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 His behavior was exactly like that of a refugee, withdrawn, sad, few verbal skills, unable to focus at school or to trust anyone at all.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

Malka Fogel
Senior Advisor

Marisa Weingarten
Honorary Chair

Miriam Wizman
Honorary Chair

Lily Artenstein

Ruth Davidov

Shana Glassman

Agnes Harris

Karla Lari

Orly Maciborski

Katalin Mannheim
Treasurer

Nava Marmur
Executive Board Member

Eleanor Nankin
Board Secretary

Laura Stein

Soraya Nazarian

Rose Wolfe

Karen Sirebrenik

Shirin Yadegar

Irene Sirebrenik
Andrea Garai
Joyce Goldstein
Amy Graiwer
Deborah Harris
Lauryn Harris
Karla Lari
Robin Sax
Dianna Mannheim Sternberg
Patricia Testa
Silvia Testa
Gaby Chazanas
Sarita Spiwak
Rosalya Zisman
California General Advisory Board
Emma Almond
Monique Araya
Lisa Arnold
Beth Baeck
Debra Barach
Richard Behfarin
Yamit Betesh
Adeena Bleich
Emily Bronson
Kimberly Brooks
Deborah Camiel
Hannah Danielpour
Ziba Danielpour
Karen David
Erica Davidovich
Debbie Dolgin
Georgette Dunst
JR Dzubak
Gina Edwards
Israela Elkayam
Elizabeth Finebaum
Harriet Finebaum
Debra J. Fletcher
Jean Friedman
Mira Gavrieli
Negin Gabayzadeh
Renee Gingold
Shana Glassman
Abigail Goldberg
Joyce Goldstein
Moran Gozlan
Mia Gross
Amy Graiwer
Erin Grey
Lauryn Harris
Joanne Helperin
Effie Katz
Janice Kaufler
Shabnam Khaloyan
Caryn Kolbrenner
Lani Kreshek
Nina Kubicek
Shir Langer
Judy Levin
Rita Lewkowicz
Rivki Mark
Tracy Mathalon
Kathy Moray
Sharona Nazarian
Eva Neuman
Daniella Newman
Karen Newman
Soheila Newman
Darya Newman
Morielle Newman
Nora Orner
Emma Paterno
Grace Pei
Jan Perry
Anne Reisman
Natalie Roberts
Brigitte Rosenberg
Marcia Rosner
Silvia Salazar
Gina Satnick
Hendel Schwartz
Maryjo Schnitzer
Jessica Sebban
Jennifer Smiley
Sarita Spiwak
Leigh Stein
Cynthia Steinberg
Ruth Steinberger
Tammy Stockfish
Michelle Taus
Myriam Testa
Genia Varsha
Candice Weiner
Shari Weiner
Shoshi Wilchfort
Linda Wolfson
Alana Yasno
Leah Yebri
Tami Younesi
Sabrina Zamel
Lynn Ziman
Rosalya Zisman
Aviv Leadership

Dani Gross

Heather Kachlon
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