Hadassah advocacy gets results

Joyce Toub Collier/Lee Hadassah President

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” For me, the answer has always been to volunteer. Hadassah has always meant healing and hope to me. The workers at Hadassah hospital, be they doctors, nurses, janitors, secretaries, etc., are of every religion, every color and varied economic backgrounds. The patients they help are of every color, every religion and every economic background — a true melting pot! If only the world could duplicate this.

In 2022, Hadassah’s programs, advocacy and medical breakthroughs have not only impacted Israel and the United States, but also the world. Hadassah advocacy drives policy changes to strengthen relationships between Israel and the U.S., combat antisemitism and advance women’s health. Here are some examples: Many medical miracles are performed daily at Hadassah Hospital. Newsweek continues to rank Hadassah Hospital as one of the 250 best hospitals in the world — because its staff makes the correct and efficient use of the most advanced technologies. Hadassah has a new collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Merck to launch an mRNA initiative to fight cancer. This began with the COVID19 vaccine that showed how powerful a messenger RNA can be.

With a dangerous surge in antisemitism, Hadassah urges a united front to fight hate against Jewish people, whether physical acts or inflammatory rhetoric. #StandUpToJewHate speaks out against antisemitism and anti-Zionist actions from the United Nations to college campuses. For the first time, we now have a U.S. State Department special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism with the rank of ambassador, thanks, in part, to Hadassah’s political action.

Hadassah’s Youth Aliyah Village, Meir Shfeyah, has record enrollment and is the only youth village in Israel to be fully staffed. Half the students come from other countries. Ninety-eight percent of the graduates serve in the IDF. Fifty percent give an additional year of community service. Forty percent go on to pursue higher education degrees.

Hadassah urged the International Olympic Committee to memorialize the Munich massacre victims — the 11 Israeli Olympic team members murdered in the 1972 summer Olympics at Munich. Th ey will now be remembered with a minute of silence at the start of every Olympics Games.

Hadassah advocates that we must not restrict reproductive choice; women must make decisions about their own bodies!

I am so proud to be part of this organization and invite you to become a part of it, too! Every little bit you do has a great impact. I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events:

Jan. 29 – Installation Luncheon and Fashion Show at Bonita Bay Club

Feb. 26 – Inspiring Women of 2023 at Audubon Country Club

March 3 – Hadassah Shabbat at Temple Shalom

March 4 – Hadassah Shabbat at Beth Tikvah

I wish you all a very wonderful new 2023!