“To say that they [Joffe and Wainer] have led us in noble style through choppy fundraising waters these past years, would be an understatement,” says Lauren Phillips of WIZO South Africa. “The world undergoes drastic change almost every week – and sometimes every hour! It is sometimes difficult for average individuals to keep up with this fast pace. Those of us attempting to steer a ship where our passengers rely solely on us have a truly weighty responsibility.
“But our two captains led us with dignity and poise, evident in the report delivered by Wainer. She departed from the norm, and instead shared with us the many lessons she’d learned in her term of leadership. It was entertaining and informative. “
Ben Swartz, chairperson of the SA Zionist Federation, was the guest speaker. He showed slides from his recent trip to Israel with a delegation of highly influential local religious leaders. “He reminded us that what we see in the media is not always a true reflection of people’s attitudes and feelings towards our Holy Land, and it was extremely uplifting. I’m sure that everyone in the room was left feeling inspired and hopeful for South Africa’s future relationship with Israel.”
Nicci Raz from the Zionist Federation, Aviad Sela from the Israel Centre, Bev Goldman from the Combined Women’s Organisations and Moonyeen Castle from WIZO South Africa brought messages of support from their respective organisations, such as this one: “We wish our newly elected chairperson, her vice-chairs and their incoming executive the best of luck for their term of office. May we all continue to work together towards positively empowering women, youth and children in Israel.”
