Who We Are

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.

Facts and Figures
WIZO USA Changes Lives
Thousands of women, children, youth, and families have benefited from WIZO USA’s various programs, schools, and legal advice. Every one of them is special to us and their success is our success. Here are some of their stories.
Greetings from Prime Minister Netanyahu
WIZO 100th Birthday Video
Greetings from President Reuven Ruvi Rivlin
WIZO Helps Women at Risk
Thank you Chaverot
Vadim's Story
“I hated leaving my family, they had nothing. I understand now that to help them, I need to succeed. That is what I’m going to do.”

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
“This place gave me stability… it’s a place where you don’t feel threatened. I learned that I am responsible for my own life.”

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
“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”

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
“WIZO is a huge part of my life. It gave me the opportunity to change peoples lives. I learned that I could achieve my dream.”

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
“WIZO is home, It’s a safe place, It’s family, It’s the people who nurtured you and raised you …”

Mel's Story
“I was abused by my father and ignored by my mother, but l found a family and a future with WIZO.”

Maritu's Story
“Never did I imagine that I’d actually be singing and performing or that I’d serve on the Students Council to give back to my friends and the youth village. I never thought I had that in me.”

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
“I had no one and nowhere to go. I put my girls in WIZO Day Care– the only place I could trust. They offered me food, clothing, anything I needed. They taught me to be a parent. I’m not the only story here. There are so many parents here that have their children cared for by WIZO.”

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
“I’d recommend life in WIZO Nahalal to anyone whose home situation is not so good, whose family situation is hard and he’s looking for a way out. At WIZO Nahalal you’re given a framework with values.”

WIZO California Leadership

Gina Raphael

Chairperson, WIZO California

Rinat Newman

Vice Chair, WIZO California
Adeena Bleich

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

Honorary Chair
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

Tali Ben-Ezer

Leora Goldfarb

Shirley Mizan

Gina Paterno

Jamie Shifer

Shyla Slavin

Aviv Leadership

Heather

Hanna Bailey

Heather

Sara Batista

Amanda Markowitz

Sheila Mirharooni

Heather

Samantha Moray

Heather

Jasmine Talei

Heather

Daniella Newman

Dani Gross

Rising Leaders Co-Chair
Heather

Chloe Rad

Rising Leaders Co-Chair

WIZO ATID- The Future of WIZO

Mia Gross

Heather

Eva Lari

Heather

Darya Newman

Heather

Moreille Newman

Heather

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

369 S Doheny Dr. #238
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Phone

Phone: 323-206-6403
Fax: 212-751-6818

Hannah Toren

Development Manager, WIZO California
323-206-6403
[email protected]