Since its founding in 1959, the Japan-Israel Women's Welfare Organization has usually invited the wife of the Israeli ambassador to Japan to be its honorary president. Each one who has accepted the position has praised the organization and devoted herself to promoting its activities and aims. Amalia, wife of Ambassador Yitzhak Lior and JIWWO honorary president, says that she, too, is very happy to contribute her time and effort to JIWWO. "For more than 40 years this organization has helped support handicapped children here in Japan and in Israel," she said. "JIWWO is a group of very devoted ladies."
Lior and his wife have been in Japan for 18 months. "After Europe and the States, Japan is very different," Amalia said. "It is not very original to say this, but it is the opinion of nearly everyone who comes to live here, that we enjoy it very much. The landscape, the human landscape -- I am trying my best to experience a little bit of everything, to understand." In this connection, JIWWO serves as one of her training grounds. "I get to know the Japanese ladies," she said.
Born in Israel, Amalia spent most of her early years in Jerusalem. A student of sculpture, she is an all-around artistic person. She has passed her sensitivity and appreciation of beauty on to her children. Two of her four are artists.