World Wizo President, Anat Vidor featured in AJN

New World WIZO president at Kibbutz Kfar Aza

FORMER WIZO NSW president Anat Vidor received the tremendous honour and responsibility of being elected as World WIZO’s new president, during its 2024 Enlarged General Meeting (EGM), held online on January 10.

When making the announcement, the global women’s Zionist movement’s executive chair, Anita Friedman, noted how Vidor – a fifth-generation Israeli and mother of two – became involved in WIZO in 2007, going on to fill the leadership role “with great success” for WIZO NSW from 2015.

“In 2018, she returned to Israel with her family, and in 2021, I invited her to join World WIZO’s executive as marketing chairperson, and she took on this position with tremendous energy and creativity,” Friedman said.

“Anat will be World WIZO’s eighth president, and above all, her candidacy represents generational change, and that is so important for the future of WIZO.”

Vidor replaces Esther Mor, who served for two consecutive four year terms, and was bestowed with the honour of life president.

A dozen others were granted World WIZO life memberships, including former WIZO Australia president from 2016-2020, Paulette Cherny, who has served WIZO for 50 years.

In a video message, Israel’s president Isaac Herzog described WIZO, which turns 103 this year, as “woven right at the centre of the story of the State of Israel”. Vidor said she is “extremely honoured and proud” to be appointed president of World WIZO.

“Now, more than ever, WIZO plays a leading part in ensuring the resilience and strength of Israeli society, and in defending Israel’s inalienable right to exist as the sovereign and democratic homeland of the Jewish people,” Vidor said.

“For this reason, I look forward to leading WIZO’s 38 federations around the world, to achieve the best outcomes.”

WIZO Australia president Michelle Spiro told The AJN, “We are extremely proud and excited” for Vidor. “In my capacity as treasurer of both WIZO NSW and WIZO Australia, I have had the opportunity of working with Anat in the past, and look forward to further strengthening the bond between WIZO Australia and World WIZO,” Spiro said. “Mazal tov and kol hakavod Anat!”

Vidor first came to Australia after her IDF service as a Jewish Agency emissary in Queensland, later completed a masters degree in communications at Bond University, and lectured in Jewish history in the Melton Program at the University of Sydney. Vidor’s daughter recently completed service as a combat soldier in the IDF, and her son is currently serving.