Ms. Helena Glaser, World President of WIZO,
Honorary World Chairs and Presidents of WIZO, my friends Raya Jaglom and Michal Modai,
The Chairwoman of the World WIZO Executive, Ms. Tova Ben Dov,
Member of the Swedish Parliament, Ms. Brigitta Ohlsson,
The Director of the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister for Women’s Advancement, Marit Danon,
Chairwomen and Presidents of WIZO Federations around the world,
Distinguished representatives of WIZO from across the world,
My dear friends,
Ladies and some Gentlemen,

I must say that it has been a very difficult day today.  As you all know – and you, Helena said it in such a powerful way – there are serious events taking place in the South and we have to deal with it.  There are no simple solutions.  The terrorist organizations keep trying to unsettle the lives of thousands of Israelis living in the South part of the country, particularly in Sderot.  And while we do not want to expand the confrontations, we are absolutely determined to make sure that the people who live in the South part of Israel will be able to live their lives without fear, without anxieties, without the sound of Kassam rockets landing near their homes, or on the roof of their homes as they have experienced over the last few years.  We will continue to do what is essential in order to deter these terrorist organizations.  I think they feel it, they felt it over the last few days, and we will continue to do what is necessary to reach out for everyone who is responsible for these vicious attacks on innocent Israelis.  I am proud of you that you have addressed yourselves to the needs of these people in the generous way that has characterized WIZO for all the 88 years of your very important activities for the State of Israel and for the Jewish people. 

I was hesitating – and when Helena welcomed me outside, she said, “I knew that you would not miss this evening.”  And I must say it is true.  Some of my advisers said, “You know Prime Minister, there are urgent meetings which you have to attend”.  And I said, “Yes, but I'm going to see great friends of Israel.  Wonderful ladies who devote their time and their resources and their energies and their care to do things which are very, very significant to improve the quality of life of so many Israelis in almost every part of the country.  The reason I am here is that I wanted every one of you, when you go back to your respective countries and you meet with your friends and colleagues and your communities, you will be able to say to them that the State of Israel recognizes your generosity, your involvement, your dedication and your love for our country.  On behalf of the State of Israel, thank you very much.

I have been following your work for so many years and I know how much you do and I remember many of the meetings and sometimes the debates and the arguments I had when we were trying to build some projects in Katamon in Jerusalem, or in other neighborhoods in the city.  What always amazed me was that WIZO always rose to the challenge and everything that was promised was accomplished. 

And it is true that I always used to say to Helena, Raya, Michal and to Tova, “Alright, this is what you already did, but we need more.”  And there is always a problem here, because it is true that many of the projects which you have established in various parts of the country are projects that the country, the state, ought to take care of.  Yet you never came to us and said, “Why don’t you do it?”  The most that you said, which was fair, was, “Why won’t you be partners with us?  We will do some and you will do some, and together we will do many things that will be of great significance.”  For new immigrants that came not only from Ethiopia but also from Ethiopia; for single parent families; for teens at risk; for women who were victims of violence at home and who needed care outside the home because they could not leave without risking their lives in a very violent environment; and for nurseries for children in many different cities and neighborhoods across the country.  On all of those occasions, the outcome was very important and very helpful and very supportive for these different groups in our society which are in need. 

Almost on a daily basis I had Marit Danon who so graciously and effectively represents the Prime Minister's Office, advising me of what needed to be done, and on many of those occasions, she said, “You know, why won’t you talk to the WIZO ladies.  I am sure they will be attentive and sensitive and helpful to allow us to meet the challenges.”

I think that we are trying, as a Government, to meet some of these challenges.
This year we are investing more than ever before in children at risk across the country, based on a report that was submitted to me by a special committee that I appointed, led by Professor Schmidt from the Hebrew University.  We are now investing hundreds of millions across country for children at risk.  We will open up centers in almost every major city in Israel for early childhood, starting from birth to the age of six, so that children who will start their education in school will reach that stage only after they have been through very careful treatment that will allow us to know exactly what their abilities are, what their limitations are, what their difficulties are, so that our education system will be able to benefit from the great human potential in the best possible manner that we can have. 

We are increasing the budgets for education as we did during the last couple of years tremendously.  This year we added two billion shekels to the Government budget for education, and in the next four years we will add five billion more in order to improve the education system in our country.  Of course, whatever the Government can do no voluntary organization can, but what you can do and what you are doing and what you were doing for so many years, even before the creation of the State of Israel, is something that is irreplaceable.  Because what you did, we did not do.  And what you did made a difference in the lives of so many families of so many individuals, of so many children and women in our country. 

We have had, over the last few years, serious economic progress, and we take great pride in the fact that this last year was perhaps the best year ever in the history of the economy of the State of Israel.  Growth in our country last year was more than 5% - more than any Western country.  More foreign investments are coming to Israel.  Unemployment is the lowest in the last 15 years.  The participation in the work force is growing rapidly and one of the main challenges of my Government in the next few years will be to better effectively fight poverty, which is still causing a lot of aggravation for all of us because we all feel that it is not enough just to build the economy and to improve the progress of our country in general, but to be able to share it in a fairer way in a more even way, with all parts of our population particularly, in the peripheral areas, both in the North and in the South. 

When we put all these achievements on one side, and then we consider what the other challenges we have in order to be able to defend the State of Israel, which still faces serious dangers and threats, we know that we need extra support and help from people who care for the welfare, the quality of life and the security of the people living in the State of Israel.  This is precisely where the WIZO organization is of such significance.  We do not ask you to do that which is fundamentally the obligation of the country and of the Government.  But we do ask you to add something to it that makes the difference, and you are always responsive.  

I had the opportunity over the last 25-30 years to come across the WIZO branches in many different parts of the world.  I remember my visits in Latin America, in the United States, in Europe, in South Africa and in many other parts of the world, and I always was stunned by the enthusiasm, love and the unlimited energies of so many ladies who always felt that collecting more funds, that reaching out to more people, that building up one more institution is a lifetime achievement for them that gives them a great sense of pride and of being part of what we are trying to do in our country. 

I understand that this is the final evening, and I want to thank you for making an extra effort while you are here to collect these new funds for the teachers in Sderot.    They have a real problem there.  In the next couple of years, we are going to build 13 new schools in the area that will all be protected and will provide complete security for all the children who will come to these schools, because we want them, when they are at school, to feel that they can focus on their studies, to build their futures rather than to be worried and afraid because of these vicious attacks that come from Gaza against them and against their families.  And as always, as has been your tradition for many years, you do not just talk, you do not just make statements, you do this simple, very difficult, very demanding, but very, very important thing which is to mobilize yourselves, and to collect these funds that will help build what is so important and so significant for these people.

I want to invite you to come more often and tour the country to meet the children, single-parent families, the battered women and the children at risk that you helped, to see how significant and important what you have done is in their lives.  Nothing that I can say will be of as much value as what you will feel when you see the smile on their faces and of their thanks to all of you. 

So again, on behalf of the State of Israel and the many who benefited from your help, your involvement and your support, I want to thank you.  WIZO is a world-wide organization that is an essential part of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.  We need, we want you, and we thank you.

Goodbye.