WIZO

History

WIZO was founded in Great Britain in 1920. The founders of WIZO, Rebecca Sieff, Dr. Vera Weizmann, Edith Eder, Romana Goodman and Henrietta Irwell, formed Wizo with the goal of serving the needs of women and children in the Land of Israel (Eretz Israel).Under the guidance of Rebecca Sieff, three of the leaders visited Palestine and held discussions with a great number of women engaged in pioneering work in Palestine. They returned to London in 1919 with far sighted reports on the urgent necessities of the women and children in Palestine and plans for improving the prevailing conditions by establishing social and welfare services and institutions for the agricultural and vocational training of young girls.

Between 1921 to 1933, WIZO focused on upbuilding its work in Palestine and developing the Movement in the Diaspora.
The years 1933 and during World War II witnessed the annihilation of Jewish communities in Europe and the dissolution of WIZO Federations in countries under the Nazi scourge. This was also the era when 19 new Latin American WIZO Federations were created. The first post war period was that of the resuscitation of WIZO Federations and groups in Europe.

In 1949, following the establishment of the State of Israel, the WIZO Head Office was transferred from London to Israel and Rebecca Sieff was elected 1st President of the World WIZO Movement. She served as President till 1966. She was followed by Rosa Ginossar who was elected Chairman of the World WIZO executive in 1951 and then President in 1966. In 1970, Raya Jaglom was elected President and served in this capacity till 1996. During her term of office, WIZO was established in the U.S. in 1981, in Hong Kong and in Budapest and Prague. During this period, WIZO was recognized as an N.G.O. with consultative status with Ecosoc and Unicef.
In 1996, Michal Modai, former chairman of the executive of the Israel Federation and of the World WIZO Executive, was elected President of World WIZO. Helena Glaser, Chairperson of the WIZO Israel Federation, was elected Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive.

	Past Presidents
	Rebecca Sieff The first President of World WIZO, was born in Leeds in 1890. She was the sole President of the London WIZO Executive from its inception, with the exception of a term when there was a Presidium consisting of Rebecca Sieff, Romana Goodman and Dr. Vera Weizmann, and later on co-Chairmanship of Mrs. Sieff and Dr. Vera Weizmann. In 1949, when the Head Office of WIZO was transferred to Israel, Rebecca Sieff was elected President of the World WIZO Movement. At a Plenary Session of the World WIZO Executive in 1966, Mrs. Sieff resigned at her own request due to her poor health, but was unanimously acclaimed Honorary Life President of the WIZO Movement. Rebecca Sieff was the dominant figure of the movement throughout her adult life and guided it like a burning flame through all the years of its struggles, its trials and its great successes.
	Rosa Ginossar Rosa Ginossar was the first Jewish woman in Palestine to be accredited as a lawyer, after a great struggle with the authorities of the Mandatory Government. She served as the first Honorary Secretary of WIZO after its founding in London and later as Treasurer of the Palestine WIZO Executive. In 1951, she was elected Chairman of the World WIZO Executive, and at the World WIZO Conference in 1966, became President of World WIZO, a position which she held until 1970. She was, during her 50 years of living in Israel, one of the most distinguished figures of the Yishuv (pre-State Jewish community) in Jerusalem and of the movement of World WIZO.
	Raya Jaglom An outstanding Zionist leader, Raya Jaglom, has long been a standard bearer of the State of Israel and the Zionist movement throughout the world. She served as President of World WIZO for twenty-six years, and is currently the organization's Honorary President. Throughout her years of service, Raya Jaglom has campaigned vigorously on behalf of Jewish communities in Israel and abroad, always cognizant of the needs of both the individual and of the community. Raya Jaglom immigrated to Israel from Bessarabia in Romania in 1940, by means of a student certificate that she had received from the Hebrew University. She soon became involved with WIZO and during 1947-48, she served in the Haganah, fulfilling assignments in communications and transportation, and assisting in the landing of new immigrants on the beaches of Tel Aviv. Following the War of Independence, she returned to her activities in WIZO where she served in several key positions. In 1970, she was elected World President, a role in which she made a significant impact in all areas of WIZO's activities. Her primary endeavours were to establish programs for the community, in particular for its weaker members. Indeed, at her initiative, institutions were established throughout the country for young children, adolescents, women and the elderly. Similarly, her tireless efforts led to the establishment of branches of WIZO all over the world. In 1964, at the invitation of the Soviet government, Raya Jaglom headed a delegation of women to the Soviet Union. During this visit she witnessed the plight of Jews living there and, as a result, she joined the struggle on their behalf. She was a founding member of the Council for Soviet Jewry, participated in all the World Conferences on Soviet Jewry held in Brussels, and campaigned for the cause of the World Jewish Congress. She served as chair of the Committee for Ida Nudel for eight years. Among the many organizations that benefit from the generosity of Raya Jaglom and her husband Josef, are the Hebrew University (scholarship fund), the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's musicians' club, a synagogue in Tel Aviv and the Tel Aviv University (scholarship fund). Raya Jaglom continues to generously contribute of her energy and experience to public causes. She serves as a deputy chair of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University, she is a member of the executive of the World Jewish Congress, a member of the executives of the World Zionist Organization and of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency. In addition, she is President of the Friends Association of Tel Aviv University and a member of the International Board of the Israel Museum and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. In profound appreciation to Raya Jaglom, the Hebrew University has granted Mrs. Jaglom with the degree of Doctor Philosophiae Honoris Causa.
	Michal Modai Michal Modai, nee Solomon, a seventh generation �sabra�, was born in Jerusalem to one of Israel�s oldest families. Yoel Moshe Solomon, a relative, was one of the founders of Petach Tikva in the 19th century. She was married to the late Yitzhak Modai, who served as a member of the Knesset for 20 years and held several Ministerial posts, the last one being the Minister of Finance. Michal has a son and daughter and seven grandchildren. Michal is a graduate of the Evelina de Rothschild School, Jerusalem and the David Yellin Teachers� Training College, Jerusalem. After finishing her studies she worked as a qualified kindergarten teacher at an immigrant camp near Zichron Yaacov. This was her first encounter with the distress of the new immigrants, and she saw the need for veteran Israelis to give a helping hand to the newcomers. In 1968 Michal joined WIZO Herzlia-Pituach and soon was elected Chairperson of the branch. She decided to recruit WIZO volunteers to work for the poorer neighborhoods of Herzlia-Pituach, especially Neve Israel, whose population suffered from many social problems. In 1974 she was elected as Deputy Chairperson of WIZO Israel, and was elected Chairperson of WIZO Israel in 1979. She devoted special care to the WIZO branches along the country�s borders and in the Galilee outposts. The problems of domestic violence distressed her greatly and she established the first WIZO shelter for battered women in 1983. Michal served as Deputy Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive between 1980 � 1984, and in January 1984 was elected Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive. She regarded the schools and youth villages as being extremely important, and after negotiations with the Ministries of Education and Finance, the Ministry of Education�s Settlement Division signed a contract ensuring that they would contribute 50% of the maintenance costs of the five WIZO Agricultural youth villages, saving WIZO millions of shekels annually. Michal also approached private donors, and foundations to raise contributions of millions of dollars which enabled WIZO to renovate dormitories and family units, and to build new dormitories and a new wing in the WIZO Hadassah Canada Youth Village �Hanna Maisel Shohat� in Nahalal. In 1992, at the 20th World WIZO Conference, Michal Modai was elected Vice President of World WIZO and re-elected Chairperson of the World WIZO Executive. In 1996, at the 21st World WIZO Conference, Michal was elected President of World WIZO. One of her main aims was to bring the 50 WIZO Federations world-wide closer to WIZO in Israel. In 1997 Michal was appointed a member of the executive of the World Zionist Organization and became a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency. In 1998 she was appointed co-chairman of the Assembly Planning Committee of the Jewish Agency, a position she still holds. As President, Michal carried out many missions to WIZO Federations around the world during her 8 years as World WIZO President, speaking before members of Parliaments and Government dignitaries, WIZO members and colleagues. She was awarded �Guardian of Jerusalem� (1997), the Prime Minister�s Shield of Voluntarism (1999), was appointed a member of the World Jewish Congress (2001) and was presented with �Yakir Tel Aviv� (Honoree of Tel Aviv) by the Mayor of Tel Aviv on the 56th Independence Day of the State of Israel (April 2004). Michal became Chairperson of the Council of Womens Organizations in Israel (January 2004), comprised of 11 major Womens Organizations, and participates in the Israeli delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York. As Honorary Life President she attends all Meetings of Representative and Conferences, as well as the Executive meetings of World WIZO.