Political
Women immigrants
from the United States
have started a political
action organization in Israel.
USCLIE
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group of American-Israeli women in
Jerusalem have started a new political or-
ganization, Women for Women. Inspired,
as they put it, "by the American tradition
of political activism," they've ushered in
what they will hope will be a new era in
Israeli politics.
One evening last winter, Women for
Women invited 30 women to a private
Jerusalem home to meet with all 12
women Knesset members. "It was a non-
partisan event," says Marsh Roth, a com-
munity activist and co-founder of Women for
Women, "where all of the MKs spoke and
some $3,300 was raised to contribute to their
primary campaigns."
The evening revealed, however, that not
all candidates appreciate the importance of
campaign fund-raising. "As former Ameri-
cans," says Ms. Roth, "we know that it's vi-
tal. It pays for ads and other publicity that
get the candidate nationally known and get
her message across.
"Our winter meeting was a
modest beginning, though it came
too late to have a major impact on
the 1996 elections. But we're look-
ing toward a groundswell of un-
derstanding and hope it will serve
to trigger similar events across
the country for the next general
election."
The idea of Women for Women
was born with another American
immigrant, Elana Rozenman,
who runs workshops and confer-
ences to help Israeli business-
women network and develop. At
a conference held in October 1995,
Ms. Rozenman added a new ques-
tion to a general questionnaire:
"What do you think of women in
politics?"
The question evoked a storm of
response, focusing on the very
small number of women in the
Knesset (12 of 120 members) and
on local councils to the abrasive-
ness of many of these women, to
the rawness of Israeli democracy
in general and the rowdiness of
Israeli political debate.
Ms. Rozenman approached Ms.
Roth. Together they brought in
Roberta Fahn, a successful and
politically savvy American-Israeli
WENDY ELLIMAN
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
businesswoman, journalist Lisa Frydman
and organizers and fund-raisers Libby
Werthan and Marva Perrin. Aged 30 to 50,
most of the six have been in Israel less than
five years.
"All were enthusiastic," says Ms. Roth,
"which didn't surprise us. The nature of the
immigrant who settles in Israel by choice —
especially those who come from North Amer-
ica — is usually activist and idealistic. We
all came with a purpose.
"Our message is that capable women have
the same right to be active in politics as ca-
pable men," says Ms. Roth. "Until the Israeli
public appreciates the equal worth of women,
as long as they consider them less capable
than men, women must be projected.
"Helping women toward equal political
representation is something that will bene-
fit every sector of Israeli society. For one
thing, it's part of the process of democrati-
zation, which is still incomplete. For anoth-
er, the voice of women on the issues that they
live daily — social, welfare, health, family
and education — is scarcely heard at the mo-
ment.
"And, equally important, women think dif-
ferently than men. It's well known that
women act and analyze and solve problems
in different ways, and that they have a dif-
ferent approach and a different perspective,
all of which is complementary to the way men
think and act and analyze. I repeat: comple-
mentary. Not contradictory, not confronta-
tional."
The women who have served in Israel's po-
litical system for the past 48 years have ac-
complished a great deal, but there is still a
way to go. Women for Women's self-imposed
mission is both to ease and speed the distance
that remains. ❑
World Zionist Press Service
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