Tamar Soffer, SI Ha'sharon, wrote:
"I want to share with you a very special afternoon. I have just returned from Jerusalem where 12 Soroptimists together with about 150 women from different women's organizations were guests of Mrs.Kazav the President of Israel's wife.
"For some years now the President's house invites women for Women's Day.
Women leaders from the main NGOs in Israel participate in this respectful event. This year the subject was The UN subject for the next 10 years - Literacy.
"The President's wife made a welcoming speech. Afterwards the President of the International Council of Women, Mrs.Pnina Herzog, that I've known since we worked together on a seminar while I was
Union President, gave an excellent speech about the illiteracy. There are 9 hundred million illiterate people in the world today of whom two thirds are women! In terms of poverty 70% of the poor are women. She told a story of which we as Soroptimists can be very proud. She had been in Nairobi at the Summit for Women. Israel was not too welcome there. She had been invited as committee member to an afternoon tea. When she was introduced the very important African women, members of parliament, ministers etc came and hugged and kissed her. She did not understand so they explained: 'We have been ignorant women. We were in your country at Mount Carmel Center were we started to learn, that was our beginning. Now we all have important posts in our countries.' The Point is, Mount Carmel is a training center run by the government together with Soroptimists. All it's Directors since it was founded in 1961 were and are Soroptimists.
"At the meeting there were some music, a short theatrical monologue, and another speaker: a professor of Jewish studies spoke about the changes in the opening for women to study holy scripts. In the past only men were allowed to study holy scripts, today this is changing.
"The whole ceremony was organized by the Israeli Council of Women. The impact of NGOs and especially women was emphasized. Throughout the world women work voluntarily a great deal. It is a good feeling that the President's wife opens the official presidetial residence actually to
say thank you to all those organizations."
Pnina Evental, SI Givatayim, sent this photograph of Soroptimists present at the Israeli International Women's Day function:
