As someone who lives in Israel I'd like to add to Judy's comments:

Israelis are very certifcate oriented and so
People here in Israel tend to see docs as G-d's prophets.  They do not
question the doctor, rather his credentials.  This means that when a Hebrew
paper reports new medical findings they tend to focus more on the doctor
than the finding itself.  This is very dangerous.  I'll explain.

A friend of mine has a 15 month old with one kidney.  The baby had a fever
for a week.  They did a strep culture on him and when it came out positive,
the doctor said "It must be wrong because babies under two years DON"T GET
STREP."  His urine was clean, so where did the infection come from? The
nurses now believe  Doc over the lab results.  However, the baby's body
responded to the meds.  So who's right, the lab and the baby's body or this
stuffed up doctor?   (Who does 60  second checks on babies and has missed
diagnosing scarlett fever because of his hastiness.  But because he's
doctor X he's akin to Moses).

(Whenever I hear the word "never" coming from a doctor I get suspicious.
To me that means HE's never heard of it.)

This same doctor-nurse crew is the one who is opposed to my couseling women
on Bf in our community, and we will probably have quite a fight with them
next year.  The nurses think they are experts but I've talked to moms
who've said they need more than five minutes of these nurses' attention.
BTW these people have even prevented women from responding to our
initiation of an LLL group. They care more about their pride than public
health.


 Since there will now be a course in
Jerusalem annually or bi-annually, we hope to create quite an LC crew.  But
if
ILCA changes to accepting only IBCLC's as voting members, then how will
those of us who have to work to get those hours just to qualify for the
exam be able to earn respect from doctors?  There is no way I will work at
this for 8 years without monetary compensation.  Not only would that be
financially suicidal, but in Israeli terms I would be a pansy.

North America, with its capitalist mindset is an easy place to demand IBCLC
credentials, because that way the people who are truly the most qualified
will get more recognition.  However, in socialist mindsets this does not
work.  Not only is qualifying for IBCLC financially difficult, we also have
to fight the gov't basically, and we need help to do this.  That means that
Israeli doctors who go abroad and meet LC's will become impressed with
their services, this helps us.  If they hear you're only "good" if you're
IBCLC we're screwed.

I also understand that JHL itself actually helps LC's who are studying to
take the IBCLE.  Why can't ILCA make a median stance on voting membership,
such as internationals who aren't IBCLC can vote; or setting credentials,
such as having to take a BSC-type course before being allowed to vote.
Anyone who finishes such a course should have a basic understanding of
lactation and the issues, yet they need support albeit moral or financial
to get to that exam.  However, organizationally barring them from job
opportunities - which is what will happen - is unfair.
 Ilca should then call itself the IIBCLCA

Nofia