Agricultural Training

With the outbreak of World War II, a major effort was made to gain self-sufficiency by extending the areas for vegetable gardens and smallhold¬ings throughout the country, especially since restrictions had been placed on the import of food into the country. At that time WIZO was supported in its training work  not only by the Vaad Leumi, but also by the Mandatory Government.

"Now, there was no need for patient explanations or persuasive propa¬ganda. Requests, and indeed demands, for WIZO's madrichot came in from many quarters, asking for help with “vegetable-growing, setting up poultry runs and sheep pens, and the planting of fruit trees ... "

With the establishment of the State, and the subsequent mass immigration to the country, especially from Moslem
lands, it became clear that there was a need for small auxiliary holdings next to the houses.

Training Department for Women

In the forties the market needed industrial products, on the one hand, yet  there was a shortage of working hands, on the other hand.  These  highlighted the serious lack of vocational education for women. WIZO worked towards providing vocational education, in response to the new reality.

Vocational Projects in the Schools

After the establishment of the State, it was realised that agricultural development in Israel would always be limited, due to the shortage of land and of water. Thus the emphasis was transferred to industry and manual work. The need for skilled labor grew fifteen fold. The Government, however, was not able to build nor maintain vocational schools, even though there was a great need for them.
 
WIZO, always quick to discern fresh needs, once again mobilized its powers in order to meet this need. To quote from the records, "... It cannot be denied that, since the establishment of the State, vocational education has become an important factor in the country, both from the economic and the educational point of view. A substantial percentage of the youth in the country, and youth who have immigrated recently, is not suited to, nor attracted by, agriculture. There is a demand for vocational education. The government, is interested in developing industry, and is providing assistance, but they need trained and experienced manpower.

Governmental factors are placing more and more emphasis on introducing women into industry. They have asked us to find out what our vocational schools could contribute in this direction."

In other words, turning to vocational education now had ideological backing. The State was in need, and WIZO responded. In following the changes  brought about by legitimizing vocational education we see that whilst primarily (at the end of the 'twenties and beginning of the 'thirties), vocational courses were designed for those women who were not working in agriculture - after the establishment of the State, the  vocational education assumed its own importance,  and developed because the State required skilled workers.

The importance of WIZO's effort in this area can be seen in light of the fact that, in contrast to the countries of Europe, Israel had no long tradition of handicrafts, or skills in industrial work, or in training apprentices. The task of turning the children of peddlers, small shopkeepers and other lower middle class sectors of the population, into skilled manual workers, could not be the responsi¬bility of the employers.