Eight Women Who Changed the Face of Israel

Momentum, a global movement that inspires Jewish women to connect with Israel and their Jewish values, has launched a year-long campaign highlighting the accomplishments and contributions of eight intrepid Jewish women.

The social media posts on Instagram and Facebook are showcasing highly stylized illustrations of these pioneering figures, including judoka Yael Arad, the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal; noted Israeli scholar and commentator who rekindled broad interest in Bible study, Nehama Leibowitz; Israel's first and only female head of government and the first woman to lead a government in the Middle East, Golda Meir; Zionist leader and founder of Hadassah and the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Henrietta Szold; activist and prominent public figure in the movement to free Soviet Jewry, Avital Sharansky, who fought for the release of her husband Natan Sharansky; Rita, one of Israel’s most iconic singers; Alice Miller; who broke the glass ceiling for women serving in the IDF as pilots, and Dr. Miriam Adelson, an influential and visionary philanthropist who is one of the world’s best-known supporters of Jewish causes.

The campaign illustrates how these women have been integral in shaping Israel over the last 75 years. Israeli women have changed the face of Israel. From Avital Sharansky being a key figure responsible for liberating Jews stuck behind the Iron Curtain, to Rita singing moving songs in her native Farsi that have shown the world — and even Iran — the cultural diversity of Israel, to Dr. Miriam Adelson’s inspiring broad support for Israel and the Jewish community through philanthropy, to Golda Meir blazing the trail for the female political leaders who have followed her, these women are not only examples of Israel’s inclusivity but are responsible for helping shape the entire country and its global impact.

Momentum is sharing the campaign across its social media channels as well as integrating it into their immersive in-person experiences like the Momentum Fellowship and the Momentum Yearlong Journey.

During the Momentum Yearlong Journey, which begins with an eight-day trip to Israel, participants are encouraged to walk in these figures’ footsteps, learn from their accomplishments and understand how they, too, can be agents of change. The organization will post about a new figure every month, with the launch taking place on Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day.

“Despite the many obstacles women have faced over the course of history, we’ve continued to be trailblazers in a myriad of disciplines,” said Lori Palatnik, Momentum Founding Director. “With this campaign, we hope women will be able to recognize aspects of themselves. Each one of us has the ability to lead, guide and contribute. We sometimes just need a little inspiration. And what better way to get that, than through women who have lived their lives based on Jewish values. We believe that a world that empowers women is beneficial to all.”

Also taking place this month, Momentum has kicked off its 2023 immersive trips to Israel, with about 600 women from 12 countries including France, Argentina and Spain.

The yearlong social media campaign builds on Momentum’s growing foray into the digital world. Last year it launched Yomm, the first mobile app exclusively tailored for Jewish women, in an effort to create the world’s largest social network.

Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism handpicked Momentum to establish Yomm, understanding that Momentum’s substantial reach and diverse network of more than 20,000 Jewish women from 35 countries make the organization the ideal partner for cultivating a global Jewish sisterhood. With its undisputed expertise in profound Jewish learning experiences, Momentum is uniquely situated to expand into the digital space.

Founded in 2009, Momentum’s four central goals are connecting to Jewish values, engaging with Israel, taking action, and fostering unity without uniformity.