Women of Vision: Summer 2024 Update

Welcome Message from Our Chair

Happy Summer!

As I write this I am still kvelling thinking about our fabulous Spring Event, celebrating 30 years of Women of Vision! It was such a special evening celebrating three decades of making a real difference in the lives of women and girls. It honestly couldn’t come at a better time.

This year has been a challenging and heart wrenching time for all of us after the devastation in Israel on Oct. 7 and the rise of antisemitism around the world and so visible in our own community. But through it all, as Women of Vision – you have remained a constant source of strength. 

Together, we have been a strong voice for our sisters in Israel and stand firmly in solidarity with the Jewish homeland.

We have held briefings and educational Zoom programs to keep our community informed and us connected with our Israeli grantees, issued statements of condemnation to the silence and negligence of the UN, and awarded a number of special grants, in addition to our regular grants cycle, to uplift the women and girls in Israel. 

Despite our heavy hearts, we showed how impactful we are when we work together for Israel and locally.

In addition to our special efforts for Israel, this year, we:

• Have officially awarded over $1.7 million in grants to organizations that create social change since 2001.
• Collectively voted to invest nearly $230,000 in grant awards to four local organizations for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.
• Continued to grow in our membership and our impact. We had over 40 new members and stand strong with nearly 600 members!
• Advocated for important issues in Harrisburg and continued with our theme of equity throughout the year, culminating with our Spring Event with guest speaker Jennifer Weiner, who spoke about how women are treated in the publishing field.
• Ran successful campaign initiatives, bringing our endowment fund to $4.5 million.

I hope when you read this newsletter you take the time to reflect and appreciate all the accomplishments we have had together as strong philanthropic women.

Our voices are powerful and can continue to create meaningful change. I encourage you to stay engaged and continue to advocate for our Jewish women and girls as we look to a new year ahead with meaningful and impactful programs and work. 

Enjoy reading our informative newsletter (hopefully by a pool or at the beach).

I wish you a peaceful and relaxing rest of the summer. Enjoy your loved ones and realize how blessed we are to be able to give back to our community. I am so thankful for your support and dedication.

Andi

3 Decades of Changing Lives

This year, we celebrated our 30th anniversary of empowering and transforming the lives of Jewish women and girls. From distributing more than $1.7 million to organizations in Greater Philadelphia and Israel to bringing nearly 600 members together to inspire each other and help other women, Women of Vision has done a lot in its 30 years for the betterment of our society.

Interested in Joining a Women of Vision Committee?

We are looking for leaders! Be on the lookout for an email in the coming weeks to sign up to join our Advocacy, Advancement and/or Grant Review Committees. If you would like to learn more, contact Shara Swift at sswift@jewishphilly.org.

Upcoming WOV and Community Programs

Annual Meeting: Join the Jewish Federation on Sept. 17 at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue to kickoff a new Annual Campaign. During this meeting, we will thank incoming and outgoing leadership, induct our new Legacy Society members, pay tribute to individuals who passed away and remembered the Jewish Federation in their estate plans, and present the Young Leadership Awards to Shelby Zitelman, Allison Goodman and Jessica Katz in the memory of Josh Katz, z”l. To register, click here.

Zoom Fall Program: On Nov. 13 at 12:00 p.m., join us virtually to hear from trailblazing women and learn about their leadership journeys and about the work they are doing to make the world a better place.

‘Screams Before Silence’:  During the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel and in ongoing captivity, Hamas has raped, assaulted and mutilated women and girls. Join us on Sept. 25 at Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History the for a reception and screening of “Screams Before Silence,” a 60-minute documentary film, where Sheryl Sandberg, former Meta COO and bestselling author, interviews multiple eyewitnesses, released hostages, first responders, medical and forensic experts, and survivors of the Hamas massacres. Following the screening, there will be an expert panel. Registration information coming soon. 

One Year Later: Join us on Oct. 27 at Har Zion Temple to commemorate the Oct. 7 massacre, honor the victims, share messages of hope and resilience and unite as a community. Registration information to follow. 

Spring Event: Mark your calendar for May 14! Join Women of Vision for our signature event.

Save the Date: Women of Vision Mission to Israel
Spring 2025 | Tentative Dates: March 6-11

Exciting news! We are planning a Women of Vision Mission to Israel. Reenergize and connect with your fellow members in the Jewish homeland as we meet with our grantees, experience a meaningful Shabbat dinner, volunteer, visit the Jewish Federation’s partnership regions, and so much more. To express interest in joining this mission, contact Shara Swift at sswift@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0841.

This Year’s Theme: The Independent Woman

From financial self-sufficiency to body autonomy – how does one become an Independent Woman? This year’s theme is about the power of agency and how we can create an equitable and respectful world where women and girls can succeed and thrive. Throughout the course of the year, we will focus on trailblazing women who are carving out a path for themselves, others and future generations.

Local Grants Announcement

“Our Women of Vision members voted on life changing local initiatives that provide women and girls with the resources and avenues they need to feel empowered and be independent. These grants tackle various systemic issues from providing the means for women to leave unsafe domestic situations, to aiding financial literacy to raising a next generation of women who are confident and understand the power of their voice.”   

– 2023-2024 WOV Grant Review Committee Co-Chairs Ann C. Lebowitz and Cindy Warkow

Our members have voted to award grants to four local organizations, investing nearly $230,000 to programs that will affect change in the lives of self-identifying Jewish women and girls: Jewish Women International’s “Financial Fitness for Young Women” program,  jGirls+ Magazine’s “Jewish Feminist Leadership Strategy & Vocal Point” program, Dinah’s and The Hebrew Free Loan Society’s “Shalom Bayit Fund,” and Moving Traditions’ “CultureShift” program. 

Learn more about this year’s grant cycle grantees by clicking here and WOV’s past grantees by clicking here. 

Standing in Solidarity with Israel
Special Grants & Statements

“As women, when one of us hurts, we all hurt. And when one of us is silenced, we all speak up. This year’s collective grants underscores that as Women of Vision, we act when we see injustice and we stand firmly in solidarity with our fellow women in the mission of creating a more equitable, inclusive and respectful world for all.”

– Women of Vision Chair Andi Barsky

Women of Vision made two special grants in 2024 to address the impact the ongoing war has had on women in Israel: 

• In February, thanks to an anonymous donor, Women of Vision made a one-time grant of $30,000 to the Civil Commission on Oct. 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children to support their work documenting the systematic and deliberate gender and sexual-based violence that Hamas committed and advocating for necessary changes on the international stage. 
• In June, Women of Vision as part of the Jewish Women’s Collective Response Fund, announced $125,000 in grants to support five Israeli nonprofits actively and effectively working to give a voice to women and advance equality in government and civil society as Israelis reprioritize and rebuild during and after wartime.

You can read the following statements Women of Vision has published about the ongoing crisis:

• Women of Vision Announces Special Grant for Women in Israel
• Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Reaffirms Belief in Oct. 7 Victims of Gender-Based Violence During Women’s History Month
• Women of Vision Joins 80 Women’s Rights Organizations to Call on UN Secretary General to Launch Immediate Independent Investigation into Gender Based Violence Committed by Hamas
• Women of Vision Joins Jewish Women’s Collective Response Fund in Announcing Five Grants to Support Israeli Women Post Oct. 7

Executive Committee 2024-2025

Thank you to all our incoming and outgoing leadership. We greatly appreciate your exceptional service to our mission.

*Founding Member

In Memoriam of Judith B. Ginsberg z”l

Women of Vision, Executive Committee Member and Past Chair (2011-2014)

We pay tribute to Judith B. Ginsberg z”l, who passed away on March 18, 2024. May Judith’s memory be for a blessing and may her legacy of leadership and commitment to transforming the lives of Jewish women and girls continue to be an inspiration for others.  

She was the beloved wife of the late Gerald Ginsberg z”l, loving mother of Susan Ginsberg (Women of Vision member) and Freda Ginsberg (spouse, Andrea), dear sister of Stephen Block (spouse Miriam), and loving grandmother of Ori Ginsberg.

Welcome to Our New Members

(Since Winter)

In Memoriam

For those we lost since the start of 2024

Past Programs

Since the start of 2024

• Book Review: We held a virtual discussion on Jan. 30 of “Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education” by Stephanie Land, author of the acclaimed “Maid” turned Netflix series. This facilitated conversation explored our theme of “understanding equity” through the lens of socioeconomic status and gender.
• LiberatHER Brunch: On Feb. 18, Caroline Kamesar and Carly Zimmerman hosted a brunch for Women of Vision members, age 45 and younger, to get to know one another and learn about their collective impact.
• War’s Impact on Women: On March 14, we held a special virtual briefing about the war’s impact on women and girls as well as how our grantees are pivoting their work during this crisis. The program featured Tali Lidar, the Jewish Federation’s director of Israel and global operations, and Tanyah Murkes, CEO of the Society for International Development (SID)-Israel and advisory board member of the Civil Commission on Oct. 7 Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children, a recent Women of Vision grant recipient. You can watch the program by clicking here. 
• Grant Finalist: On May 16, we had the opportunity to hear directly from our grantee finalists Greater Philadelphia before voting opened. To watch the program, click here. 
• Spring Event: On May 21, we celebrated our 30th anniversary at our signature Spring Event with more than 240 attendees at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. The signature event featured bestselling author and activist Jennifer Weiner in conversation with sportscaster and third generation Holocaust Survivor Jamie Apody. Learn more about the Spring Event by clicking here. 
• Parlor Meetings: On April 9 and July 24, WOV had parlor meetings to engage prospective members in Blue Bell and Margate. Through these meetings, we were able to recruit 5 people to become members of WOV. Thank you to Maribeth Lerner, Brandi Lerner and Karen Model for hosting these inspiring events that will help expand our membership and mission. 

Mazels from Bestselling Author Jennifer Weiner

Hear a special message from our Spring Event featured speaker Jennifer Weiner.

This is Your Moment!

 As Women of Vision, you help carry our traditions forward to inspire the next generation of self-identifying women and girls. In addition to your investment in the Women of Vision Endowment Fund, this is your moment to help the Jewish Federation continue to uplift your communities by making a gift to the Jewish Community Fund before our Annual Campaign ends on Aug. 31 by clicking here.