Hadassah abroad and at home

Joyce Toub, Collier/Lee Hadassah President

In my bereavement group the other day, I couldn’t help but wonder how we all dealt with the sadness of losing our spouses and how united we were in feeling and understanding what each of us had gone through. Most of us had an incredible support system in a country that wasn’t war torn. We had, and have, our homes, all material possessions and, most of all, each other. Yes, America certainly has its issues, but when I think of Ukraine and all that is happening there and what people went through during WWII and other war-torn countries that were destroyed, I just can’t imagine.

Hadassah is in a strange situation of not being able to “blow its own horn,” but I need you to know how courageous and meaningful Hadassah has been on the Ukrainian-Polish border. For weeks, the world has watched devastating events continue to unfold in this crisis. Hadassah teams from HMO were the first responders to go in and assist with medical attention. They set up emergency hospital units in Przemysl and got doctors to come in on a rotating basis to help treat thousands of refugees who are traumatized by bombings and face many other challenges.

Plans constantly change; Hadassah teams must choose where the neediest are. First, they help those suffering from hypothermia and frostbite, a result of waiting hours to cross the border. Hadassah doctors are teaching other doctors and students in Lublin how to care for the wounded. And they are transporting patients who need special treatment, for example, cancer patients, to Israel.

In Hadassah’s Meir Shfeya Youth Aliyah Village, workers are helping teenage refugees, many without parents. Their stress is a complex problem. Hadassah is trying to make these young people feel safe and meet their basic needs, while helping them get through their recent upheaval.

The fi rst wave of refugees to come through were not as needy as those coming through in recent days. The current group has had to protect themselves from bombings, fl eeing from place to place before finding refuge. They need basic support to build a new life as their lives have been destroyed. We are not talking about a few hundred, but millions who need to reorganize their lives and need healing. I can’t help but wonder how all these people, who have run from terror and the only homes they have ever known, are going to regain their foothold. I am so proud of what Hadassah has and continues to accomplish.

Closer to home, I’d like to tell you about some of our Collier/Lee Hadassah successes. Last month, we saluted four local “Inspiring Women” in a Zoom webinar and participated in two Hadassah Shabbats. See the photo of some Hadassah members and Hadassah associates (males) on the Temple Shalom Bimah on Friday night, March 18th.

We’ve just started our next “Expanding Horizons III” series, which continues through Nov. 7. We’ve planned our first in-person meeting since February 2020. It was thrilling to plan and will be even more thrilling to attend.

Please continue to look at our e-blasts and Hadassah Happenings … and join us for our upcoming activities!