Israel is at a crossroads, and, as American Jews, our solidarity with Israelis who are fighting every day to forge a path forward — a path to end the war, return the hostages, safeguard Israeli democracy, and preserve liberal values — has never been more important. As NCJW gears up for the Israel Leadership Journey in November 2025, we bring together leading Israeli feminist activists for a conversation about the big questions that Israeli society is wrestling with in this moment. Bringing a gender lens to bear on this incredibly challenging moment for Israel, our experts will discuss:

• The impact of almost two years of war on Israeli women, children and families and prospects for a hostage deal and comprehensive ceasefire
• The importance of women’s leadership and what is being done to make women’s voices heard at centers of decisionmaking 
• The ongoing campaign for justice for the Hamas gender crimes of October 7

You will hear from our partners about the work that they are doing in partnership with NCJW on the ground, and get a taste of the kinds of critical conversations and insights that you will be able to engage with deeply on the NCJW Israel Leadership Journey.

Panelists:
Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Founding Member, The Dinah Project
Adv. Hanan Alsaneh, Co-Executive Director, Itach-Ma’aki
Tal Hochman, Executive Director, Israel Women’s Network

About the Speakers:

Tal Hochman is Executive Director of the Israel Women’s Network (IWN), Israel’s oldest women’s rights organization founded in 1984 to promote women’s equality and create the social, physical, economic and judicial conditions for their prosperity. Today, IWN is the leading advocacy organization dedicated to advancing women’s rights in all areas, working closely with many grassroots organizations to uplift diverse issues impacting women of all backgrounds and communities and ensure they reach decisionmaking tables. Tal is the co-chair of the newly established Policy Forum for Gender Equity, an initiative born of NCJW’s Connecting for Impact program to ensure the feminist field operates in a synchronized, proactive, and strategic manner for effective influence in the public, legal, and political spheres. 

Prior to becoming the Executive Director of IWN in March 2024, Tal headed its Government Relations department for three years. Tal holds a Master’s Degree in International Social and Public Policy from London School of Economics (LSE) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She formerly worked as a Parliamentary Advisor and as a social worker for youth at risk.

Adv. Hanan Alsanah is the Co-Executive Director of Itach-Maaki – Women Lawyers for Social Justice, a human rights lawyer, feminist, and social activist from Be’er Sheva, Israel. With over 20 years of experience advocating for women’s rights, Hanan has dedicated her career to empowering Bedouin women and promoting gender equality in traditional Bedouin society. She holds a master’s degree in law. In 2005, Hanan became the first Bedouin woman to represent her community at the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Her efforts focus on advancing women’s leadership, peacebuilding, and political participation, particularly through the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. She has participated in international seminars and initiatives addressing women’s roles in conflict resolution, emphasizing that women’s participation is essential for achieving sustainable peace.

Hanan’s groundbreaking work includes organizing educational and leadership programs for thousands of Bedouin women and founding initiatives to increase women’s representation in local governance. In 2021, she became the first Bedouin woman to lead a political party, advocating for marginalized communities. Her inspiring story is featured in the 2024 documentary Her War – Hanan.

Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari is an expert on family law and international women’s rights and is the Founding Academic Director of the Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law in Israel. In December 2018 she completed three terms on the UN Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), she is a renowned speaker in academic as well as professional forums and has published extensively, including Women in Israel (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004) and CEDAW: A Commentary, 2nd Edition (co-edited, Oxford University Press, 2023.) She is a recipient of numerous research grants and international awards, including an honorary doctorate from Brandeis University, the US State Department Women of Courage Award, and the Human Rights Award of the Ingrid zu Solms-Stiftung Foundation in Germany. In 2018, she was named one of Apolitical’s 100 most influential people in gender policy around the world.

Prof. Halperin-Kaddari is a founding member of the Dinah Project which was founded immediately following the events of October 7, 2023 to combat the denial of and provide justice forthe victims of the sexual violence perpetrated on that day. Within the framework of the project, Prof. Halperin-Kaddari is one of the co-authors of the book, “A Quest for Justice, October 7 and Beyond, the most comprehensive legal analysis to date of the sexual and gender-based crimes committed during the Hamas-led attacks.