WIZO calls for release of hostages
The opening event included an intimate gathering of 100 major donors hosted by the Gandel Foundation.
WIZO Victoria’s 2024 Gala brought together over 600 guests in a powerful display of support for Israel amid challenges.
Marking 100 years of WIZO’s activity in Australia, the event aimed to raise funds for the Sderot Open House and demonstrate solidarity with Israel.
The opening event included an intimate gathering of 100 major donors hosted by the Gandel Foundation.
The next night, over 500 guests attended a dinner at the Carousel Gala.
Community leaders and public figures, including Reverend Mark Leach and his daughter Freya, joined a diverse audience spanning different age groups and backgrounds.
Ronit Chrapot, president of WIZO Victoria, highlighted the organisation’s response to the October 7 events, including launching an Emergency Appeal, ongoing advocacy, and organising WIZO Victoria’s first solidarity mission to Israel.
Her speech concluded with a heartfelt rendition of “Hatikvah”, with “Our hope is not lost, to be a free people in our land, Zion.”
Guest speakers Australian actor Nathaniel Buzolic (known as Nate Buzz) and Israeli investigative journalist Dr Ilana Dayan shared personal stories and insights.
Buzolic emphasised, “Now is not the time to fight the current government; now is a time to get the hostages home and get people back to their homes.”
Dayan delivered a powerful message about the deep commitment to Israel’s survival, stating, “We shall rise, I know we will, because this beloved country of ours is worth rising, and fighting for, and so many of us proved that it’s a place worth dying for.
“But most of all, Israel is and should forever be, a place worth living for.”
Tragically, just days later, several hostages mentioned by Dayan, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat and Alex Lobanov, were confirmed to have been murdered in Gaza.
WIZO Victoria renewed its call for the immediate release of the remaining hostages and continues its advocacy efforts through local and international channels, urging the United Nations to take decisive action.
The community remains steadfast in its mission to support Israel, even in the face of such devastating losses.
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