Jewish women's org. celebrates eight women who changed Israeli history

Momentum, formerly the Jewish Women's Renaissance Project, has launched a year-long campaign to highlight the legacies of eight Jewish women as a way to celebrate Israel's 75th anniversary. 

The organization defines itself as a global movement that inspires Jewish women to connect with Israel and their Jewish values. 

The campaign, launched on Israel's Independence Day, will be integrated into existing Momentum programs like the Momentum Fellowship and the Momentum Yearlong Journey. 

The eight women spotlighted will be Yael Arad, Nehama Leibowitz, Golda Meir, Henrietta Szold, Avital Sharansky, Rita, Alice Miller and Dr. Miriam Adelson.

Arad is an Israeli judoka who became the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal in 1992 when she won silver in the half middleweight competition at the Barcelona Summer Olympics. Leibowitz, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 91, is known for her contributions to Biblical scholarship and is credited with rekindling broad interest in Bible study. 

Golda Meir was Israel's first and only female Prime Minister and is also the only woman to date to lead a government in the Middle East. Szold was an outspoken Zionist activist who founded Hadassah and the Women's Zionist Organization of America. Sharansky is known for her activism and leadership in the Soviet Jewry Movement and her fight for the release of her husband Natan Sharansky from Soviet imprisonment. 

Rita is an Israeli pop singer and actress who has been making music since 1986. A native of Iran, her music has taken off in bother her birthplace and her current home of Israel. 

Alice Miller, who made aliyah at age 6 from South Africa with her family, made history in 1996 when she took the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy to court for their ban on female pilots and won. Finally, Dr. Adelson is a physician who has been consistently dedicated to funding pro-Israel initiatives in the United States and local initiatives in Israel. 

How will the initiative integrate into Momentum's existing programs?

The Momentum Yearlong Journey begins with a trip to Israel. This year, participants will be encouraged to follow in the footsteps of these eight women and learn how they, too, can make lasting change. 

The organization will be featuring a different figure each month beginning with Wednesday's launch. 

“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.”