Women's International Zionist Organization

Women's International Zionist Organization

The Women's International Zionist Organization, known as WIZO (Hebrew: ויצו, "Vitzo"), is a non-political volunteer organization dedicated to social welfare in all sectors of Israeli society, the advancement of the status of women, and Jewish education in Israel and the Diaspora.

History

WIZO was founded in England in 1920 by Rebecca Sieff, Dr. Vera Weizmann (wife of Israel's first president, Dr. Chaim Weizmann), Edith Eder, Romana Goodman and Henrietta Irwell to provide community services for the residents of Mandate Palestine.

WIZO branches opened across Europe but many were closed down in the wake of Nazi occupation and the Holocaust. Branches in Latin America continued to operate during the war.

In 1949, after the establishment of the State of Israel, WIZO moved its headquarters to Israel and Sieff became president of the world WIZO organization. In 1966, she was replaced by Rosa Ginossar. Other past presidents include Raya Jaglom and Michal Modai.

Among WIZO's early social welfare projects in Mandatory Palestine and pre-state Israel were the establishment of Tipat Halav well-baby clinics and clothing distribution centers, many still in operation today. [ [http://www.towizo.org/htmls/hisroty.aspx?c0=13115&bsp=13096 History ] ] WIZO opened the country's first day care center in Tel Aviv in 1926.

Political activity in Israel

WIZO formed a party and ran for Knesset in Israel's first elections in 1949, receiving 1.2% of the vote. It won one seat and was represented by Rachel Cohen-Kagan, chairwoman of WIZO at the time. Cohen-Kagan later ran in the fifth Knesset as a member of the Liberal Party (though she was a member of the group that broke away to form the Independent Liberals).

Today

Today, WIZO runs 170 day care centers in Israel, caring for 14,000 children of working mothers, new immigrants and needy families. The organization also runs summer camps, courses for single-parent families and therapeutic frameworks for children removed from their homes by court order. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=841326 Supporting women and children - Haaretz - Israel News ] ]

WIZO is now the largest women's Zionist organization in the world. In 2008, 36 member countries sent delegates to Israel to celebrate the organization's 88th birthday. [WIZO: Responsibility, not charity http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1200572504152]

The current World WIZO president is Helena Glaser. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=944300&contrassID=2&subContrassID=5 Pioneers, mothers and teachers aiding the needy - Haaretz - Israel News ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.towizo.org/htmls/Home.aspx Official website (in English)]


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