Established in Great Britain in 1920, the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) is a nonprofit organization of members in over 50 countries working together to improve the lives of women, children and the elderly living in Israel. Next to the Israeli government, WIZO is the largest provider of social welfare services in the country.
As a powerful voice for all Jewish women, in 1959 WIZO was recognized by the United Nations as a non-governmental organization (NGO) and was the first Zionist organization granted consultative status at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
WIZO operates over 800 social welfare projects including child care centers, schools, shelters for battered women, homes for girls in distress and programs providing services for the elderly. As a non-political international movement, WIZO is dedicated to the advancement of the status of women, the betterment of family and community welfare and the encouragement of Jewish education around the world. At every age, WIZO nourishes the body, comforts the soul, educates the mind and empowers the individual.
WIZO California, established in 1985, is a membership organization whose primary focus is working to support and fund its WIZO projects in Israel.
Vadim's Story
For some, the Youth Village is their first taste of a normal life in safe surroundings.
Yaffa, the house-mother at WIZO Hadassim Youth Village recalls meeting Vadim when he first came at the age of 12, especially his “wild hair and sad eyes.” “But,” she says, “nothing prepared me for the shock of our first home visit and seeing the place he had called home.” The tiny one-room apartment, off a back alley in a commercial district, accommodated two parents and five children. Dark and bare of any nutritious food, “It was completely chaotic.”
Vadim had great trouble adjusting to life in WIZO Hadassim. He suffered from overpowering guilt: his constant companion was a suitcase in which he hoarded anything he could find, including food, to bring home to his family. It took a long time before he felt worthy of the life WIZO provided for him at the village. Clean, orderly, loved and safe for the first time, Vadim did not know how to react to it all. His behavior was exactly like that of a refugee, withdrawn, sad, few verbal skills, unable to focus at school or to trust anyone at all.
Now, four years later, Vadim is a different person. With the help of intensive tutoring with his studies, Vadim has many academic accomplishments to his credit in which he takes pride. He no longer hoards and is very well adjusted.
Rina's Story
WIZO’s therapeutic daycare centers provide the physical, emotional and therapeutic support that each child and their family need to overcome their challenges.
Thanks to the loving support that Rina and her mother received at the Multipurpose Day Care Center, Rina is no longer consumed with grief but is being transformed into a happy loving little girl.
Rina is one of 8 children in an Ethiopian family. She came to the DCC a year ago, after her mother abandoned her family due to being violently abused by Rina’s father who was subsequently incarcerated. The grandparents care for the younger children and the 5 older children have been placed in foster care.
From the first day, Rina stood out from the other children. She never smiled or laughed and always looked sad. Rina, who was at the time only 3 years old was diagnosed with severe grief. She began meeting with the psychologist weekly to help her overcome the loss of her mother and deal with the family violence. Slowly, Rina began to improve and participate in activities with the other children. Rina’s mother recently contacted the welfare authorities and requested to see her child. Counseling for both the mother and Rina is provided by the psychologist and social worker and the slow process of rebuilding their relationship and overcoming the violence has begun.
Ranit's Story
WIZO’s battered women’s shelters give women a clean break from the violence and a fresh start at a better life.
Ranit, from a wealthy suburb of Tel Aviv never thought she would find herself in a battered women’s shelter. As her home life deteriorated rapidly, it became clear that her life was in danger. In one swift movement, she and her daughters were clandestinely taken to a shelter for battered women and their children. Here, she began to rebuild. WIZO counselors and staff helped her and her daughters to feel safe and secure, while Ranit prepared for an independent and self-sufficient life. “I came to the WIZO shelter afraid for my life. But now, I feel like I was born anew. WIZO protected me and my daughters and I left stronger than ever.”
Ranit has since written a book on domestic violence and shelters to help other families and children to understand and deal with the issue. She and her children are safe and violence-free thanks to WIZO.
Oshra's Story
Thousands of teens find a loving home in WIZO’s youth villages and are given an opportunity to succeed and realize their potential.
Michelle's Story
Mel's Story
Maritu's Story
WIZO’s youth villages take in youth who are lost and on the path to destruction. With love and support, they turn their lives around.
Opinionated, pretty, bright and resourceful, Maritu sought to escape a dead-end life in Beit She’an. Arriving at WIZO Nachlat Yehudah in the 7th grade, she recalls, “I was really out of control, wreaking havoc. I made my counselors’ lives miserable.”
Five years later, Maritu is the model of a conscientious citizen and a social leader – serving on the school’s Students Council and active in the performing arts troupe. She even coordinates volunteer activities which involve Youth Village peers in the community – helping seniors, the homeless or children of foreign workers.
Looking ahead to her service in the IDF with the hope of becoming an officer, Maritu seeks to serve as a role model for the Ethiopian community and for kids who seek to break away from a dead end.
Adi's Story
WIZO Day Care provides children with everything they need in enabling their mothers to work to support them.
At age 11, Adi’s mother sent her off to boarding school saying that she was a troublemaker. At 17, she met a man who offered her a home and love. He was 43. After their first daughter was born, he began to physically abuse her. The money she made cleaning houses, he used for drugs.
With no support and no money, Adi had few options to care for her two daughters when she finally left him. Adi sent the girls to WIZO’s daycare center. Here, her daughters were safe, cared for, received three hot meals a day. Knowing her children had the basics they needed and the love and care they deserved, Adi could focus on rebuilding her life.
Yerach's Story
WIZO California Leadership
Gina Raphael
Chairperson, WIZO California
Rinat Newman
Adeena Bleich
Operating Board Member
Shana Glassman
Operating Board Member
Deborah Harris
Operating Board Member
Karla Lari
Operating Board Member
Katalin Mannheim
Treasurer
Operating Board Member
Karen Sirebrenik
Operating Board Member
Laura Stein
Operating Board Member
Shirin Yadegar
Operating Board Member
WIZO California Trustees
Malka Fogel
Senior Advisor
Hanna Rubinstein
Honorary Chair
Marisa Weingarten
Honorary Chair
Miriam Wizman
Honorary Chair
Lily Artenstein
WIZO California Trustee
Ruth Davidov
WIZO California Trustee
Annie Gross
WIZO California Trustee
Agnes Harris
WIZO California Trustee
Orly Maciborski
WIZO California Trustee
Nava Marmur
WIZO California Trustee
Eleanor Nankin
WIZO California Trustee
Soraya Nazarian
WIZO California Trustee
Irene Sirebrenik
WIZO California Trustee
Rose Wolfe
WIZO California Trustee
WIZO California Chaverot Circle
Vivian Alberts
Monique Araya
Beth Baeck
Danna Balas
Miriam Banafashe
Debra Barach
Jennifer Berman
Barbara Bernstein
Candice Beroukhim
Frances Bilak
Lisa Friedman Bloch
Emily Bronson
Dity Brunn
Deborah Camiel
Robin Carnesale
Gaby Chazanas
Lauren Cohen
Ziba Danielpour
Karen David
Erica Davidovich
Tiffany Dayani
Hadassa DeBasc
Debbie Dolgin
Judika Dumontet
Georgette Dunst
Gina Edwards
Israela Elkayam
Judith Felsenthal
Elizabeth Finebaum
Harriet Finebaum
Stacey Fish
Debra J. Fletcher
Debby Fogelman
Jean Friedman
Andrea Garai
Shana Glassman
Alyse Golden Berkley
Abigail Goldberg
Sabrina Goldfeder
Sara Goldman
Delby Golshirazian
Silvia Goldstajn
Joyce Goldstein
Michele Goodman
Jennifer Gordon
Moran Gozlan
Amy Graiwer
Lolly Grossman
Erin Grey
Lauryn Harris
Joanne Helperin
Randy Hurwitz
Sarah Isaac
Kathryn Javaheri
Rebecca Jonah
Bila Kahan
Camilla Kalvaria
Ava Kashani
Effie Katz
Hannah Katzenstein
Janice Kaufler
Amy Kestenbaum
Eryn Kilstein
Camila Koenig
Pamela Kreitenberg
Nina Kubicek
Shir Langer
Judy Levin
Susan Lynch
Laura Maged
Celine Mahdavi
Gena Margolis
Shirin Massachi
Ariana Mateen
Jodi Meadow
Vicki Mense
Nooshin Meshkaty
Lauren Monkarsh
Danielle Mor Yadegar
Jolie Moray
Kaely Moray
Kathy Moray
Jessy Nahamani
Judit Nazar
Sharona Nazarian
Veronica Nessim
Eva Neuman
Daniella Newman
Karen Newman
Soheila Newman
Grace Pei
Jan Perry
Manijeh Pezeshki
Lillian Raffel
Dina Lourie
Shannon Rahimzadeh
Ilana Rand
Anne Reisman
Sophie Rimokh
Natalie Roberts
Brigitte Rosenberg
Danna Rosenthal
Alissa Roston
Julie Rubin
Karen Rubinstein
Juliana Saghian
Silvia Salazar
Jessica E. Samuel
Jessica L. Samuel
Gina Satnick
Tova Sarir
Amy Savetsky
Robin Sax
Grabriella Schwartz
Hendel Schwartz
Nora Schwartz
Olivia Schwartz
Paulina Schwartz
Maryjo Schnitzer
Kathy Seigel
Miri Shepher
Stephanie Sherman
Naz Shooshani
Samira Soroudi
Sarita Spiwak
Ilene Stallman
Leigh Stein
Ruth Steinberger
Dianna Mannheim Sternbeg
Tammy Stockfish
Orly Tabibi
Abigail Tananbaum
Michelle Taus
Myriam Testa
Patricia Testa
Silvia Testa
Debbie Ullman
Genia Varsha
Tiffany Vojdani
Shonda Walkovitz
Candice Weiner
Samantha Weiner
Shari Weiner
Mary Wells
Melissa Wiczyk
Shoshi Wilchfort
Carolyn Winer
Linda Wolfson
Alana Yasno
Haya Zamel
Sabrina Zamel
Rosalya Zisman
San Diego Chaverot Circle
Emma Paterno
Chair
Leora Goldfarb
Shirley Mizan
Gina Paterno
Jamie Shifer
Shyla Slavin
Aviv Leadership
Hanna Bailey
Sara Batista
Amanda Markowitz
Sheila Mirharooni
Samantha Moray
Jasmine Talei
Daniella Newman
Dani Gross
Chloe Rad
Rising Leaders Co-Chair
WIZO ATID- The Future of WIZO
Mia Gross
Eva Lari
Darya Newman
Moreille Newman
Alegra Taus
CHANGE A LIFE TODAY
WIZO USA, The Women’s International Zionist Organization, is a worldwide non-profit organization that operates over 800 social welfare projects in Israel.
Address
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone
Fax: 212-751-6818