Autumn 2012 No
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Autumn 2012 No. 330 שנה טובה HappyNew Year Neve WIZO A Special Place for Special People Nachlat @ 90 WIZO Youth Village Celebrates 90 Years Dorrit of Denmark Holding a Community Together Editorial Dear Chaverot, Most of you reading this will fully Palestine for the first time in 1932 aged 18, she attended know and understand – from WIZO’s Ayanot Agricultural School under the legendary Ada experience – how challenging it Fishman. Read about Doreen’s interesting and varied life is to bring up a family in today’s and many talents in a profile on pages 22-23. world. Just imagine, when your children have fled the nest, you The Organization and Tourist Division’s section (pages 24- start again – no, not with a new 29) features an anecdote about the legendary Dr. Helena biological family but becoming Kagan, some thoughts about Jewish Peoplehood and an foster parents to children who, in unusual look at better communication. their short lives have witnessed The department was particularly busy this summer arranging or been subject to various types of abuse; with their parents visits to WIZO projects for groups of Diaspora youth on unable to care for them, they are sent, usually by court order, their Israel tours. Many of the youngsters knew very little to WIZO’s Neve WIZO foster home. Here, their battered souls or nothing about WIZO – they have now returned to their are healed and nurtured by loving, replacement parents. It homes full of enthusiasm from their experience; read Tricia takes a special kind of couple to take on such a challenge – Schwitzer’s WIZO on the Itinerary on pages 24-25. read Avi Obligenarz’s moving article starting on page 8. Our Aviv representative, Laurienne is upping the ante before World WIZO celebrated 90 years of assisting and enriching the upcoming international Aviv seminar in November – as the lives of the people of Israel two years ago, and some she says – are your bags packed Aviv girls? of our flagship projects have been in existence nearly that long; this summer, wonderful Nachlat Yehuda Youth Village As usual we end with glimpses of what is happening in marked 90 years of educating and caring for less fortunate WIZO’s world in Israel and what is happening in WIZO Israeli youth. Read Swiss WIZO President Anne Argi’s Around the World (WATW). personal impressions of the gala event (page 12) followed by an in-depth article about the school including interviews WIZO Review wishes all our chaverot around the world a with grateful pupils. happy, healthy and above all, peaceful new year. This issue features two personalities: we interview WIZO Denmark President Dorrit Raiter and, in addition to Dorrit’s personal journey to Judaism, discover the challenges of holding together a diminishing Jewish community. Ninety-seven years young Doreen Guinsberg has a wealth of knowledge about the early days of WIZO. Visiting Ingrid Rockberger Children at the WIZO Simone Berr Porge Day Care Centre in the HaTikva Quarter, Tel Aviv celebrating Rosh Hashana 2 I AUTUMN 2012 I WIZO REVIEW Editor: Ingrid Rockberger Autumn 2012 No. 330 www.wizo.org Editorial Assistant: Denise Machat Editorial Board: Zipi Amiri , Tova Ben-Dov, Rivka Lazovsky, Hassida Danai, Carmella Dekel, Janine Gelley, Rebecca Sieff WIZO Centre, Esther Mor, Gila Oshrat, Sylvie Pelossof, Meytal Woolf. Graphic Design: StudioMooza.com 38 David Hamelech Blvd., Photos: Itzick Elharar, Janine Gelley, Ingrid Rockberger, Tel Aviv, Israel Kfir Sivan, Benny Zubari Tel: 03 692 3805 Fax: 03 692 3801 Photo at bottom of page 47: Reproduced by courtesy of the Internet: www.wizo.org Jewish Telegraph Group of Newspapers. www.jewishtelegraph.com Email: [email protected] Cover photo: Kfir Meir Published by World WIZO Publicity and Communications Cover: First day of the school year at the Inez Bernstein Day Care Centre in Weizmann Street Tel Aviv Department Contents 02 Editorial 04 President’s Desk 05 Chairperson’s Column 06 Up Front 8 08 A Second Chance in Life Spotlight on Neve WIZO 12 Nachlat @ 90 WIZO school celebrates and students speak out 17 Donor Appreciation Mercedes and Menahem Ivcher 18 Holding Together a Small Community 13 14 WR interviews Dorrit Raiter, president of WIZO Denmark 21 Awesome Avivs A Call from Laurienne Baitz to attend the International Aviv Seminar 22 Life on Wheels Doreen Guinsberg: A true Zionist and WIZO lady 24 WIZO on the Itinerary Diaspora youth include WIZO projects on their Israel tour 26 ‘The Young Woman Who Claims That She is a Doctor ‘ 18 An anecdote from the life of Dr. Helena Kagan 27 Sustaining Jewish Peoplehood the WIZO Way What does Jewish Peoplehood mean to you in today’s world? 28 It’s a Zoo Around Here New rules for better communication 30 WIZO in Israel 34 New Federation Leaders 26 35 WIZO around the World CHANGE OF ADDRESS: to make sure you don’t miss a copy of WIZO Review, please let us know any address changes by email to [email protected] Don’t forget to add your full name, mailing address, zip code and country. AUTUMN 2012 I WIZO REVIEW I 3 World WIZO Executive President’s Desk Presidents or Chairpersons of Federations Dear Chaverot, s we celebrate the festivals, let us all wish that the Argentina Nicole Kovalivker coming year will bring with it winds of hope and rays Australia Gilla Liberman of sunshine. Austria Dr. Hava Bugajer AThe past year was a very intense year in more ways than one. Belgium & Earthquakes, tsunami waves, landslides, melting icebergs, Luxembourg Vicky Hollander hurricanes are changing the nature surrounding us. The world Bolivia Liliana Swerdszarf continues to struggle with the global economical crisis. Many Brazil Helena Kelner countries are experiencing recession and others austerity. Bulgaria Marina Nanjova Several countries in the Euro zone needed bailout packages as Canada Marla Dan their economies came close to collapsing. Chile Agnes Mannheim Colombia Sara Mekler But all was not bad. The 2012 London Olympic Games gave us hope that people of Costa Rica Anita Ligator different languages and religions can get along, as athletes from all over the world Lisa Davidovich came together to build a better world through sport and to demonstrate the Olympian Curaçao Yael Ackerman values of excellence, respect and friendship. It was wonderful to see the solidarity and Czech Republic Eva Kosakova camaraderie amongst all the athletes. Denmark Dorrit Raiter Here in Israel, the year was dominated by monitoring our neighbours’ ongoing instability Dom. Republic Helen Kopel as the promise of the Arab Spring is proving disappointing and even nightmarish for the Estonia Revekka Blumberg people who fought for democracy. Islamic extremists continue their attack on Israel’s Finland Nina Nadbornik southern region from the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. The latest attempt ended France Joelle Lezmi with Egyptian mortalities prompting the new Egyptian government to take action against Germany Diana Schnabel the extremists who have turned Sinai – once a tourists’ paradise into a terrorists’ haven. Gibraltar Julie Massias In the North, we are concerned by the horrific systematic genocide that has been taking Greece Heather Nahmias place in Syria for over a year – while the world still hasn’t intervened. The Iranian threat Guatemala Ruth Sibony Azulay remains lingering over our heads and dominates our headlines. Security and defense are Holland Joyce Y. Numann - again taking priority over social matters. Durlacher Honduras Yaeli Zylberman In addition, although Israel’s economy is stable, nevertheless the global recession and Hong Kong Daphna Peyser austerity is beginning to stifle Israel’s economical growth, causing our government to Hungary Eva Lancz take prudent measures. India Yael Jhirad This has led to further cuts in governmental budgets across the board, an increase in Italy Ester (Silvana) Israel taxes and a rise in the cost of living. The gap between the rich and poor grows, as does Jamaica Jennifer (McAdam) Lim the number of people requiring our WIZO services. Japan Sarah Hyams The global and local events have a profound effect on WIZO. We are well aware of the Latvia Hana Finkelstein difficulties federations face in fundraising and we appreciate the enormous efforts being Lithuania Rachel Kostanian invested to cover annual commitments and earmarked projects. In addition, the cuts Mexico Dr Diana Kuba to the national budgets will again see WIZO struggling to maintain the high level of New Zealand Lorna Orbell education and services that we are used to providing. Norway Janne Jaffe Hesstvedt Panama Estela Faskha On a personal note, as President of World WIZO, I am fully aware of my responsibility Paraguay Rosana Baràn – for the decisions taken today will define WIZO tomorrow and the future of our Peru Michelle Lumbroso children. WIZO must and will continue to support those who depend on us - no matter Liliana Lemor what the circumstances or in the words of Golda Meir z”l: “Pessimism is a luxury that Singapore S. J. Khafi no Jew can afford”. South Africa Yvonne Jawitz Challenges and hard times are no strangers to WIZO and I am confident that as in the Spain Ilana Querub Bergio past, with your help, we will all rise to the task, fulfill our commitments and take WIZO Sweden Susanne Sznajderman- to even higher achievements. Rytz Switzerland Anne Argi I wish each and every one of you, health, happiness and success. United Kingdom Jill Shaw Shana Tova, Gmar Hatima Tova and Moadim Lesimcha. United States Jana Falic Gail Perl Uruguay Raquel Lapchik Affectionately yours, de Szwedzki Venezuela Ena Rotkopf Tova Ben-Dov, President 4 I AUTUMN 2012 I WIZO REVIEW Chairperson’s Column World WIZO Executive Dear Chaverot, Resident in Israel s the past Jewish year makes way for the new, it is a time for reflection.