The Paths We Open
Yemy Sirazi Penhos
Chair, Israel Bonds Women’s Division, Mexico
To me, the most meaningful leadership comes from recognizing that every action we take is a step toward something bigger than ourselves. Giving is not only about resources. It is about time, intention, and the willingness to create opportunities for others to grow. When women lead with generosity, we help build pathways where future leaders can rise with confidence and purpose.
Through leadership, mentorship, and community engagement, I have seen how generosity creates real and lasting impact. Sometimes it’s a gesture of support, sometimes it’s advocacy, and other times it’s simply showing up with commitment and heart. Each act of giving strengthens our communities and encourages others to lead with the same spirit. Generosity inspires collaboration, and collaboration multiplies impact.
My involvement with Israel Bonds has strengthened my connection not only to Israel, but also to the remarkable women in my community who lead with vision, compassion, and unity. Together, we are fostering meaningful relationships and contributing to a legacy that goes beyond the present. Every initiative and every shared effort become a step toward something greater for our communities and for future generations.
I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Laura for her extraordinary service as International Women’s Division Chair. She is truly the example of what leading with generosity means. Her vision, warmth, and unwavering dedication have inspired women across communities and have set a standard of leadership rooted in purpose, kindness, and impact.
As we celebrate 75 years of Israel Bonds, I am proud to stand with women who lead with generosity, and to stand with Israel, with a shared commitment to strength, continuity, and a future built on unity and hope.
A Life Shaped by Generosity
Rina Grunwald
Chair, Israel Bonds Women’s Division, France
I grew up in Calgary, under a sky so open it felt like it could hold every possibility. In our home, generosity was not something taught, it was something lived. Even as a child in Canada, Israel lived in our home through my father’s devotion. His commitment to Israel Bonds was steady and heartfelt, and without realizing it, I absorbed the quiet lesson that giving is a way of belonging, of connecting, of building something that lasts beyond us.
Life eventually carried me across the ocean to France, where everything felt new except the values I brought with me. When I joined the Women’s Division here, it was as if a familiar warmth found me again. The accents were different, the streets were different, but the spirit was the same: women who lift one another, women who give without hesitation, women who understand that generosity is a form of leadership that softens and strengthens at the same time.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” echoes what I have witnessed throughout my life. Giving opens doors—not only for others, but for ourselves. It creates unexpected friendships, shared purpose, and a sense of community that transcends geography. I have seen how a single gesture of mentorship can spark courage, how collaboration can turn uncertainty into possibility, how generosity can ripple outward in ways we may never fully see.
Being part of Israel Bonds Women’s Division in France allows me to honor my father’s legacy while writing my own chapter. As Israel Bonds marks 75 years, I feel the beauty of continuity, how each of us adds a thread to a tapestry woven by countless hands before us, each contribution strengthening the fabric of connection between our communities and Israel.
My heart also turns to Laura, whose leadership has been a steady, generous light. Her vision has guided us, her passion has united us, and her grace has inspired us. She has shown us what it means to lead with both strength and tenderness, and her impact will continue to shape our Women’s Division long after her tenure concludes.
As March unfolds, I hold close the belief that generosity is a quiet form of love, one that grows each time we share it. May we continue to give, to connect, and to build a future worthy of the women who came before us, and the women who will follow.
A Small Dot & A Big Impact
Anat Eckstein
Chair, Israel Bonds Women’s Division, Germany
Giving my time, passion, love, and resources to projects and initiatives related to Israel and Jewish life has made my life more meaningful. It is not simply about giving, it’s about giving to something you truly believe in. For me, it’s the deep feeling that my commitment can touch lives, strengthen others and serve a purpose far greater than myself.
For someone who is not religious like me, this is my version of spirituality and commitment to a greater cause. I look at the one and only Jewish state, a small dot on the world map, with deep admiration of its history, its brave people, and its wonders. I want to be part of that miracle. I want to belong to it and contribute my small share while connecting with people who have a similar goal.
Each quarter, the Israel Bonds Women’s Division International Chairs meet by video call to share and discuss initiatives and ideas. I am continually inspired and strengthened by the enthusiasm and passion each woman brings, and after every call, my conviction that this work truly matters grows even deeper. Along this journey, I have also had the privilege of meeting extraordinary guest speakers at Israel Bonds events, who have further inspired me, helped me grow and deepened my connection to my Israeli roots and to the Jewish state.
This experience has allowed me to live my values and to be proud of where I come from, especially following the October 7 massacre and its consequences. These events have underscored the importance of the Jewish state for those of us living abroad and how vital it is to protect our Western values in the face of cruelty and terrorism.
In my active role as Chair of Israel Bonds Women’s Division in Germany and with the charitable organization Beyachad e.V. in Frankfurt, I have participated in numerous initiatives, including distributing Shabbat and Hanukkah packages to elderly members of our community and people in need. These efforts allow many more people to engage in Jewish life and experience the holidays. Bringing this joy and sense of belonging to others is one of the most meaningful impacts of my work.
When women lead with generosity and collaboration, connections grow stronger within our communities abroad and with Israel.
On a final note, I would like to thank Laura Orzy, who has guided me throughout my last three years with Israel Bonds. Her positive energy, passion for Israel and deeply caring personality have greatly inspired me. Laura was constantly full of creative ideas for Israel Bonds events and initiatives as well as a great leader and role model for me. She represents the mission of Israel Bonds with pride, always wearing her “Israel Bonds hat,” as she would say and she will be deeply missed.
The Power of Example
Gillian Perry MBE
Chair, Israel Bonds Women’s Division UK
Not many people know that as well as her renowned diary, the Dutch Jewish teenager Anne Frank, while trapped in claustrophobic hiding from her Nazi oppressors, also wrote a collection of fictional and insightful stories.
These stories have actually been published in a delightful book called ‘Tales from the Secret Annexe’. Each of Anne’s tales have a purposeful message to encourage the best in human beings. Perhaps the most well-known and most often quoted phrase of the entire collection comes from her essay entitled ‘Give’. In this she writes: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world". She goes on to say, “You can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!"
This famous quote emphasises that, despite challenges, anyone can make positive changes through small acts of kindness and consideration for others. She wrote these words in March 1944, after almost two years of hiding for her life and waking every morning unsure if she and her family would avoid discovery and arrest on that day, with the terrible consequences that would bring. How wonderful it is that despite the terror she was going through, the 14 year old Anne Frank could still think about how each of us can make a positive difference to others by our charitable and philanthropic endeavours. In many of her writings, as she transitioned from a child into an adolescent who was mindful of the adult she would become, she articulated her feminist views, wanting to go out in the world and make a difference. It is therefore fitting that we use Anne Frank’s inspirational words about what we can do for others to mark International Women’s Day 2026, whose theme this year is ‘Give to Gain’.
Another remarkable woman who has made a difference is our own Laura Orzy, who for so many years volunteered tirelessly for Israel Bonds, spreading the word and making all the International Women’s Division lay leaders feel special and valued. For those visiting Israel her home was always open, to enjoy not just her hospitality but her wisdom and insights into Israeli life. As she retires as our esteemed International Women’s Division Chair, we will miss her warmth and laughter, but know her presence will always be with us as our inspiration.
Gillian Perry MBE, is the Co-Founder and longtime former CEO of the Anne Frank Trust UK.
Strengthening our Bond with Israel
Patricia Lisbona Fuchs and Elisa Nigri Griner
Co-Chairs, Israel Bonds Women’s Division, Brazil
On International Women’s Day this year, we reflect on the meaning of leading with generosity giving our time and energy with commitment to strengthen our community and deepen our connection with Israel. We believe that when women lead with purpose and compassion, they create opportunities for others to be inspired, to grow, and to actively participate in building a stronger future.
Jewish tradition has always valued women who led with courage, love, and collective responsibility. From Queen Esther, who used her position to protect her people, to Golda Meir, whose leadership helped shape the State of Israel, we see examples of women who understood that true leadership is an act of dedication to others. These women inspire us to continue building strong and united communities.
The story of Ruth is a powerful example of generosity and commitment. By choosing to remain by her mother-in-law Naomi’s side and rebuild her life with devotion and love, Ruth showed that leadership can be expressed through quiet acts of responsibility and loyalty. Her choice not only transformed her family’s destiny but also became an essential part of the continuity of the Jewish people, reminding us that the most lasting impact often grows from acts of generosity and love.
Sao Paulo’s Women's Division.
Speaking about the Women’s Division in Brazil, we see every day how collaboration among women strengthens our community. By sharing our time, ideas, and resources, we create an environment in which more women have the opportunity to become involved, take on responsibility, and develop their own leadership. This connection among women is impactful and strengthens our bond and our relationship with the Land of Israel.
Our participation in Israel Bonds is a concrete expression of this commitment, allowing us to transform values into action and solidarity into lasting development. Especially at this moment in Israel’s history, we feel that every contribution represents not only support, but also hope, continuity, and the strengthening of our shared bonds.
We also take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude and affection to Laura Orzy for her extraordinary leadership as Chair of Women’s Division International. Her vision, generosity, enthusiasm, and dedication have inspired women around the world and have certainly left a legacy that will continue to guide future generations of leaders.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate women who lead with generosity, because when we give, we strengthen others, and together we build something greater than ourselves.