Mina Ben-Zvi, of beloved memory, died in January, 2001. A dear friend of hers wrote:
"Like the prophet, Miriam, Mina certainly led and represented her own people, but she did so in such a way that ensured an Israeli presence among the nations - one that came in peace, bearing gifts of knowledge."
(Phyllis Chesler, scholar and author)
In Shalom Magazine in 1997 we wrote:
"In 1960 Israel was a new nation, just 12 years independent. Mina Ben-Zvi, with a background as first Commander of the Women's Corps of Israel's Defence Forces, was representative of the International Council of Social Democratic Women (ICSDW) to the UN Women's Seminar in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The seminar, the first of its kind, took place at a time when African countries were beginning to enter the world stage in their own right, and women in developing countries were making their first appearance there too. The UN seminar threw light on her situation, her problems, her views, her expectations. Mina Ben-Zvi had a unique opportunity to gain a better understanding of African women-s positions and brought what she learned back to Israel, sharing her insights with Foreign Minister Golda Meir and Swedish Ambassador to Israel Inga Thorsson, both of whom had traveled to Africa and, like Mina, understood the urgent need to equip African women with skills which would allow them to be active contributors
in their emerging societies. Out of that seminar the idea emerged to invite women leaders not only from Africa but also from Asia to a seminar in Haifa, Israel. It is characteristic of Mina-s drive and energy and her complete inability to take no for an answer that only four months later the seminar opened in Haifa!"
That was the beginning of the Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center and the early years of MASHAV-s training program. Mina retired in 1987 after 25 years of conscientious devotion to the cause of educating women and men from developing countries, but she never retired from the scene.
When she died in January 2001 we searched our libraries and archives for what she might have written about her personal beliefs. What we found were many impassioned descriptions of the importance of what we - ollectively - believe and do in the community, for the community, in the world of nations. We here in Israel certainly feel like an era has ended, and she is missed, although our work goes on. Shalom Magazine will be reporting next time on a study day to be held in her dear memory at MCTC.