A TASTE OF ISRAELI SOCIETY

WFWP's Denver Chapter networks with the United Nations Association, the Denver Chapter of which is known as the Lunch Bunch. On September 10, Mrs. Catherine Ichinohe, WFWP Denver's former chairwoman, attended the UNA's quarterly gathering at the famous Mizel Museum, a center for Jewish history, art, and culture. There is also a school attached to the museum. Oddly enough, the building was designed by a non-Jewish man.

The eight guests were greeted by the museum keeper, who is a scholar of Jewish history and the Torah. A luncheon of traditional Jewish delicacies had been prepared on site and was topped off with Turkish coffee.

Mizel Museum, Denver

A video presentation entitled, "Israel: Small but Magnificent," was shown to convey the flavor of the land and its people.

The speaker, a Philadelphia woman, had lived in Israel for 13 years. She married and had given birth to two children there. She spoke objectively, without political bias, about her life in Israel, saying that residents there want a good community for their families to live in and go out of their homes frequently.

The government in Israel supports a modern public educational system. Each child has a laptop to use for his or her studies.

A full 75 percent of the national budget is allocated for the military and security. Everyone has to participate in the military. Boys are required to serve for three years and girls for two years. They spend four days on the military base and come home for the weekends. While they are in the military, they are required to carry a gun everywhere they go, even on weekends. They can be no further than two doors away from their gun at all times.

After serving their three years in the active-duty military, the men remain in the military reserve until they are 45 years old. No one is exempt.

In Israel, there are shelters for protection against missiles that have been launched from the nearby Gaza Strip. The speaker showed maps of where the shelters are located.

Another interesting point is that medical research is advanced in Israel.

Networking with the UN Association is a good way to learn about countries other than the United States and gives inspiration and a reason to continue the vital work of WFWP to bring peace and security to all the lands of the world.