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Members and children of the Women's International Zionist
Organization (WIZO) saluted the fashions and dances of
countries in which Jews have resided over the centuries. The event
was held Tuesday, May 23, in San Diego, California.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO, Calif.—The venue was the United States, the language Spanish, the
costumes from around the world, and the cause was Israel.
Welcome, or should I say Bienvenidos to an international fashion pageant
staged by the San Diego chapter of the Women's International Zionist
Organization on Tuesday, May 23, at the Wyndham Emerald Plaza in downtown San
Diego.
Organized by Ana
"Janche" Galicot, the pageant saluted 15 countries in which Jews
had lived or are living today during several millenia of history. Were it
not for the gracious and skillful Spanish-to-English translation of Sarita Zanes,
one of the few Cubans in the group drawing its membership from both sides of the
U.S.-Mexico border, I could not report this story.
As announcers read brief descriptions of the Jewish experience in each
country, school girls bearing those nations' flags walked up and back the
fashion runway. After the flag-bearers returned to the main stage, dancers
or models in fashions typical of each country made their entrances. In
some cases the models were accompanied by their children, also wearing clothes
typifying the nation being saluted.
Turkey was first to be presented in the pageant, not for any historic reason,
but because Janche (hahn-chay) Galicot is the type of unflappable, big-hearted
organizer who does not believe there are such things as
"problems." Instead, there are only those
occasional situations requiring slight adjustments.
Two young belly dancers, Leiliana and Nicole, had not been aware that estimating the time a Mexican Jewish
event actually will get started is
itself an art form. As the morning crept into afternoon and laughter
filled the reception area, many WIZO families happily exchanged kisses and hugs,
never giving even the slightest indication that they expected to sit down
at their tables any time soon,
Gingerly the sisters—who told me that their family is of Syrian-Jewish
background—approached Galicot and stammered that they were supposed to be at
yet another function at 2 p.m. "Where?" asked the formidable
pageant director. "It's not far from here," one of the young women
admitted, "but we'll need to be there a little ahead of time."
Galicot consulted her script. Turkey was to be the 11th of 15
presentations.. "It's not a problem," she said. "We will
put you on first." She made a notation on her copy of the script,
then found the two readers who would announce the program, and thus the matter
was settled.
 As
the fashion show was getting underway, I watched the demeanor of some of
my fellow men in the room that was filled mainly with women. Some had those
self-conscious smiles of men about to do a duty for their wives, as when, for
example, they are called upon to help their spouses decide exactly what color
shoes will go best with their dresses. These were the smiles of men who
are supportive husbands and good sports. These were the smiles of
fellows who expected to endure the pageant in as charming a way as they could.
In other words, these were the smiles of men who didn't expect to enjoy the
proceedings very much
Turkey
By virtue of being the first act, Leiliana and Nicole changed all that. They
danced in a well-choreographed presentation that was fun for everyone because
the two sisters so obviously enjoyed working together on stage. Smiles of
audience members, both male and female, grew wider. Turkey, it was noted,
was a place where many Jews settled after they were expelled in the 15th century
from Spain and Portugal.
 Next
came England, which was credited for having helped Jews in their quest for
national independence with the issuance of the Balfour Declaration. It was
remembered as the former home of Chaim Weitzman, who was Israel's first
president, and the birthplace of Rebecca Sieff, founder of WIZO. The young
ladies modeling sensible British plaids understood that a preschooler who also
was modeling was going to be the scene-stealer, so they enjoyed her right along
with the rest of the crowd.
Italy
was remembered as having a Jewish community dating back to Roman times, and also
for having produced the Jewish artist Amadeo Modigliani and Rabbi Jaim Luzzato.
England
Whatever unpleasant associations Iran may have for pro-Israel audiences
today—particularly when it seems intent on acquiring nuclear weapons and
eliminating the nation of Israel from the Middle Eastern map—in ancient days,
when it was known as Persia, it was the home of such important biblical
personages as Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and Ezra.
Spain was recalled as the country where, for centuries, Muslims and Jews
coexisted in what today is remembered as a golden age. It was saluted as the
country of Yehuda Halevy and Maimonides.
Poland was remembered as having been a country with one of the largest Jewish
populations prior to the Holocaust, a country that had produced sages and
rabbis. India was cited as a country where Jews have lived since the 2nd
century, its inhabitants possibly descended from one of the 10 Lost Tribes. Cuba
was identified as a place which once gave Jews refuge, and from which Jews later
sought refuge in the wake of Fidel Castro's political ascendancy.
Ethiopian Jews were described as having been descended from the Tribe of
Dan. The announcer recalled Operation Moses and Operation Solomon which
had helped to airlift them from Ethiopia to Israel.
 
 
Iran
Spain
India
Ethiopia
 The
Czech Republic was identified as a country where Jews had lived since the 10th
century, and where stories were popularized about a golem, a man monster
made of clay, who protected Jews and other Czechs. Neighboring
Austria was remembered as the country which produced both Theodor Herzl and
Sigmund Freud. Argentina was noted as a place where, in the 19th century, Baron
de Hirsch arranged for Jews to be taught farming trades, and where, today there
is one of the most energetically Zionistic populations.
The next three countries—Mexico, the United States, and Israel—were
clearly the crowd's favorites, as audience members resided in either of
the first two and were committed to the idea of helping any Jew who wants to
immigrate to Israel.
Argentina
 About
Mexico, the script said: "Jews came in the 20th century
trying to find a better living for their family, without a language but
with a lot of hope. Trying to get ahead, they learned Spanish, they got economic
independence, and they formed a community with schools , a Jewish Community Center,
cemetery and synagogues…"
 The
United States was praised as a country with over 350 years of history;
"a country that gave us liberty and welcomed us with open arms, giving us
the opportunity to become what ever we wanted in economics, literature, science
and politics…and the Hollywood world. It is a marvelous country, a friend of
Israel, where we are free to practice any religion we want and where we live
with respect and admiration."
Mexico
  Perhaps
signifying the border
U.S.A.
perspective of the WIZO members, the costume chosen for the American was
a cowgirl outfit. Yah-hoo!
The pageant was held on a Tuesday, a day on
which, according to the Book of Genesis, God was so pleased with His
Israel
creations, that He twice described them as "good." Accordingly,
Tuesday is considered a doubly blessed day—a good day on which to have a
wedding, for example. Therefore it made perfect sense that Israel should be
represented with two good costumes—the uniform of a female IDF soldier and a
bridal gown, evocative of the Sabbath bride.
"Our land was never
abandoned; there were always Jews in Hebron, Tiberius, Sfad and
Jerusalem," according to the program's commentary.
"During the expulsion of Jews from Spain a lot of them came to live
in Israel. During the 1948 war of
Israel there were 600,000 citizens, like 600,000 words in the Torah, like
600,000 Jews that left Egypt. Our dream became a reality to start a new
country there."
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Harrison
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