U.S. Embassy Ceremony Honoring Dr. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari

Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
July 16-19, 2007

Senior Coordinator Andrea Bottner traveled to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in July to participate in the U.S. Embassy's ceremony honoring Dr. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari as a recipient of the Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage, and to meet with women leaders in both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Dr. Halperin-Kaddari is the Director of the Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University's Faculty of Law. The Secretary's Award was presented in recognition of Dr. Halperin-Kaddari's role in actively eliminating discrimination against women in the State of Israel and in the international arena. In discussing the prestigious honor, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Richard H. Jones said "The award is being given to Dr. Halperin-Kaddari for her social leadership and her work for the advancement of women and social change in Israel by means of her expertise in feminism and law."

Ms. Bottner was accompanied by Deborah Emmert, Senior Advisor for the Broader Middle East and North Africa. As part of their visit to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, they held a number of substantive meetings with women's rights organizations, including the Israel Women's Network, Isha L'Isha (Women to Women), The Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development, the Jerusalem Center for Women, and with Israeli and Palestinian members of the International Women's Commission.

"I am so impressed by the Israeli and Palestinian women I have had the honor to meet with during this trip," said Andi Bottner. "Their activism, and their strength and courage, are to be commended. I applaud their work, and will follow with interest their on-going achievements in women's rights."

Senior Coordinator Andrea Bottner with honoree Dr. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari.

Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz with Dr. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari.

Senior Coordinator Andrea Bottner and Senior Advisor Deborah Emmert with staff from the Israel Women's Network.

Senior Coordinator Andrea Bottner, and Senior Advisor Deborah Emmert with IWOC awardee Dr. Ruth (Director) and her staff at the Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University's Faculty of Law.