In Israel, Jews are in the middle of a 3 week period of religious festivals. Similarly, Muslims have just finished Ramadan. Time for the women of the home to be busy in the kitchen, surely? And yet, times are a changing.

On the political scene, it is looking incresing likely that Ms Tzipi Livni will form the next government. This is a lady with one sharp background. Her parental home was modest and dedicated to core values, associated with the founding of the country. In early adulthood, the lady evidently had a stint in the security services. She has just fought an internal battle in her own party, Kadima, defeating a former chief of staff in the process.

This is no one-off triumph for the female in Israeli society. The speaker of the Kenesset is Ms Dalia Itzik, who has fought her way up the system, staring off as a teacher in education politics in Jerusalem. The Head of the Supreme Court is Ms Dorit Beinisch. The Knesset boasts a female Arab member, very active on social issues. And so the list goes on.

It is not just on the national scene that women are active. In the town of Hara Adar, just west of Jerusalem, some local women became fed up with the back-stabbing of local macho leaders. A few years ago, they formed their own political party. The result is that they are now a significant voice on the local council.

A similar move has begun in Givat Zeev, sandwiched between Ramallah and Jerusalem. A town of 12,000 residents, it is facing elections in early Novemeber. The local female team are well placed to become a dominant force. 

Stats on rape, harrasment etc are not encouraging. On the other hand, these changes will surely help to show others the way forward.