WIZO around the world
Christian, Muslim & Jewish Women
as Peace Ambassadors
To celebrate International Women’s Day, the Rome group
of ADEI-WIZO held an event that included all women’s
organisations in Italy regardless of their affiliation. The
group held a meeting of Christian, Muslim and Jewish
women from Israel, with representatives from the women’s
organisations, to hear the stories of these very different
women. Difficult for listeners to hear and speakers to tell,
the stories of hope and strength moved the audience.
These women are living and breathing ambassadors for
peace, coming together to share feelings, accept and help
one another, and live together as a community. Many of
the representatives revealed they had benefitted by WIZO
projects. The women’s words filled the audience with
hope for peace, and showed how women may be able
to create a more peaceful world both now and for future
generations.
MEXICO
Education Projects
One of the ongoing projects of WIZO Mexico is improving
the school facilities for poor Mexican children. This year
was no exception and 600 members worked tirelessly for
months to produce the event Chinese Raffle and Auction
Pro-Mexican Education, which was a great success both
socially and financially. The unforgettable evening included
a raffle with a car as first prize plus many other gifts, and an
art auction featuring paintings by renowned Mexican artist
Francisco Toledo.
Another longstanding tradition is donating annual
scholarships to all the Jewish schools to enable Mexico’s
Jewish youth to further their Jewish education. This year
a sculpture called Seeds of the Future, which was created
under the coordination of Anita Hamui and Mery Rosenfeld,
was unveiled with the goal of creating a permanent fund to
assure the continuity of this project and to thank the donors
for their invaluable support.
WIZO Mexico chaverot with Rivka Lazovsky (centre) at Guadalajara conference
Cultural and Fundraising Activities
During the year, the Cultural Committee organised numerous
events including lectures entitled Myths and Realities about
Cancer, The State of Israel, its Lights and Shadows, and a visit to
an art exhibition by Cuban painters entitled Revelations. The
cultural year ended with a sumptuous breakfast.
All the groups were also busy with fundraising events
including a theatre première, a sale of soccer balls, shirts
and jackets for the upcoming soccer World Cup, Valentine’s
Day gifts, a bingo night, the sale of Hanukkah candles, a
raffle for a painting by Leonardo Nierman, an End of Year
Bazaar and the sale of acrylic boxes for matza.
Stefania Efrati and Sara Procaccia welcome Christian, Muslim and Jewish
ambassadors of peace
History of ADEI-WIZO
Liora Misan and Marina Sagues, joint-presidents of the
Trieste branch of ADEI-WIZO, launched the first event of
the ‘Spring of Women 2014’ International Women’s Day
programme of linked activities. The inaugural event was a
photographic exhibition, edited by Daniele Misa, featuring
80 years of ADEI-WIZO Trieste and the branch’s central role
in the Jewish community’s educational projects. Maria
Teresa Bassa Poropat, President of ADEI-WIZO Trieste,
Laura Famulari, Trieste Municipality Council Member and
Alessandro Salonichio, President of the Trieste Jewish
Community, gave opening remarks. National ADEI-WIZO
President Ester Silvana Israel briefly explained to the large
audience WIZO’s vision and purpose, underlining its vital
role in fostering Jewish education in Italy. Livio Vasieri and
Fulvia Levi presented the research methods used along
with Marina and Liora to prepare the exhibition material.
Ester Silvana Israel (l) with Liora Misan and Marina Sagues and
executive members of Trieste ADEI-WIZO branch
40 I SPRING/SUMMER 2014 I WIZO RE VIE W
NEW ZEALAND
Kesher Fundraising Event
The Hawks Bay WIZO Kesher group, the federation’s nonJewish supporters, held another successful fundraising
event. The group was honoured to welcome Israeli
Ambassador to New Zealand Yosef Livne and his wife Norma
to the function, as well as Joyce Baker, President Emeritus )