Talia Livni, President of NA’AMAT Israel, was enthusiastically welcomed by NA’AMAT USA groups in several cities in the United States this spring. She also participated in the National Board meeting for NA’AMAT USA in May. Excerpts from her talks follow below.
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NA’AMAT cannot do what we are doing without you. There is a bond between us, Israelis and Americans — the same goals, the same destiny, and between the younger and older generations. With your help, we influence and shape life in Israel. We are a movement with a precise agenda: fighting for women’s rights and for equality between workingwomen and working men.
We have enabled women to go to work by caring for their children in our day care centers. Our multipurpose centers serve low-income families with children at risk. We teach not only children, but also parents. We are now opening our 24th multipurpose center.
We service some 19,000 children in our centers, but it is not enough. We need another five day care centers in Tel Aviv and have started to build one on Dizengoff Street, which will open in September 2010. A new center in Jaffa will also open at that time. Neve Sharet will be renovated, and we are adding three classes to Beit Hana. Another class will be added in Ramat Aviv. We are also building in Ra’anana and Dimona. In addition, the Shoram facility has been completed.
In our fight for the rights of workingwomen, we advocated in the Supreme Court, which has now recognized the expenses of mothers that enable them to work. They can deduct the cost of day care or a nanny from their income tax. This is a big advance for women, but now we have to help women who don’t earn enough to pay taxes. We are also advocating for day care subsidies to go to middle-class women, who do not receive subsidies, as do low-income women. And we continue to fight for free early childhood education.
In the fight for equal rights for women, Histadrut and the employers association signed an agreement to adapt the working place to enable women to fulfill the double role of women: raising children and working. For example, employers promised that they would not have meetings after working hours without notifying women 48 hours in advance. The agreement respects the rights of women.
Member of Knesset Amira Dotan was able to get a bill — initiated by NA’AMAT — passed in the Knesset that gives incentives to employers to encourage them to give higher positions and equal salaries to women. NA’AMAT has changed the way both women and men think.
NA’AMAT runs 30 legal bureaus where more that 10,000 women come each year to seek advice. Under the law, divorced women are entitled to one-half of a couple’s assets, but they have to wait for the “get” (Jewish divorce decree) before they can receive them. Often the husband will deliberately delay giving a “get”. Now a law has been passed stating that the wife does not have to wait for the decree to obtain her share of the couple’s joint property.
NA’AMAT is the best-known organization for dealing with the problems of battered women. We not only help battered women, but we also provide workshops to treat the batterers. Addressing groups from government, industry and academics, women from NA’AMAT give lectures on recognizing the “red lights” that indicate domestic violence. After these lectures, many women approach NA’AMAT asking for help.
NA’AMAT accomplishes even more. Our Technological High Schools are the best place for youngsters who fail in regular high schools, giving them a chance to rebuild their lives. In our schools, they learn to achieve and to give back. We help them develop self-esteem.
In the Weizmann Institute and in universities, we offer education for Russian immigrants, many from single-parent families. Now, many Ethiopian immigrants have asked to join this special program. In our Kanot Agricultural High School, there is a program that trains our students to become policemen.
NA’AMAT is the largest women’s organization in Israel in members and in power – and the most important — but we often work with other organizations to accomplish our goals.
We have a lot of work to do, a lot of battles coming up, and we count on you to help us stand firm. Your help is very important to us. Without it, we cannot go on doing the things we are used to doing.
Each of you in NA’AMAT USA has the power to bring in new members to help raise funds for these important projects. We are doing vital work, and we cannot invest in day care centers, we cannot start new programs, we cannot grow — unless NA’AMAT USA grows. You are devoted members and are successful in what you are doing. Thank you for what you have done, and for what you are doing.
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Talia Livni has been president of NA’AMAT since 2002. She is a member of the presidium of the World Zionist Organization and serves on the international board of governors of the Jewish Agency. She has a law degree from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in political science from Haifa University. She also is a graduate of Israel’s National Security College.
