The future leaders of WIZO
Six young women who joined the WIZO NSW board last year as part of a 12-month observership program have had a chance to see up-close the magnitude of WIZO’s real and tangible impact.
The observership program is an opportunity for WIZO to develop the next generation of leaders by immersing them in the decision-making processes and governance of the organisation.
Now part-way through the program, Alexa Zeh, Lisa Salkinder, Kira Brandt, Terri Benda, Olivia Templeman and Miki Hendler have seen the difference that WIZO makes every day to the women and children who need the organisation’s help the most.
The group have had the opportunity to attend WIZO NSW’s board and committee meetings as non-voting members and have already begun to leverage their insights from this engagement to drive their own collective fundraising and outreach efforts.
They have reflected on the value of seeing up-close the magnitude of WIZO’s impact on the lives of families and children in Israel, as well as the importance of WIZO’s consultative status on ECOSOC and UNICEF at the United Nations.
Templeman said, “It is really special to be able to work with women who have been longstanding members of WIZO, in some cases upwards of four decades.
“They are true matriarchs of our community and are incredible role models for how they’ve channelled their passion for WIZO to make an impact on the Jewish community in Israel and Australia.”
Salkinder said, “I’m proud to be part of this inspiring, global group of women in making every day a better day for families we support.”
For WIZO NSW, the addition of the observers has created an intergenerational board.
The organisation has benefitted from greater thought diversity by merging fresh ideas from the younger generation with the wisdom and experience of the WIZO women who have come before.
WIZO NSW executive director Lorna Berger said, “Our observers are the most sensational group of young women – they really are the future of WIZO.
“They are such an eclectic, diverse group of powerful young women and the passion and the Zionism amongst them is tangible. That is the most incredible thing.”
WIZO NSW’s membership campaign is on now. More info/join: wizonsw.org.au/membership
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