Being aware of the success of the German Union of getting new members to join the Soroptimist Clubs additional to opening many new Clubs we asked Marianne if she could give us a lecture on this subject.

This was mainly a Haifa Nave-Shaanan Club meeting but we invited other members of the Haifa Clubs, also Daniela Stern, the president of the Israeli Union.

	Preparing the Refreshments
The meeting took part in Hanna's garden

First we got some statistics about expansion in the German Union.
In East Germany, there were no international Organization before the Unification. Later some of the Clubs were initiated by Soroptimist members who moved there from the West.

The Motifs for opening new Clubs in the western part of Germany are varied.
Often new candidates for membership do not feel comfortable in a Club whose members are by far their seniors, particularly in Clubs which were established many years ago, and the members of which have become very familiar with one another and they too do not feel so comfortable with an "Outsider". Many of the new applicants are motivated by the desire for social-political involvement. The emphasis may be on environmental problems, or social problems like the attitude towards Immigrants, the growing economic polarization or problems arising out of globalization.

An important factor in the success of expansion is "MENTORING". Candidates for the program are women in the first few years of their professional life.
Members who are well established in their profession, "adopt" a MENTEE" (not necessarily of the same profession)who is invited once or more times a month, to watch the MENTOR" in her professional environment, and also discuss problems encountered in their work with their "MENTOR".
I suppose that one of the factors in the success of the program is the proliferation of professions in the Soroptimist Clubs, due to rule that mostly there should be one member of each profession only. The MENTEES comtribute a not negligable amount of Euro 600 towards the expenses of the program. This facilitates the expansion of the program, and deepens the commitment of the MENTEES to the success.

Before saying goodbye, because Marianne had to get back to her work at the Governers meeting of the Technion, Yehudith Brosh, the president of our Club, presented her with a "tree certicifate", saying that a tree had been planted in her name in the Soroptimist forest.

Hanna said that at the next visit of Marianne, we shall try to drive to the Soroptimist forest to visit her tree.