When I took on the role of Chair of Israel Bonds UK women’s division in the summer of 2022, I thought the main benefit would be priding myself that I was doing something very positive for the remarkable State of Israel. What I didn’t anticipate was the bonus it would bring with the opportunity to engage with some truly fabulous women. These are both our British women and, through the International Chairs’ meeting led by our inspirational leader Laura Orzy, women from France, Germany, Brazil and Mexico.  Each country brings a new perspective, and through their lens, ways of appreciating the Jewish homeland and diaspora communities.

The UK women’s division was set up in the halcyon pre-Covid days of 2019. Its mission was to expand engagement with Israel Bonds, by arranging attractive events that would appeal to women, who would in turn become new clients. Of course, when Israel Bonds was created in the years following Israel’s birth, most women did not have an independent voice in the family financial planning and left it to their husbands to make investment and philanthropic decisions. How times have changed!

The irony of this is that many of those on the UK and international women’s divisions hold important roles in financial institutions, including the London Stock Exchange and some of our most renowned investment companies; own their own property companies and other businesses; or are professionals, such as accountants. Supporting their efforts is Israel Bonds Senior Sales Executive Orit Usharovsky, who brings her own expertise and experience with as a seasoned relationship manager in the private banking world. It is such a pleasure to spend time with such accomplished, yet modest and caring, women.

Over the past few years of our existence, our women’s division events have been quite varied, but bound by our appreciation of great women. Two years ago, we were guided around the stunning Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection of art treasures at the Victoria and Albert Museum by expert senior curator Alice Minton, whose knowledge and passion were boundless. This was followed by our International Women’s Day event held at the EF MediSpa salon in St John’s Wood, set up by Esther Fieldgrass, who intensively studied holistic treatments and products for many years before opening her chain of salons.

Last summer we found ourselves at the riverside home of Frances Segelman, renowned sculptor, whose commissions have included notables from Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth and many Royal Family members to arts and sporting celebrities, and most importantly many of our diminishing number of Holocaust survivors. Just this year, we have hosted Idit Ohel, the heartbroken, yet indefatigable, mother of 24 year old Alon Ohel, a young aspiring musician who remains a Hamas hostage. And for our recent International Women’s Day event, we hosted Shai Kaplan from Israel, whose story held us all spellbound. Shai had been diagnosed as a teenager with an inoperable brain tumour which had left her seriously physically impaired. Her perfect English had been honed as a teenager when she arrived at an American summer camp and realised she had to communicate in English. This she achieved within a few days of arrival. Equally determined to have a quality of life physically she studied yoga in India under Dr BKS Iyengar, founder of the Iyengar branch of yoga, remaining there for six years under his tutelage. Shai is now such a highly regarded yoga practitioner in her own right that she works in many Israeli hospitals training patients and staff and is also commissioned by the European Union. 

At each Israel Bonds Women’s Division event, I get to meet more fascinating women, who have been brought along by our committee members, and have interesting stories to share.  Consequently, I can foresee the Women’s Divisions in Europe and in Central and Latin America, having a huge impact on the growth of Israel Bonds for many foreseeable years.