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

Malka Fogel

Honorary Chair
Senior Advisor

Marisa Weingarten

Honorary Chair

Miriam Wizman

Honorary Chair

Lily Artenstein

Executive Board Member

Ruth Davidov

Executive Board Member

Shana Glassman

Executive Board Member

Agnes Harris

Executive Board Member

Karla Lari

Executive Board Member

Orly Maciborski

Executive Board Member

Katalin Mannheim

Executive Board Member
Treasurer

Nava Marmur

Executive Board Member

 

Eleanor Nankin

Executive Board Member
Board Secretary

Laura Stein

Executive Board Member

Soraya Nazarian

Executive Board Member

Rose Wolfe

Executive Board Member

Karen Sirebrenik

Executive Board Member

Shirin Yadegar

Executive Board Member

Irene Sirebrenik

Executive Board Member
WIZO “Gesher” Committee

Andrea Garai


Joyce Goldstein


Amy Graiwer


Deborah Harris


Lauryn Harris

Karla Lari


Robin Sax


Dianna Mannheim Sternberg


Patricia Testa


Silvia Testa

WIZO California Founder’s Circle
Dity Brunn


Gaby Chazanas

Annie Gross


Sarita Spiwak

Miri Shepher


Rosalya Zisman

California General Advisory Board

Vivian Alberts


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

Rising Leaders Co-Chair
Heather

Heather Kachlon

Rising Leaders Co-Chair

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

Rachel Gingold

Director, WIZO California
323-206-6403
[email protected]