of Education for the high achievements of their pupils.
Ahuzat Yeladim facilities were evacuated in time from devastating brush fires in the region. Thankfully, no students, staff, or animals were hurt. Restoration began in the following weeks.
2017 – WIZO Nir Ha’Emek is awarded Israel’s Ministry of Education’s prize in Educational and Economic Achievements in Agriculture for Israel’s northern district.
Inauguration of a new missile-proof WIZO Day Care Center in Sderot.
“The Aurora,” a solar lawnmower created by tenth grade students from the CHW Hadassim Youth Village wins the national “Fuel Choices and Smart Initiative competition,” held by the Prime Minister’s Office.
WIZO Australia funds the opening of Makom BaLev in Be’er Sheva, providing emergency housing and treatment for 16-26-year-old women at extremely high risk.
2018 – CHW Hadassim Youth Village wins the National Award for Educational Excellence presented by Israel’s Education Minister, MK Naftali Bennett.
WIZO celebrates 70 years of independence of the State of Israel at gala event honoring all WIZO’s schools and youths villages and their contributions to shaping the country.
WIZO Nachalat Yehuda’s Fire & Rescue Cadet Program celebrates its first graduating class.
“The Mother Federation” WIZO UK celebrates 100 years since its founding, elects Ronit Ribak Madari as Chairperson, the first Israeli native to ever hold the position.
2019 – Following a four-year struggle waged by WIZO, which included an appeal to the High Court of Justice, the Ministry of Education announces an equalization of the terms of study of 9,500 special education students.
Samir Azzam, a graduate from WIZO’s Political Leadership Program becomes first woman to serve on city council of Isfiya, the second largest Druze village in Israel.
WIZO Ireland officially becomes an independent federation.
