Once again the calendar heralds the arrival of the Jewish New Year --- and once again we renew our faith as we express our fervent hopes for a peaceful future. The year 5771 will dawn with our world still mired in conflict, our communities often subjected to hate and Middle East peace still a dream, but far from a reality. Closer to home we remember those whom we have lost, and we pray that the year ahead will bring joy and health to those we love.
Above all, we approach the coming period of reflection soberly, openly, and hopefully. Rabbi Hillel wrote: If not us, then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where? Each of us carries a responsibility to answer these questions: “Who?” is us, “When?” is now and “Where?” is here. The New Year is quite literally the time for new resolutions…new resolutions for us, for our families, for our communities and, of course, for ICJW as well.
While many of us live in countries or communities free from hatred and personal attack, others of us live in countries where anti-Semitism and acts of violence against women are disturbingly commonplace. But regardless of where each of us lives, the challenge is the same. We in ICJW describe ourselves as a sisterhood of Jewish women around the world with “a unity of thought and purpose”. As a sisterhood we have an obligation to support each other; to speak out; to oppose hatred; to work actively and passionately for what we know to be good and true. We speak in the name of Judaism AND in the name of humanity. My wish for each of us is that in this coming year, 5771, we will see the fruits of our labors and the answers to our prayers.
L’Shana Tovah to you and to your families.
Sharon Gustafson
Introductory Message from New Incoming President Sharon Gustafson, May 2010, Cape Town, South Africa
This seems an appropriate time and place to paraphrase a well known African saying, “it takes a village” to solve complex issues. On one level we have seen this demonstrated in the recent events in Haiti; on another level we see this demonstrated in the ongoing efforts to solve the seemingly insoluble stalemate in the Middle East. It is an honor to be stepping up to the challenge of leadership as the incoming president of ICJW – an organization which for the past 100 years has used the concept of a “global village” to advocate on behalf of Israel, religious equality, social justice and welfare issues around the world.
ICJW has long embraced these causes. We work ceaselessly on behalf of Israel; we promote feminine leadership; we are present at United Nations NGO and other international “tables” around the world; we are tireless in our commitment to our faith, including issues unique to Judaism which sometimes egregiously affect Jewish women in our communities.
Clearly, the challenge is great and the time is now. The past is prologue to our future. I thank you for your support and look forward to the years ahead with enthusiasm and conviction.
Sharon Gustafson
Pesach Message, Erev Pesach 5770
Dear Friends,
One of the everlasting messages of Pesach is that, ultimately, the survival of the Jewish people is in the hands of women. The description of how the midwives, Miriam and Yocheved, and Pharoah’s daughter banded together in order to save Jewish children from Pharoah’s decree, in a colossal show of feminine solidarity, reminds us that when women unite even the most diabolical plan can be thwarted.
I have no doubt that women, as the transmitters of Jewish values, and as those ultimately responsible for Jewish continuity, have been a major factor in the endurance of our people. And I truly believe that ICJW has played a great role in this endeavor by sustaining the crucial element of solidarity among Jewish women around the world.
As we sit at the Pesach seder, let us indeed recall the contribution of women toward our having reached this point in Jewish history. And may you and your loved ones enjoy a happy and meaningful holiday.
With best wishes,
Leah Aharonov
Rosh Hashanah Message
Dear Friends,
As we complete the cycle of one year and begin anew, we have the opportunity both to reflect back and to plan ahead. Among the holidays that bests manifests this is Simchat Torah, when we complete the reading of the entire Torah and immediately begin reading it again. While we, unlike the Torah, are not infinite, the lesson is clear. As we mark the past, we must prepare for the future.
This year, ICJW marks 60 years of the reconstitution of our organization in Paris in 1949. It is awe-inspiring to think that this took place so soon after the decimation of the Jewish people during World War II. We can attribute this initiative to the same caliber of female leaders, who already in the early 1900s had conceived the idea of an international Jewish women’s organization and began working toward its formation. We revel in their accomplishments and are inspired by their actions. Their first steps will be celebrated at the upcoming ICJW Convention in Cape Town in May 2010, when we will mark a century of Jewish women’s achievement through ICJW, and deliberate on how to follow in their footsteps.
Looking back over the past year, two new ICJW initiatives are especially gratifying. We awarded the first ICJW Research Prize to a young woman scholar who is investigating a topic of relevance to Jewish women everywhere. At the ICJW Herczeg Jerusalem Seminar, we launched the Bea Zucker Online Bible Course, the second series of feminist-oriented study sources available on the ICJW website. Apropos the High Holy Days, I refer you to Dr. Bonna Devora Haberman’s session on Parashat Vayera, in which the power of women’s prayer and their willingness to sacrifice are discussed.
As always, the community work of ICJW affiliates is the chain that connects us all, and some inspiring examples are highlighted in our latethis issue of LINKS - click here to read it.
As we enter a new cycle of ICJW activities, may the good deeds reflected in the work of our members around the world merit our inscription for a happy, healthy, and productive new year.
Wishing you and your families Shana Tova veKetivah veChatimah Tova,
Leah Aharonov
President, International Council of Jewish Women
Last week the world was given a front-row seat at the “theater of the absurd” that took place in Geneva at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, better known as “Durban II.”
As Israel and Jews around the world prepared to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, we witnessed the world's number-one Holocaust denier (in the words of Elie Wiesel) being given center stage to spew his hate and lies and incite to the destruction of the Jewish state. This, in a nutshell, is what is so wrong with many UN conferences—that, no matter what the topic, Israel is always singled out for condemnation.
However, unlike in Durban in 2001, this time Jewish organizations around the world were prepared for this conference of hate and did not allow the one-sided rhetoric to go unanswered. ICJW has taken an active part over the last years to make sure that we would be part of this effort. I would like to thank Geulah Solomon, who was actually at Durban I, for her ongoing distribution of pertinent information regarding the plans and preparations around the world vis-à-vis Durban II; Leonie de Picciotto, who was involved with the preparations in Geneva, and who led the ICJW delegation to the conference; Sara Winkowski, Mary Liling, Vera Kronenberg, and Chana Berlowitz, who attended the conference in Geneva. My thanks, too, to our UN representatives in New York, Madeleine Brecher, Judy Mintz, and Joan Goldberg, who were on the organizing committee as representatives of ICJW of the “counter-conference” that took place at Fordham University in New York, to highlight the many aspects of racism that were ignored at the Geneva conference. This combined effort ensured that ICJW was a full partner in the efforts of the Jewish NGOs to bring attention to what was transpiring under the cover of the UN Conference Against Racism.
Ten countries boycotted the Geneva conference, and they are to be applauded. But the fact that so many did not is cause for concern. Antisemitism is most definitely on the rise, and, unfortunately, we cannot lower our guard.
I find it all the more fitting, therefore, that I can end this message with ICJW’s congratulations to the State of Israel on its Independence Day.
With best wishes,
Leah Aharonov
Dear Friends,
Passover heralds spring—yes, also spring cleaning!—but, above all, the season of renewal, rebirth, and new awakening. We should seize this springtime holiday to open ourselves to a greater awareness of what is going on around us in both physical and spiritual terms. We should commit ourselves to adopt as many actions as we can in order to ensure a safer environment for ourselves and the generations to come. We should rededicate ourselves to our communal ideals and the notion of mutual help and assistance, especially in these difficult times of uncertainty and financial disruption.
One of the high points of the seder night is opening the door for Elijah and the anticipation of his arrival. Elijah is the prophet who symbolizes the future redemption, and by waiting for Elijah and welcoming him into our homes, we acknowledge our commitment to take those steps that will bring the world closer to redemption—in every respect.
The work of ICJW is an attempt to move the world in that direction. May we continue to take inspiration from our Jewish sources and from our own organizational history in order to move closer to our goals—for women, for Jews, and for all of humanity.
With best wishes for a joyous holiday,
Leah Aharonov
President, ICJW
February 2009
Dear Friends,
The main theme of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women, which will be held in March at the United Nations in New York, is “Equal Sharing of Responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/Aids.” The review theme is: “Equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes on all levels”; and the emerging issue is: “Gender perspectives of the financial crisis.”
I believe that the main theme and the review theme are two sides of the same topic—the equal sharing of responsibilities. On the one hand, caregiving has always been left mostly to women, giving rise to the many social-welfare activities and projects undertaken by women’s organizations, and, most certainly, Jewish women’s organizations. On the other hand, all over the world women are still struggling to be included in decision-making processes on all levels. The major concern of ICJW is to encourage women to be included in Jewish communal structures at all levels and to become an integral part of the decision-making forums.
When we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, let us keep these two aspects of gender equality in mind. And as we go forward, let us educate the men in our lives to become full partners and assume their equal responsibility in caregiving, while actively encouraging the partnership of women in decision-making roles in public life. This synergy of strengths will, in the long run, be the most beneficial to society and, ultimately, to humankind as a whole.
As we prepare to mark International Women’s Day, these are the thoughts that I share with you.
With best wishes,
Leah Aharonov
President, ICJW
January 7, 2009
Dear Friends,
In these very difficult days that the people of Israel are experiencing, I would like to thank all those within ICJW who have sent messages of support and understanding and those who have related what actions have been undertaken in their communities. I also thank you for the personal messages of concern.
For the last eight years, the residents of southern Israel have been living in fear of the next rocket attack. They have been exposed to a “Russian roulette” situation as to where the next rocket might fall and who might be a target. Children do not play outdoors; many suffer from post-traumatic stress, with all accompanying manifestations. The future ramifications are many.
Eight years is a long time to be patient, especially when civilians are under attack. Three years ago Israel unilaterally disengaged from Gaza, removing all settlers and all army installations—in fact, putting an end to Israeli presence in Gaza. This was thought to be a turning-point. It was not. The attacks only increased.
We are all saddened by the civilian casualties among the Palestinians. Israeli soldiers take personal risks at the expense of their own safety in order to try to minimize these casualties. Unfortunately, they are not always successful.
I have some personal reflections on the current events; however, I feel some distance is needed before I express them. It is a matter of perspective as to where this latest military operation fits into the history of the modern Jewish state. There will be an opportunity for that, too. In the meantime, may I ask that you pray for the safety of the Israeli soldiers currently defending their people and for the people themselves.
Leah Aharonov
December 2008
Dear Friends,
I write this in the aftermath of the tragedy in Mumbai. We all, I am sure, held our breaths for the 60 hours of terror and uncertainty. We all, I am sure, were touched to tears by the pictures of the orphaned Moishe crying out for his mother at the memorial service.
For those of us who travel and have spent time at various Chabad Houses around the world, I do not think anyone can but marvel at the level of personal sacrifice Chabad emissaries are prepared to make in order to provide Jews with a welcoming, friendly atmosphere in the most far-flung corners of the earth. You do not have to agree with the worldview of Chabad in order to admire what they do. But, above all, the people in the Chabad House in Mumbai were targeted because they were Jews and had some connection to . And the phenomenon, unfortunately, is not unique to what happened in Mumbai.
On a different level, but potentially as lethal, is the language regarding Jews and that is emerging in the preparatory documents for “Durban II,” to be held in Geneva in April 2009. This is poison being dripped into the international discourse. While the Jewish NGOs have yet to decide whether or not to attend this conference, it seems the virulent language has already been chiseled into what will be the final outcome.
In a separate message to our affiliates, I have raised the issue of the current horrific situation in . The Jewish community there is suffering terribly, and if you are able to extend any help, please contact Irene Zuckerman, who is coordinating this for ICJW. For further details you can also consult: www.africanjewishcongress.com/ZIMBABWE.htm.
I regret that this message has taken on such a negative tone. Let’s hope for better news and more positive developments as 2009 rolls around. In the meantime please have a look around the ICJW website, where you can see many of the outstanding things in which our affiliates and ICJW are involved. It should be at least a partial antidote to the woes of the world.
With best wishes to you and yours for a Happy Chanukah,
Leah Aharonov
President, ICJW
November 2008
Dear Friends,
The economic crisis has so engulfed the world that it has mesmerized our attention, practically beyond almost any other factor on the global agenda. No doubt that what has transpired is the equivalent of a major earthquake, shaking the very foundations of the world economy. Even organizations such as ICJW will be affected, both in the short and the long run. In general, this will force many NGOs to reconsider their priorities and regroup commensurately. Nevertheless, the world continues to turn, and that means our focus must remain on our organizational goals.
November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In March of this year, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban-Ki Moon, inaugurated a campaign to stop violence against women and to work for the eradication of this scourge altogether. So much has been said, written, and proclaimed on this subject, and, indeed, there has been much consciousness-raising. Yet there are still so many manifestations of violence against women--wife-beating, rape, murder, trafficking... We must not relinquish the struggle against all forms of violence against women in order to delegitimize them all and send out a strong message. I urge you to join the UNIFEM campaign “Say NO to Violence Against Women” at www.saynotoviolence.org as one way of taking action.
Let us hope that next year, as a result of these and other efforts, we will be able to report on a substantial decrease in violence against women, and better lives for women and children everywhere.
Leah Aharonov
President, ICJW
September 2008 Dear Friends,
As we approach the High Holy Day period, thoughts about the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights somehow interweave with the traditional spiritual preparations in expectation of the New Year. Perhaps this has been prompted by my visit to Paris to mark the milestone of the codification of human rights, joined by our UN team in France and two representatives of our UN team in New York. I believe we were all very moved by the opening address of Simone Veil, who is well known for her injunction of the Holocaust into both the French and global dialogue. I also think we all want to believe that the lofty principles found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will guide more of the world’s discourse and actions.
Our ICJW Newsletter has also been primarily devoted to the topic of human rights—looking back and looking forward, and pointing to some of the Jewish aspects. I strongly believe that, when contemplating the overall state of contemporary defense of human rights, slightly more than 60 years after the Holocaust, we must cling ever more closely to our Jewish value system. As Paul Johnson has written in A History of the Jews, “To [the Jews] we owe the idea of equality before the law…the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person…the individual conscience and…social responsibility…”
The Jewish New Year is symbolized by “calls for repentance.” There is the injunction to act with compassion to our fellow human, “for you were a stranger in the land of Egypt.” Rabbi Warren Goldstein, the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, writes in his book Defending the Human Spirit; Jewish Law’s Vision for a Moral Society, that Jews are specially charged to demonstrate extra love toward the stranger in order, among other things, to counteract his/her feelings of alienation. To cause any type of emotional pain to the vulnerable is considered a serious sin. In fact, the prophets who later came to castigate the people of Israel criticized them for ignoring the plight of the vulnerable in society and determined that society is judged by how they treat the defenseless. Rabbi Goldstein quotes Rabbi J. B. Soloveitchik, who said: “the Egyptian experience may…be regarded as the fountainhead and moral inspiration for the teaching of compassion which is so pervasive in Jewish law.”
However, Rabbi Goldstein goes further, explaining that, “Defending the human spirit is not only about compassion for the oppressed. It is about Jewish law’s appreciation of the greatness of the human spirit, a greatness which needs space and safety to flourish and reach its full potential.”
This beautiful thought, grounded in our belief and value system, predated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by millennia. In marking the 60th anniversary of the Declaration and looking forward to the Jewish New Year, let us try through our work on behalf of the oppressed and the vulnerable around the world to integrate both these Jewish and universal values in order to strive for the betterment of all. Let us not only pity the unfortunate but help shape the circumstances in which they might flourish in freedom, reach their full potential, and thus contribute to the enhancement of human resources everywhere.
Shana Tova ve Ketivah veChatimah Tova,
Leah Aharonov
June 2008
Dear Friends,
The ICJW Latin American Conference that took place recently in Barranquilla, Colombia, was a very special event, and I feel fortunate to have been able to participate. I was there with 85 delegates from all over Latin America (Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Cuba, and, of course, Colombia), as well as from the United States and Israel. This was the fifteenth ICJW Latin American Conference and the second to be held in Barranquilla. The lectures were first-rate; the workshops and activities were innovative and dynamic; and the evening programs were really out of this world—to the extent that we were treated to a private carnival with 150 performers!
The small Jewish community of Barranquilla, which celebrated its 80th anniversary while we were there, and the Damas Hebreas de Barranquilla, our local ICJW affiliate, extended such a warm welcome that we all quickly felt at home. As at all ICJW events the personal connections led to fast friendships that undoubtedly will continue over time. Moreover, it was interesting and often heartwarming to hear about the social-welfare and other activities sponsored by ICJW affiliates in Latin America.
One of the highlights of the conference was our visit to the Golda Meir School, a project supported and funded by the Damas Hebreas for the last thirty years. Many of us were touched to tears at the sight of the local children (a total of 800) from one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city being educated from kindergarten till the end of high school as a result of the efforts of the Damas Hebreas. The photos and portraits of Golda Meir and the pictures of places and sites in Israel that decorate this school in a far corner of Colombia were especially meaningful and are a living testament to the highest value of zedekah.
The founder and guiding spirit of this project is Susie Steckerl de Schmulson, the president of the Damas Hebreas, who was also the moving force behind the conference. She and her committee deserve every sort of congratulation for their outstanding work.
From Barranquilla I went to New York, where I was pleased to have the opportunity to bring greetings in the name of ICJW to the Jewish NGO Caucus at the UN in New York, as they were meeting this time in the offices of the NCJW-US New York Section. Dr. Haskel Haddad gave a very interesting talk on the “Jews from Arab Lands” and then the caucus members discussed ongoing matters of common concern. ICJW has assumed a high profile in this body over the last years and is making a significant contribution. Many thanks to Phyllis Gottdiener and Judy Mintz of the ICJW New York UN team, as well as to Jerry Sobel and Barbara Zuckerberg of NCJW for their help in organizing this event.
Now back in Israel, I look forward to attending the upcoming Conference of the International Council of Christians and Jews on “The Contribution of Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue to Peace-Building in the Middle East” and the Executive Meeting of the Memorial Foundation, both of which will be held in Jerusalem.
Wishing you all a pleasant summer/winter, as the case may be,
Leah Aharonov
May 2008
Dear Friends
As we approach the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, we anticipate the festivities that are planned in Israel as well as those scheduled in most Jewish communities around the world. May I suggest, however, that a significant way of celebration for each one of us is to take a few moments and contemplate what it means to you and your Jewish community to have the State of Israel as part of our collective Jewish life.
Only a few weeks ago, the 65th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was marked in Poland. That revolt against the Nazis, while doomed to failure, became a watershed event that lit the imaginations of subsequent generations of Jewish youth. Historical analysis aside, it was the spirit of that struggle that lived on in what would become the battle for Israel’s independence.
As President Shimon Peres said on the site of the Warsaw ghetto, “They lost the fight, but from the point of view of history, there has never been such a victory.” That night the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra performed before the presidents of Israel and Poland at Warsaw’s National Opera House.
From those ashes the Jewish people went on to build cities from sand, revitalize its ancient language, establish commerce and industry, engage in the social experiment of kibbutz life, and reach international recognition for its cultural renaissance in music, art, film, theater, and its academic achievements in innumerable fields.
While we are all critical of this or that aspect of life in Israel—and no one more than those who live in the country—we should never lose sight of the great accomplishments of the last 60 years, accomplishments made possible by the tenacious partnership of Jews all over the world.
While Israel still has much ground to cover in catching up to some older democracies in terms of aspects of good governance, transparency, and less bureaucracy, the underlying difference is that we are no longer powerless to forge our own destiny. We are now free to make our own mistakes—and, hopefully, to correct them when need be.
In the midst of cleaning for Pesach—or, as they say, making the house kosher for the holiday—I have been pondering the use of the term kosher as it is being applied to Israel’s “kosher buses.”
The segregation of women on some public transportation in and between religious neighborhoods—literally, sending them to the back of the bus—has caused a outpouring of anger in many circles here and overseas. As always, it falls to the victims themselves to campaign against the infringement of their civil and human rights. Women who do not want to be relegated to the back seats, and who have been humiliated and even attacked for this refusal, are now appealing to Israel’s courts to challenge this arrangement on public buses. They are being supported by overseas groups, including a campaign by our U.S. affiliate, the National Council of Jewish Women, and initial reactions from the judges in these cases agree that there is a clear violation of women’s rights as protected by the law.
For those of us who remember the first acts of the civil rights’ movement in the United States, we are very aware of the significance of segregated buses. We can also attest to the fact that these violations of civil and human rights inevitably lead to violence—in this case, violence specifically targeted against women.
And here is the true point of the “bus situation.” This is not really about seating on buses, or any real attempt to preserve modesty between the sexes. If those behind the segregation of men and women were really acting in the interest of modesty, they should have perhaps followed the example of countries like Mexico who provide women with separate “grope-free” public transportation.
Every woman who has ever used public transportation has experienced sexual harassment of one type or another. The idea of “grope-free” transportation offers separate transportation for women so that they can travel comfortably, without having to fight off the wandering hands and lewd looks of male passengers. Had the “kosher” bus initiators made similar arrangements for the women in their community, I doubt whether there would have been any uproar. In fact, the argument could have been made that there was some forward thinking in this policy, just as there is a strong argument to be made for separate education for boys and girls. (In many research studies, the latter has actually been shown to serve the scholastic and intellectual development of the girls.)
But the point of segregated buses is not to protect the women. Insisting that the women travel at the back of the bus is a symbolic act of patriarchal oppression in a community that feels it has to remind its women of their “proper place.” It has nothing to do with religion, and it is not remotely “kosher.” It is another tactic to enforce the status quo in a community that fears the cracks of gender equality are growing wider.
As we get ready for the Pesach holiday, let us remember that the message of the holiday is freedom. Any perversion of that message is simply not kosher.
With best wishes for a happy holiday,
Leah Aharonov
March 2008
Dear Friends:
I have just returned from New York, after attending the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations. The main theme this year was “Financing for Gender Equality.”
I am proud to say that ICJW contributed in a special way to this discussion by sponsoring, together with Soroptomist International, a parallel (NGO) event on “Corporate Feminism: Enhancing Corporate Influence Through Women’s Empowerment.” The panelists were from Goldman, Sachs & Co.; Ernst & Young; Eileen Fisher, Inc.; and the Exxon Mobil Corporation. The moderator was from “Catalyst,” an organization that furthers women’s empowerment, among other things, by presenting annual awards to U.S. companies for outstanding corporate programs in this area. The panel was very articulate in expressing lesser-known aspects of how very large and influential corporations are advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality. They also suggested that women’s organizations begin thinking more in a business mode when promoting gender equality, pointing to the benefits and added value that gender equality can offer.
Our UN team in New York organized this event, as well as the annual reception that ICJW holds—at which we were so pleased to see so many old and new friends of ICJW. Phyllis Gottdiener, Madeleine Brecher, Joan Lurie Goldberg, and Judy Mintz were involved in various aspects of ICJW’s presence at the CSW, and all did a fantastic job.
In addition, ICJW co-sponsored an event on Jewish-Muslim dialogue called “Muslim and Jewish Women Building Bridges of Understanding.” This was organized by June Jacobs, in cooperation with the U.S. Federation for Middle East Peace, and dovetailed nicely with the topic of the upcoming ICJW European Conference, which will be devoted to “European Women in Intercultural Dialogue: Perception and Reality.”
June also facilitated ICJW’s co-sponsorship of an event organized by the National Women’s Association of Great Britain on the review of UN Resolution 1325 mandating women’s participation in conflict resolution. This was aptly called “Peacebuilding is a Woman’s Job.”
The variety of events in which ICJW was involved reflects the multi-faceted spectrum of status of women issues and the contribution ICJW can make on so many of them. As we look forward on this International Women’s Day, let us renew our determination to further gender equality and the rights of women in all aspects of life. Let us, too, not forget to demand and take our rightful positions at policy-making forums—on whatever the topic. Women bring a special perspective. Let’s make certain it is vocalized.
With best regards,
Leah Aharonov
January 2008
Dear Friends,
The upcoming Tu B’Shvat holiday is always a suitable time to ponder the Jewish perspective on environmental issues. These contemporary concerns, which have become more acute in recent years, are not new to Judaism, which teaches respect for nature and our physical world. Tu B’Shvat is a traditional catalyst to encourage us to appreciate the bounty of nature and contemplate how we can ensure that future generations will benefit from it as well.
At the recent convention of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada, which I was privileged to attend, there was much discussion about what we as women—and Jewish women—can actually do to protect the environment. The adverse effects of environmental neglect on ourselves and our families were given prominence, as were practical measures we can all take to arrest environmental deterioration. NCJW-Canada is to be commended for making this a priority issue for their organization, and I urge you, too, to utilize Tu B’Shvat to raise consciousness among your membership of these important topics.
Many Jewish groups all over the world are renewing the ancient custom of a Tu B’Shvat seder as a vehicle for just this sort of consciousness-raising within their communities. I suggest looking through the liturgy of this ceremony in order to discover one expression of the Jewish outlook on the world in which we live and which we hope to bequeath to subsequent generations.
December 2007
Dear Friends:
This week is the beginning of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. One of the main messages of this holiday is that the few, when their cause is righteous and just, can prevail over the many...and that miracles can be found in the strangest places--even in a jar of oil!
Let us take a few moments to dwell on the meaning of this festival and be infused with the inspiration it holds for our volunteer and community work. Although often our efforts seem small and insignificant, taken together they are really creating much light in the lives of many and serving as the light by which others can find the path to social action and change.
When we light the menorah may the significance of our work through ICJW also be in our thoughts.
With best wishes for a Chag Chanukah Sameach,
(image taken from a Chanukah Card from our Ukrainian affiliate)
Message for Human Rights Day
Dear Friends,
This year I believe that Human Rights Day, celebrated December 10, carries a special message for us.
Around the Jewish world we are marking the 40th anniversary of the struggle of Soviet Jewry for free emigration. Many commentators claim this was also the first step in the eventual fall of the Iron Curtain, paving the way for the many free regimes that replaced the former Soviet bloc.
When the Biblical cry of “Let My People Go!” rang out in the twentieth century, many of the women active today in ICJW were at the forefront of the struggle on behalf of their brothers and sisters. In fact, many friendships within ICJW date from those days. Jews all over the world felt that they had an obligation to those Jews who could not speak for themselves. Thus, they demonstrated, protested, and were even arrested for participating in that ongoing process of activism designed to inform the world of their brethren’s plight and to exert the pressure of world opinion in order to change it.
Natan Sharansky relates that, when he was incarcerated, the KGB would show him photographs of rallies and tell him—you see, only women and children care about you—intending to dampen his spirit and break his resistance. He, however, knew that this meant he was not forgotten and that Jews were actively involved in efforts on his behalf.
Many of those women are the ICJW women of today. That same spirit of care for one’s fellow Jew and fellow human being palpably reverberates in all the present-day activities of ICJW affiliates and members.
Today, too, we are privileged to have as affiliates many representatives of former Soviet-bloc communities. These Jewish women were the caretakers of Jewish tradition in their communities when this was forbidden and should be recognized as true modern-day Jewish heroines.
Our present ICJW family reflects a broader Jewish world thanks to the struggle for Soviet Jewry. At the time it seemed to be an insurmountable goal, but when we look back—in justifiable awe—let us draw strength for those other human rights goals we may set for ourselves today, while we pause for a moment in admiration for those who have showed us the way.
October 2007
Dear Friends:
The recent publication of the recommendations of a high-level fact-finding commission in on the subject of trafficking is a fitting opportunity to raise this topic once again. U.S. State Department figures set the number of trafficked human beings around the world at approximately 800,000 a year. About 80 percent of them are women.
It is our clear moral obligation to speak out and take whatever action possible, both within our affiliates and internationally, to try to stop this manifestation of modern-day slavery. It is also worth remembering that this is the very issue that brought together the founder members of our international Jewish women’s organization over 100 years ago and gave rise to the International Council of Jewish Women. We can take much pride in the activism of our foremothers and the Jewish values of morality and justice, that prompted their actions. Nelly Las’s book Jewish Women in a Changing World, A History of the International Council of Jewish Women, 1899-1995 describes this first chapter in our history. The fact that--over 100 years later-- we are still anguishing over the same shameful problem is thought-provoking.
Leaving aside the Cinderella story of Pretty Woman, the vast majority of women engaged in prostitution are victims of either trafficking, violence, abuse, or addiction. This is not their career of choice. When they live in danger of prosecution, it only reinforces their dependence on crime and drugs for survival.
At the last ICJW European Meeting in Stockholm in June, we heard about new legislation in that penalizes the clients rather than the prostitutes. This revolutionary initiative seems to be working and has also recently been adopted by . Other governments and NGOs are keeping a careful eye on the effectiveness of the Swedish model, and this could very well be the strategy we should be advocating.
ICJW and its affiliates should endorse all efforts which are designed to assist women in situations of victimization. This is part of our history and should not be neglected today.
Leah Aharonov
President
International Council of Jewish Women
ROSH HASHANAH MESSAGE
Dear Friends
At the beginning of a new year, we invariably find ourselves saying: “how fast another year has passed!” For the women in ICJW, I have no doubt that time ‘flies’ because they are constantly engaged in work that is crucial for their respective organizations and communities. Each day is filled with a new challenge, and there never seems to be enough time for everything at hand.
The period of the High Holy Days forces us to take “time out”; to step back and take stock. However, unlike many cultures, the Jewish New Year is not celebrated with fireworks, alcohol or kisses at midnight. On the contrary, the mood is serious, sober, as we believe that this is a Judgment Day, with personal and national implications for the coming year. While there are Jewish festivals with much singing and dancing, and even some drinking, Rosh Hashanah is not one of them. We approach the beginning of a new year as an opportunity to reflect on the past and contemplate the future, to consider our achievements andt reassess our goals.
All this is done in an atmosphere of family togetherness. Our prayers are, of course, first for our loved ones, and for the Jewish people around the world. But let us not forget those whom we do not know personally or to whom we are not directly connected; many of them need our prayers as well—the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited.
On Rosh Hashanah it is said that the fate of all humankind is sealed. May you and your family be inscribed for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. And may our prayers be answered for justice and compassion for all the peoples of the world.
Happy New Year
Leah Aharonov
JULY MESSAGE:
Dear Friends
During the month of June I found myself traveling as far north as Stockholm and as far south as Christchurch, New Zealand—truly an unusual opportunity to see the globe practically from top to bottom!
The ICJW Executive Meeting in Stockholm—the first held there in 25 years—was more than just a meeting; it was a fascinating encounter with the Jewish community. Many of us spent Friday night and Shabbat together and were welcomed warmly at a special reception. Vivianne Nisell and her committee worked very hard for several months in order to make all the arrangements, and everything went off perfectly. We were especially pleased to meet Margot Friedman and to have her participate with us in all the events.
A highlight of the meeting was that Mirta Goldflus, the Latin American Regional Chairperson, came especially from Montevideo to present the applications for two new affiliates from Panama and Costa Rica. We welcome them to the ICJW family.
A week after the meeting I flew to Sydney for the convention of the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia. It was wonderful to renew old acquaintances, participate in the many interesting sessions and represent ICJW. Articles appeared in the local Jewish newspaper, and I was interviewed in Hebrew and English on the radio. Australian MPs, Australian Jewish leaders, and Israeli dignitaries were guests at the opening and closing dinners, and all emphasized the significant contribution that NCJWA is making to Australian society and to the Jewish community.
Awards were given to outstanding sections and individuals. ICJW Life Member Malvina Malinek and ICJW Vice-President Geulah Solomon were made Honorary Life Governors of NCJWA. Robyn Lenn completed a very successful term of office as president, and Rysia Rozen was installed as the new president. Susie Ivany and Di Hirsh held an Asia-Pacific Meeting with the Australian and New Zealand ICJW Executive members and other representatives who had come from New Zealand for the NCJWA convention. Several ideas for outreach in the region were discussed and, hopefully, will bear fruit in the not-too-distant future.
I was able to go to Melbourne for just a few hours for a special Morning Tea, and the next day I traveled to New Zealand. There I had meetings in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. Shirley Payes also arranged a meeting with Minister Winnie Laban, as well as an interview with the local Jewish paper. It was a long way to travel, but it was so heartwarming to be able to meet with our membership and pay tribute to their outstanding work in the community.
From New Zealand I flew to Johannesburg for a meeting regarding the ICJW convention, which will be held in Cape Town in May 2010. It was a very productive exchange, and much preparatory work had already been done. The convention convenors will be Anna Berkowitz, Sharon Fox, and Irene Zuckerman. My heartfelt thanks to President of the Union of Jewish Women Mina Sable for all her efforts in facilitating the meeting.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who were so kind and gracious to me along the way. I never cease to be moved by the warmth and hospitality of our ICJW women—wherever they may be.
The week after I returned to Israel I attended the Jewish People Policy Planning Conference in Jerusalem. I believe that what was touted to be a very high level strategic discussion was, in the end, a missed opportunity. The restrictions on attendance were very tight, and perhaps for this reason there was an obvious absence of youth and women. More than the lack of their physical presence was a lack of fresh perspectives that might have been brought forward. No doubt it is important to gather top Jewish and Israeli leaders together, but when the same people are saying the same things to each other, what exactly has been gained? The true test will be whether there will be any serious implementation of the resolutions that were brought forward. As always, we live in hope…
With best wishes for a pleasant summer/winter,
