The Newsletter of the Lions of Judah – Israel

The Lion's Roar
‫שאגת האריה‬
The Newsletter of the Lions of Judah – Israel
Winter 2011 ‫חורף‬
From the Chair
Dear Lion Members,
Six months have passed since I was elected Chair of Lion of Judah Israel. This
newsletter is a wonderful opportunity for me to summarize the great things that we
have done together, the many plans that I have for the near future and my gratitude to
each and every one of you for assisting me in achieving the goals that are so important
to all of us!
In the upcoming Torah readings, the recurring theme of dreams emphasizes the
capacity for an elevated state and highlights the creative energy of the human soul to
imagine a different state of reality. Our Patriarch Jacob dreamed of angels ascending
and descending a ladder to heaven. And his son Joseph dreamed of the sun, the moon,
and the stars and helped interpret Pharoah’s dreams.
Every human being has dreams. Rabbi Shlomo Riskin once wrote, “that a person can
dream when he is asleep and can dream when he’s awake. But only the dreams that
one dreams when he/she is awake can become transformed into the visions which
change reality.”
In Lion of Judah our role is to help girls and women dream of a better life and to help
them fulfill those dreams!!!!
I would like to thank all the committee heads and members for their hard work and
devotion in assisting me to begin my position. In the following pages there is a review
of the many events that we experienced together in the last half year. We recruited 10
new members and there are quite a number of women who will be joining us in the
near future. During the year we planned visits to various projects that we support and
it is important to make an effort to see for ourselves these projects in order to really
understand what we are supporting.
Our Project Committee meetings are open to you all. Even if you are not a member of
the committee it is worthwhile to sit in on meetings once in a while, since this is the
backbone of Lion of Judah Israel.
In order for us to enlarge our organization it is important to get to know our new
members, to reach out and make them feel comfortable and to encourage them to
take an active role.
On Feb 6th we will be hosting the Heart to Heart Mission from the U.S. I would
appreciate it if a few of the Lions would volunteer to open their homes to host
approximately 10 philanthropic women from the United States, along with a few of
their local friends for a dinner. Please contact Iris Shimonov or Rotem.
The Dragon Boat Festival will take place on May 17-18 and it is important that we
know who will be participating. Please contact Sylvie Michaeli, our vivacious captain or
Rotem.
The Lion of Judah International Conference will be taking place in N.Y. on September
10-12 at the Mariott Hotel. We are organizing a 3 day preconference visit in N.Y. and it
is crucial that we know how many will be attending. A sub-committee has been
organized for this purpose and I thank in advance Iris Shimonov and Doris WeiserSmall. I have no doubt that this will be one of the highlights of our trip! (The
preconference visit will be from Thursday September 6th till Saturday afternoon
September 8th.)
A special salute to Lion of Judah Israel Director Rotem for her continuous hard work
and initiative to make everything perfect!!!!
I thank you in advance for keeping the dream alive and wish you a bright Chanukah
season!
Rutie Oren
Chair
Lion of Judah Israel
Rutie Oren Celebrated Her Birthday With Donations to LOJI
Instead of Gifts!
At the beginning of September Rutie Oren, Chair of LOJI, held a birthday celebration
attended by dozens of guests who were asked to donate to LOJI rather than bring gifts. It
was an unusual and moving event, attended by Rutie’s family of husband, daughters and
grandchildren, who created a wonderful film that succeeded in surprising Rutie. We raised
NIS 63,000 to be used for empowering women and girls in LOJI projects! A heartfelt thanks
for your generosity.
Canadian Ambassador Hosts LOJI
Canadian Ambassador in Israel Paul Hunt and his wife opened their home to host Lion of Judah Israel for
a very interesting and timely lecture by Prof. Irwin Kotler entitled “DELEGITIMIZATION, LAWFARE,
HUMAN RIGHTS & ISRAEL.” In addition to important updates on the situation, Prof. Kotler spoke about
lessons he learned in his mother’s home. He also announced that his wife Ariela would join Lion of Judah
Israel.
Miriam Soglowek and Judith Yovel Recanati
Dame Shirley Porter
From left to right: Doreen Gainsford, Doris Weiser-Small, Mr. & Mrs. Hunt,
Prof. Kotler, Ruth Salomy, Rutie Oren
Toast the New Year !
In keeping with LOJI tradition, before Rosh Hashana we held a festive event at the home of Zafrira
Shocher. The event was attended by many members and guests. Music was provided by the wonderful
guitarist-singer Yitzhak. The Rosh Hashana Seder was prepared and led by LOJI member Ruth Salomy.
We were pleased to welcome three new members to our ranks, and of course to host the Ethiopian women
who came from Hertzog Hospital in Jerusalem, where they attend a special course to prepare them to
work as nursing assistants. The course is supported by LOJI. The event was exceptional and all enjoyed
the atmosphere and the special holiday refreshments.
Ricky Rosenberg, Dale Ophhir and Zafrira Shoher
Our guests from Hertzog Hospital in
Jerusalem
Debbie Matzkin & Nancy Nasser
Zafrira Shoher and our new member Adit Markin
Slichot Tour in Jerusalem
Before the High Holiday we went on a Slichot tour of Jerusalem. We began before sundown on the
observation point on the Mount of Olives. There we were able to hear the calls “Ani Nishba” (I swear)
loudly proclaimed at the Kotel, despite the distance. When we reached the Kotel we were moved to see
the hundreds of young soldiers whose voices we had heard at the swearing-in ceremony that had just
ended. From there we continued on foot through the alleys of Jerusalem to hear stories and anecdotes.
We returned home late at night tired and inspired.
From left to right: Anat Pilovsky, Salin Ram, Sylvi Michaeli and Adina Katz.
Shakespeare in the Sukkah
On Sukkot we met in the beautiful and colorful sukkah of our Chair Rutie Oren. After the
reception we were invited indoors to hear an extraordinary lecture about the women in
Shakespeare’s plays, given by Dr. Pamela Peled. We learned what motivated Shakespeare
in writing about women, why this is important for us to know, illustrated by film excerpts
from Shakespeare’s plays. Before the lecture a pinning ceremony was held in which
Rochelle Miller officially became a Lion of Judah. It was an exciting and fun evening.
Rutie Oren & Rochelle Miller
A Visit to the Rabin Center
On November 4, 2011, which marked (to the day) the 16th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak
Rabin, we visited The Yitzhak Rabin Center and the Israeli Museum located there.
We were pleased to invite mothers from Afula who are participants in the very successful project which we
support, “youth Future” under the auspices of the Jewish Agency. In a moving ceremony one of the
mothers shared the significant changes that have taken place in her life since she joined this program.
There was a pinning ceremony for two new members, and a very interesting lecture by the Managing
Director of the Rabin Center Association, Yossi Lachmani, who told us about the goals and principles of
the organization which was established to preserve and disseminate Rabin’s legacy. We were given a
guided tour of the museum, which portrays in a very powerful way the story of the State of Israel, the life
story of Yitzhak Rabin and the events that took place in the world during those times – up to 1995 when
Rabin was killed. The Lions were very impressed with the museum and left with alot of food for thought.
The women from Afula were very excited to meet Dalia Rabin Filosof on this special day and took pictures
with her.
Carol Jassby & Rutie Oren
From left to right: Rutie Oren, Carol Jassby , Ariela Cotler , Doris Weiser-Small
Elinor Almo from "Family Youth Future" ,Afula.
Sharon Elhadad from "Family Youth Future" and Dalia Rabin.
Visit to the Rape Crisis Center in Tel Aviv
As part of the activities of the Projects Committee we visited the Rape Crisis Center in Tel
Aviv. There we met Miriam, the director, who told us about the wonderful work done by the
center. The project we support is complex and very important. It seeks to raise awareness
of sexual violence and to accompany victims throughout the various stages of the process,
as they wish. The visit was fascinating and an eye-opener.
Miriam, the director of the Center
An honorary visit to meet with Judge Edna Arbel at
the Supreme Court and impressive day spent in
Jerusalem
One beautiful morning the women of LOJI met for a trip to Jerusalem.
We began the visit with a tour of the Supreme Court, where we learned about the very
impressive building and about the judicial system. During the tour we held a pinning
ceremony for new members Liora Vitos Koren and Iris Shalam. The highlight of the visit
was a meeting with Supreme Court Justice Edna Arbel, who was warm and friendly and
shared some of her experiences. We all felt that the meeting was very interesting and
meaningful. From there we went to lunch at the famous “Mahaneyuda” restaurant where we
had a rich and very tasty lunch. From there we went to the “Martef Theater” in Emek
Refaim, where we were treated to a play supported by our fellow lion Yael Racov entitled:
“Rules of the Forest” based on The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling in which a few of the
actors are youth at risk.
Group picture with Judge Edna Arbel
Judge Edna Arbel and Rutie Oren
Ruth Salomy, Liora Vitos Korn, Iris Shalam and Rutie Oren
Nurit Avner Our Events Committee Chair, Rutie Oren and Sigal Bar-on
From left to right: Rachel Rosenberg and Ricky Rosenberg .
We would like to thank Rachel Rosenberg for her kind generosity by ordering wine for our
lunch in “Mahaneyuda”.
LOJI Upcoming Events
The First “Dragon Boats” Race in Israel!
Where? Maagan Beach, Kinneret When? 18-19.5.2012
What’s the Event? A day of training and practice and a day of competition! Refreshments, arts &
crafts fair, beach, swimming, two days of amazing activities, and fun, fun, fun!
How much does it cost? NIS 200 per participant. Details about hotel and transportation will be
provided later on.
What don’t you need? You don’t need previous experience, you don’t need to be in shape, you
don’t need to be strong and you don’t need equipment!
Everyone is invited to 2 days of fun, carnival and camaraderie on the Kinneret!
Don’t forget! The goal of the event is to raise money for educational projects!
We hope you’ll join our Dragon Boat. Further details and registration:
Rotem Weinner-Shapira 052-6130137 Loji@spiritofisrael.org.il
See You at the Kinneret!
Rutie Oren
Chair, LOJI
Sylvi Michaeli
Team Captain
SAVE THE DATE!
NEW YORK will host the
International Lion of Judah Conference (ILOJC)
September 10-12th, 2012
Adit Markin, Carol Jassby
Ariela Cotler, Rochelle Miller
Denise Bar Aharon, Orna Levy
Debbie Matzkin, Nancy Nasser
Liora Vitos Koren, Iris Shalam
Lion of Judah Israel
Projects 2011-2012
1. The Path to Success - Branco Weiss High School, Ramla
“The Path to Success” uses a multidisciplinary approach to aid teenage girls-at-risk who are studying at
the Branco Weiss High School in Ramla. The project seeks to support these girls on three levels:
educational, emotional and social.
On the educational level the project provides individual tutoring to enable the girls to achieve success and
eventually to complete their Bagrut (matriculation exams.) On the emotional level there are regular
meetings with professionals, therapy workshops, psychodrama and visits to a therapeutic horse farm.
These tools allow the girls to process emotional experiences and to cope with personal problems. On a
social level the project seeks to empower the girls and to teach them how to deal with various situations in
life.
2. The Family Nest in Ashkelon
Through one-on-one mentoring by volunteers, this project helps women and their families cope with
traumas brought on by family violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, single parent families, immigration and
more. The women are empowered to help themselves and their children, which enables them to recover
and move on. The project has been jointly supported by LOJI and the Jewish Women's Giving Foundation
of Baltimore for two years.
3. Herzog Hospital Geriatric Caregiver Training Program for Ethiopian Women
Herzog Hospital has developed a program to train young Ethiopian women to become hospital nurses'
aides. The program to train Ethiopian immigrants meets two critical needs: the shortage of trained
personnel in the field of geriatric care-giving, and the integration of a young generation of Ethiopian
immigrants into the workplace in sustainable positions. The course also offers opportunities to continue
professional studies in the field.
4. Esheet - Individual Business Tutoring Program
This project offers individual tutoring for women entrepreneurs to enable them to face the difficulties in the
initial stages of establishing a business. From its experience, Esheet believes that individual tutoring can
make the difference between a long lasting success and a financial catastrophe. The program seeks to
provide women beginning their first steps as entrepreneurs with professional guidance throughout those
stages, reducing beginners' mistakes and offering effective tools to handle day-to-day dilemmas.
5. Chaim Beplus – Courses in Personal Financial Management for yound women
This program seeks to teach girls and young women to handle money in a responsible and competent
way. LOJI is sponsoring eight courses for a total of 120-160 girls-at–risk living in residential homes. The
courses teach basic concepts, tools and empowerment necessary to achieve financial responsibility and
independence.
6. Hiyot - Vocational Guidance Workshop for Ethiopian Israeli Girls
This workshop provides career guidance for Ethiopian girls, many of whom find great difficulty in attaining
jobs that enable them to support themselves.
The course includes 48 sessions during which the girls are taught about self-esteem, assertiveness,
communications, marketing, body language, rights and duties in the workplace, resume writing, job search
and preparation for job interviews.
7. Raising Awareness and Victim Support Program - Center for Victims of Sexual Assault in Tel Aviv
This program seeks to support female victims of sexual assault in Tel Aviv. It also works to raise the
awareness of victim’s need throughout the criminal justice system.
The project provides practical and emotional support to about 200 victims a year in dealing with the
criminal justice process. This includes empowerment and support of victims through every step of the
process – in dealing with the hospitals, police, courts and family. It also works to help professionals in the
system to understand the experience of the victim, and supports first responders in dealing with the
secondary trauma.
8. The Center for Women's Justice – Public interest Litigation Project.
The Center for Women's Justice (CWJ) is a public-interest law organization
dedicated to protecting the rights of women in Israel and advancing women’s equality, autonomy, freedom and
dignity under Jewish law. Most of CWJ’s work centers on Public-Interest Litigation aimed at
attaining precedents in Israeli civil courts which address rabbinic court rulings and religious policies that
compromise women’s rights, especially in the areas of divorce – agunah.
CWJ’s Public Interest Litigation Project works to "bring the State back in" through Israel's civil court system to
respond to unjust infringements on women's rights that are ignored, or even imposed, in deference to religious
law.
9. Maslan, Negev – Legal Aid & Accompaniment for Victims of Sexual and Physical Abuse
This project provides legal aid and support for victims of sexual and physical abuse throughout the Negev.
Maslan takes an active part in the various stages of the legal process that victims go through and supports
during the entire process. It provides legal advice and comprehensive information, and including how the
complaint is being handled by authorities. Maslan provides victims with emotional support, advice on legal
rights, as well as help with physical and other needs. In addition Maslan trains professionals in the police and
legal system in handling sexual abuse. It also serves to represent the special cultural needs of the various
populations of the Negev – olim from Russia, Ethiopia and Arab and Bedouin citizens.
Writing and Editing: Rotem Weinner Shapira, Director LOJI
Translation: Sharon Gefen
052-6130137, Loji@spiritofisrael.org.il , www.loji.org.il