WIZO displays philanthropy with glittering Garden Day

In bright sunshine, and with the prospect of viewing a magnificent private Westcliff garden, a crowd of more than 150 enthusiasts attended the annual WIZO (Women’s International Zionist Organisation) Garden Day, now in its 21st year.

Helen Maisels Trisk, the vice-president of WIZO South Africa, convened the event with the committee of WIZO Johannesburg, chaired by Joceline Basserabie. WIZO SA Cape Town Vice-President Barbara Flax was also once again in attendance.

Guests wandered around the beautiful terraced garden, owned by Paula and Jaco Erasmus, known for philanthropy and social activism across the racial divide.

It boasts spectacular views across Johannesburg, enhanced by the Jacarandas for which the city is famous. Renowned landscaper Gregory Mark told guests how he had transformed the garden, focusing on the architectural elements of garden design, ensuring that this spectacular garden mirrors the heritage of the house of which it is a part.

WIZO is a global women’s movement of 105 years standing. It is a pre-eminent nongovernmental organisation with observer status at the United Nations and headquarters in Israel. There are 38 federations worldwide, and the organisation boasts more than 250 000 activist women.

Maisels Trisk spoke about WIZO’s beneficiaries which include workshops and resources for women and youth such as hotlines, leadership, and empowerment courses; legal and advice bureaus; shelters for abused women; day care centres; and foster homes. She spoke of her pride in the role WIZO plays in promoting women’s rights and lobbying for gender equality, and referred to WIZO’s trauma-advice centres that have been a life saver for the many families who have been so deeply affected by the situation in Israel.

Wheelchairs of Hope, SA WIZO’s outreach programme in South Africa, is a major beneficiary of the WIZO Garden Day. This programme provides state-of-the-art Israeli made wheelchairs to youngsters in institutions throughout South Africa, giving them a new found mobility and changing their lives.