By Sharon Pomerantz Hadassah Magazine, October 2002 Vol. 84 No.2 At Hadassah’s eighty-eighth annual convention in Orlando, Florida, over 1,700 delegates basked in shared feelings of Jewish solidarity and hope, determined to celebrate the present and look to the future, despite the difficulties of the past year. “Build Tomorrow Today” was the theme of the event (held July 21-24 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort), but it was also the ethos, as virtually every session emphasized how Hadassah members can help repair the world with the characteristic perseverance, optimism and activism that has kept the organization thriving for 90 years. National convention chair Miki Schulman and vice chair Annette Meskin opened by dedicating the gathering to the members of the Hadassah family—in the United States and Israel—killed during the past year in terrorist attacks. “Remembering is not enough,” exhorted Schulman, as pictures of dozens of victims flashed on a video screen. “We must pledge ourselves to oppose the forces of evil and terror that struck them down.” Speaker after speaker attempted to put grim reality into the same context as the hope that has always been a driving force for Hadassah, Israel and the Jewish people. Martin S. Indyk, former United States ambassador to Israel and Middle East adviser in the Clinton administration, was among many who offered a dose of optimism. “Peace in Israel can be achieved,” he said. “And you, by what you do every day, ensure that the nation of Israel will live.” National President Bonnie Lipton reflected on global terrorism and the rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Europe and around the world. “This is a painful time in the life of the Jewish nation and for citizens of the United States,” she said. “It is more important than ever that we remind ourselves of the mandate we share to build peace.” Hadassah delegates took that advice to heart in a variety of ways. They met each morning to pray and to learn with scholar-in-residence Rabbi Daniel Gordis, who recently made aliya, and repeatedly affirmed their personal commitment to Israel and Zionism. “Zionism is no longer just a dream to me,” said 19-year-old Masha Katz, who just returned from Young Judaea’s Year Course in Israel, addressing delegates as part of a plenary on the relevance of Zionism in contemporary life. Other participants were just as enthusiastic about their ties to Israel and Zionism. “It’s my life, my future, my culture, my reality,” said delegate Deborah Rudt from New York, who talked about the necessity of supporting Israel emotionally and financially. “As a kid I loved Hadassah selfishly, for giving me Young Judaea camps and clubs,” said author Gil Troy, a history professor at McGill University who was the keynote speaker at the Zionism plenary. “Today, I have a more mature love for Hadassah—in what you do for Israel morally, emotionally and spiritually, by treating both Arabs and Jews in your hospitals.” That moral and spiritual courage was more than demonstrated in the plenary on the Hadassah Medical Organization. “In these days, solidarity and belonging are what’s important,” said Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, director general of HMO, “being together and facing the problems together. We couldn’t go on without your support.” He spoke of recent breakthroughs, including the establishment of the first women’s health clinic in Israel; a new master’s degree program in clinical nursing; cutting-edge research; and a public-health program that is full to bursting with students from all over the world. Hadassah medicine is, more than ever, a balancing act between the routine health needs of a nation and the unprecedented challenge of terror and war. Dr. Sharon Einav-Bromiker, anesthesiologist and codirector of the Hadassah–Hebrew University Medical Center School of Resuscitation, gave a report from the frontlines of the hospital’s trauma unit. “Every one of us has cried when we’ve delivered the bad news to a family,” she said. “The one thing that gives us the courage to continue are the successes. Our healed patients are living proof of the rewards.” One of those successes is Natan Sandaka, an Ethiopian border policeman who chased a suicide bomber out of a crowded area in central Jerusalem. While saving possibly hundreds of lives, he sustained burns over 50 percent of his body. He underwent three months of rehabilitation. “I am one of the good results of your hard work,” he told delegates. “Today we can all smile.” A lot of people are smiling in Israel today, thanks to Hadassah’s projects. “Other than my family, Young Judaea has had the most formative effect on my development,” said Josh Scharff, who just returned from Young Judaea Year Course where he volunteered for the Magen David Adom ambulance service. “My grandmother was in Auschwitz at my age, and she lost all her family, but she never talked about it,” said 18-year-old Tamara Petrovic, who moved to Israel from Yugoslavia in 1999 and was part of the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village’s delegation to Poland. “Now I understand.” Ami Halfon, a student at Hadassah College of Technology with an interest in photography, will now make it his profession, thanks to financial help from HCT, given to him because of his work teaching at-risk children photographic skills. “My volunteer projects have taught me the importance of contributing to your community, something Hadassah understands well,” he said. Erez Cohen first e-mailed questions to the Hadassah Career Counseling Institute when he was in the army and later had face-to-face counseling that resulted in his enrolling in the computer science program at HCT. “Thank you for helping so many thousands of Israelis find meaningful professions,” he said. HCCI recently started a Women’s Center for Career Development, which will focus on everything from helping women executives break the glass ceiling to getting more girls interested in science and technology careers. Hadassah’s long-standing partnership with the Jewish National Fund was praised by Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. “In the coming decades, water will replace oil as the key resource in the Middle East,” he said. “Hadassah and JNF are out ahead of all of us. You are the antithesis of terrorists. They destroy and you build.” Steven Emerson, executive director of the Investigative Project and an expert on global terrorism, shared vital information about terrorist groups operating in the United States that continue to raise millions in tax-free dollars under the nose of the F.B.I. Often their leaders pose as moderates, Emerson explained, lying to the public while backing extremist activities. “We need to support genuinely moderate Muslims,” he said, “like those scholars who take their life in their hands by stating publicly that Israel has a right to exist, the U.S. didn’t deserve 9/11 and militant Islam is an irrational force.” Media coverage of the Middle East was the focus of a lively exchange between three prominent journalists. Zev Chafets, a pro-Israel columnist for the New York Daily News, said that press neutrality is wrong when it comes to a struggle between a democratic, open society like Israel and closed dictatorial regimes. Samuel G. Freedman, author and professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism—and frequent writer for The New York Times—suggested Jews balance their criticism of the press with praise for positive reporting, “so that it doesn’t sound like a constant chorus of scolds.” Much of the delegates’ attention, however, was concentrated on Kevin Klose, president and chief executive officer of National Public Radio, which many Jews regard as biased against Israel. “We don’t get everything right every time,” Klose said. “We are not infallible, and we do listen to all feedback.” Science and health were higher than ever on the agenda. Rabbi Moshe D. Tendler, a professor of biology and medical ethics at Yeshiva University, described a recent congressional moratorium on stem-cell research in the United States, research that could benefit 128 million people. He emphasized the difference between stem-cell research, which involves cloning cells, and human cloning. “No one wants to clone a live baby,” he said. “There’s no money in it, no scientists want to do it and there’s no rational reason for it.” There are no such research bans in Israel, and Hadassah is leading the way. “In 10 years,” said Dr. Mor-Yosef, “we’ll have the ability to take stem cells and treat Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, spinal-cord diseases, even diabetes and heart failure.” Author Gloria Goldreich has written about abortion and surrogate motherhood in her novels, but she recently faced a real-life drama in deciding to donate her dying sister’s organs. “All four branches of Judaism do agree on one thing,” said Goldreich. “Not only do they allow the harvesting of organs, they encourage it as the highest of mitzvot.” Hadassah’s Pikuach Nefesh project is making a big effort to educate the public on the importance of organ donation. Hadassah continues to take the lead in the fight against coronary artery disease, the greatest killer of women in the United States. Dr. Nanette Wenger, a professor of medicine at Emory University, put an emphasis on prevention. She observed that “Exercise is a recurring recommendation for fighting coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and many other illnesses.” “When we talk about heart attacks, we generally have talked about men, and this is most unfortunate,” said Dr. Chaim Lotan, head of the Heart Institute at HMO, “because coronary artery disease is more extensive and progressive in women.” Dr. Wenger and he noted that studies conducted in the United States and Israel now include both men and women. Hadassah member Katy Elliott-Attebery was repeatedly misdiagnosed and suffered a massive heart attack at age 54 before finally getting needed care. “Know the history of your heart, it will save your life,” she told delegates. “Take care of yourself, be your own advocate.” Advocacy is a word Hadassah understands well. At the business session, delegates passed resolutions calling for reform of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA); opposing school prayer; and reaffirming Hadassah’s policy against organized boycotts. They also approved a resolution condemning anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic hate crimes around the world. Hate crimes were also a topic of discussion for the Hadassah International Medical Relief Association, Ltd. “Attracting support for Hadassah Hospital has not been easy this year, even in a tolerant country like Holland,” said Amos Atalli, a neurobiologist and chair of Young Hadassah Holland. Anti-Semitism and dangerous political situations have forced several Young Hadassah groups to meet in secret. Ironically, at the same time, Hadassah’s hospitals have been getting more positive press, particularly in Europe—so that despite anti-Semitic sentiment, membership in HIMRA continued to grow. Since its inception 19 years ago, HIMRA has raised more than $60 million for HMO. Hadassah has not only been getting good press recently but also good support. Total income generated this year—from donations, dues, grants and investment income—was $80,526,000, reported national treasurer June Walker, who got some help from her 10-year-old granddaughter, Stacey Richmond, in a musical treasurer’s report on video. An emotional Founders’ Dinner raised $9,250,000, with an anonymous donor offering to match each gift of $5,000 toward the Hadassah Center for Emergency Medicine. The arts were well represented at this convention. Ruth Gruber, foreign correspondent and author of 16 books, was given three standing ovations as she received the Woman of Distinction Award. Israeli filmmaker Dan Wolman expressed optimism about the future of his art form in Israel, thanks to some excellent film schools and recent government funding to help artists make more films in Hebrew. Eric Goldman, film historian and president of Ergo Media, addressed the traditional reluctance of American Jewish filmmakers to tackle Jewish identity, and cited recent sensitive portrayals by Barry Levinson, Steven Spielberg and Barbra Streisand as reasons for optimism. Playwright Wendy Wasserstein talked about the road to becoming a Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning writer and her determination to write compelling roles for women. “I didn’t see anyone on stage who looked like me,” she said. “I wanted to see an all-female curtain call.” There were plenty of those at this year’s convention, and more young faces than ever. Some 235 young women attended the Young Women/Young Leaders dessert reception and leadership training session. Susie Enteen, 31, of Plantation, Florida, said that coming to Hadassah regional and national events is a jump-start and a big motivator for her year-round work. “It’s a big job taking all this information back home and trying to give this feeling to my chapter.” Also present were young women from the Hadassah Leadership Academy: 160 members of the three-year Jewish learning and leadership project came from all over the country to meet each other. “After two years of Jewish learning, my life has changed,” said 40-year-old Pam Goldberg of the St. Louis HLA group, all of whom came to convention. “I tell everyone I know about Hadassah—kids, preschool moms, neighbors. I just want to get the word out.” The HLA curriculum is now available to Hadassah chapters around the country through the Machon HLA program. As delegates prepared to spread Hadassah’s name in their communities, they were energized by the atmosphere in Orlando. “Throughout this convention we have been combining our dreams and our deeds, unifying our ideals and our actions,” said Bonnie Lipton. That unity was in moving evidence at the final banquet. “Your work is living proof that Zionism is not racism,” said John D. Negroponte, United States ambassador to the United Nations. “But it has been a long struggle to make this understood and the UN is certainly one place where that challenge has been extreme.” He pledged United States support of Israel. Interrupted many times by bursts of applause and several standing ovations, Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert accepted the prestigious Henrietta Szold Award, including a crystal Lion of Judah that symbolized his commitment to Jerusalem and the Jewish people. “No matter how painful this year has been,” said Olmert, “no matter how hurt we are, nothing will break the spirit of our people, and nothing will force us out of a city for which we have prayed, cried and died for 2,000 years.” Olmert thanked Hadassah for its contribution to Jerusalem. “As one of the most important medical centers in the world, Hadassah is an enormous source of pride and strength,” he said. “And it’s one of the reasons we’re so confident that nothing will defeat us.” Lipton responded by announcing yet another commitment Hadassah is making to the city of Jerusalem—the establishment of a new Young Judaea youth center. On that positive note, the banquet hall filled with the music of Craig Taubman, and hundreds of Hadassah women jumped up from their seats and danced in the aisles until late into the night. “What’s been really spectacular about this convention is the gathering together of Jewish women from around the country who want to help Israel and the Jewish community at this difficult time,” said convention vice chair Meskin at the closing breakfast. “This has been the experience of a lifetime. See and Heard in Orlando My message
to my diplomatic colleagues has been
simple—isolation of Israel will not contribute to
bringing an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict, and in fact
it's detrimental to the whole Arab world." "The
Jewish people have seen very dark days in the past, have
seen dark days in the present and wil see them in the
future, but we know where our home is, we will do
whatever we need to do to raise children and
grandchildren who, wherever they live, will be committed
to say Am Yisrael Hai." "This
is what's unique about HMO. Even though we're at the top,
we always want to climb higher." "Insidiously,
those of us who work in medicine have also been victims
of terror. We set human life above all else, yet these
horrible atrocities are laid at our door. How do we go
on? As a mother, at the end of the day, it's my children
and husband who keep me going..." "You
cannot wait for God to help you, but if you try to help
yourself, God will help you. We have an obligation to do
everything a human mind can conceive of to help
ourselves." "As
soon as I got back from [Hadassah Young Women/Young
Leaders] mission in 2000, I immediately took a higher
leadership role. Now I'm the new fund-raising chair for
the San Francisco chapter. The mission provided the
insight I needed to be able to communicate Hadassah's
message." "When
I came home and told my father what I saw in Auschwitz,
we cried together." "How
could the F.B.I. call the July 4 attack a random
incident—the man had a gun and a knife, he yelled
'Allah Akbar' before the killing. Why do they still
refuse to categorize this as an act of terrorism?" "The
idea of having it all is one way to make yourself feel
you have too little." |
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Web Design: Bonnie K. Goodman, 2002-2006. |