We of World Emunah are proud of being the world’s largest religious Zionist women's organization, with all that we contribute to nurturing the families and communities of the State of Israel. At our 8th International Convention, which commemorated the 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of World Emunah, 200 representatives of our over 100,000 members assembled together under the banner, “The World of Emunah and Emunah in My World.” For all of you who could not join us but were there “in spirit,” we’d like to share with you some of the highlights of this exciting and meaningful gathering.
Day 1: The Convention included an array of exciting sessions, lectures by well-known speakers, and on-site visits to Emunah Israel facilities, which are supported by World Emunah affiliates, throughout the country. Our non-stop action- and issue-packed four days commenced with a dedication by Emunah Canada of a newly refurbished dormitory in our Neve Sarah Herzog High School for Arts and Science in Bnei Brak. The celebratory dinner that followed provided the first real opportunity for the delegates, who came from 26 of our 28 member countries, to “greet and meet” each other—greeting old friends and meeting new ones—as the Convention was launched in full force.
Day 2: The first full day of the conference opened with presidential greetings, as World Emunah President Naomi Leibler and Emunah Israel President Yehudit Huebner enthusiastically welcomed all of us to the Convention. Emunah Israel Chairman Liora Minka and Executive Director David Hadari then set the stage for the spectrum of dialogue to follow, outlining Emunah’s contributions to the advancement of education, social welfare and women’s empowerment within the State, as well as the budgetary considerations for maintaining and expanding these many vital projects.
We then heard from Calev Ben David, founding director of the Israel Project, McGill University Professor Gil Troy, and noted speaker Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau, about issues of importance to the religious Zionist community in general and Emunah’s place in achieving those goals in particular. We then began to focus on issues relating to the “building of the Jewish Family,” which would become an important theme throughout the conference. Bar-Ilan researcher Dr. Zehavit Gross’ compelling talk on the conflicts of today’s religious woman got everyone thinking—and talking, as the lecture was followed by round-table discussions on issues about Jewish family, identity, and values that elicited much deliberation and debate.
That night, delegates and friends of World Emunah alike joined together for the Convention dinner, held at the elegant Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem. The dinner marked the “passing of the baton” from outgoing chairperson Hana Melamed to incoming chairperson Dina Hahn. Hana Melamed was honored for her ten years of untiring efforts on behalf of World Emunah, and was particularly touched by the endowment of a perpetual scholarship in her name to be established at the Rabbanit Herzog Fund. The Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon our beloved Ivriah Levine, World Emunah Honorary Chairman who has been involved in World Emunah since her aliyah from the U.S. in 1968. Rabbi Yechiel Wasserman, director of the World Zionist Organization department for Religious Affairs in the Diaspora and husband of Emunah’s own Director of Family Services Rena Wasserman, was honored for his efforts on behalf of our 26 Emunah midrashot, which are now flourishing worldwide. One of the unique aspects of this convention, in fact, was the presence of several of the young women who are directing those very midrashot in such diverse places as Malmo, Sweden, Budapest, Hungary, and Johannesburg, South Africa, enabling Torah study for women on a global scale.
Day 3: Although the Convention was officially in Jerusalem, we spent most of the time “on the move.” Day 3 began at Midreshet Emunah for the Study of the Jewish Woman and Family, which educates marriage and family counselors, singles and couples. We were sensitized to the issues of religious singles through a viewing of the film “Cheftzi on Air,” a poignant yet humorous depiction of the conflict between the truisms spouted by a religious woman with her own radio show—and the reality she faces in her own relationships, and we were treated to an highly humorous yet effective talk on “Intimacy and Quality of Life in Midlife and Beyond,” by the inimitable Dr. Anna Woloski-Wruble, whose many achievements include teaching madrichei kallot at the midrashah. Then we were off to Michlelet Emunah, to see for ourselves—literally—the accomplishments of the 500 students of Emunah’s College of Art and Technology, the Torah and Arts High School, and our exclusive Torah and Art seminary for post-high school students. The college auditorium also served as our conference room for the subsequent discussion and ratification of the Convention resolutions and the amended constitution.
Then, it was back to the Inbal for the evening event: a celebratory evening in honor of our new chairman, Dina Hahn, who passionately raised the banner of Zionism and challenged her audience to utilize their individual and organizational strengths to contribute to the Jewish State. Her inaugural address was followed by Dina’s selected musical program. “An evening for women by women,” the Shirei Neshama choral singers touched our hearts and got us dancing—while underscoring Emunah’s emphasis on providing women with a forum to express themselves religiously and creatively.
Day 4: On our last day, we headed down south for a “Day on Wheels” that gave a first-hand view into several of the challenges currently facing the State of Israel, as well as Emunah’s crucial and always timely role in dealing with these issues. Our first stop was in Yad Binyamin, where Emunah has now established two daycare centers for children of the many Gush Katif evacuees who have resettled there. Later in the day we saw British Emunah’s new Crisis Counseling Center in Sderot, which will provide critical therapeutic care for the city’s embattled residents. We learned more about the military and security situation of Southern Israel at the Kibbutz Sa’ad museum, where our guides (one of whom was herself an Emunah member!) pointed to Gaza—just one kilometer away—and described the anxiety and fear they must confront each day.
Emunah is also at the forefront in dealing with the burgeoning population of children who must be transferred from the custody of their families to live in boarding schools or children’s homes. At Neve Landy, which focuses on the rehabilitation of traumatized children, we heard from Director Noam Wisper about the new lease of life these children receive as a result of the dedicated care they receive at our newest Home. Later on, the day—and the Convention—were brought to a close at our longest-running Home, Achuzat Sarah in Bnei Brak. It was an exciting and emotional evening as we joined Emunah America and Emunah France in dedicating the Home’s first Beit Bogrot, and then joined together for a festive dinner, a moving performance by the Home’s Ethiopian children, and the convention finale.
But above any one activity or lecture, the hallmark of the Convention was the incredible opportunity it provided for our worldwide membership to gather together as one. Friendships were begun, new ideas aired, notes compared, different views expressed. Dispersed as we are throughout the globe, our 8th International Convention enabled us to learn more about World Emunah—and each other. With our many languages, backgrounds, and experiences, all of us were united by a common goal: to work together to give Israel’s children a healthier, happier future.
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