Enjoy the Seder and Get To Know Hadassah

Charlotte Jewish News April 2022

By Aileen Greenberg-Kriner

We all know the basics about Passover — the seders, the Hagadah that tells the story of Passover, eating special foods and not eating others. But do you know the basics about Hadassah?

First, our mission: Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is a volunteer organization that inspires a passion for and commitment to the land, people, and future of Israel. Through education, advocacy, and youth development and its support of medical care and research at Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah enhances the health and lives of people in Israel, the United States, and worldwide.

Seven hundred chapters are in the U.S., with nearly 300,000 members of all ages, and almost 1,000 members in the Charlotte Metro chapter.

I joined Hadassah in January 2019, so I’m a newbie. For many of our members, Hadassah is a family tradition, and their mothers or grandmothers gifted them a lifetime membership at birth. At first, I worked on a fundraiser and met some nice women. Then I took over writing this column and needed to research and learn more about Hadassah. The more I read and experienced with these women, the more I understood the importance of what Hadassah

does. Our “tagline” is Hadassah — The Power of Women Who Do. And it’s amazing to me how dedicated Hadassah women — all volunteers — are and how they never lose focus on what matters, including: - Strengthening U.S.-Israel relations and ensuring the security of Israel. - Combatting antisemitism and protecting the rights of Jews around the world. - Promoting the centrality of Israel in Jewish life and instilling Jewish values in future generations. - Supporting the Hadassah Medical Organization and its two hospitals in Jerusalem: Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem and Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus. - Advocating for women’s health equity, reproductive rights, and infertility programs. - Providing life-changing experiences in Israel for at-risk youth.

One of my favorite parts of being a Hadassah member, aside from the amazing work we do and the great friends I’ve made, is receiving Hadassah Magazine. I’ve canceled subscriptions to most print publications, but I look forward to getting my Hadassah Magazine in the mail. It’s a great mix of personal, educational, and cultural articles that is quick to read but entertaining and thought-provoking.

Interested in joining Hadassah or learning more? Contact Lori (lptrap@aol.com) or Merril (red2467@earthlink.net) and join us at one of our events:

On Sunday morning, April 10, Hadassah Charlotte Metro will host a Meet & Greet at Temple Kol Tikvah of Lake Norman. Join us at 10:30 a.m. to learn about Hadassah and meet current and potential members.

April brings another opportunity to meet with new, current, and prospective members. Join us on Sunday, April 24 at noon for a membership lunch at Optimist Hall. Grab your lunch at one of the restaurants in the food hall and join us. RSVP on our website. More Spring Fun We’ve got B-I-N-G-O! Join us on Sunday, May 1 for Spring Fling Virtual Bingo. Purchase your bingo cards at our website and Zoom with us at 2:45p.m. Comedian Rhonda Cohn from Chicago will join us to provide some laughs. Open to all ages.

The wildly successful Mother’s Day Lox Box returns on Sunday, May 8. Order yours today.

The COVID-delayed in-person Hadassah Charlotte Metro Board Installation is finally happening on Sunday, May 15.

Check www.hadassahcltevents.org for details about these events. Book Clubs Are All the Rage Beverly’s Book Nook in Lake Norman will meet on Friday, April 8 at 1:30 p.m. Please check the Hadassah website for the book title. Want to know more? Email Beverly (h204choc@ gmail.com).

Join us for BookTalk on Tuesday, April 26, 7 p.m. and chat about this month’s book, “Inheritance, A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love” by Dani Shapiro. Questions? Email Karen (kfuttersak@gmail.com).

The Short Stories Discussion Group will not meet in April. The next meeting is Friday, May 20. For information, email Amalia (amaliaima@ATT.net) or Linda Levy (levyollie@aol.com). In Other News… I doubt everyone had four glasses of wine like we will at the seder, but Wine & Schmooze was a great evening out. On Tuesday, March 1, Hadassah women enjoyed wine and appetizers at Vintner Wine Market. It was a nice “reset” for 2022.

The next Hadassah Charlotte Metro Board meeting is Monday, April 11 at 7 p.m. Email hadassahclt@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link.

Check our website, www.hadassahcltevents.org, for details about any of our events. Like our Facebook page (Hadassah CLT Metro), follow us on Instagram (Hadassah Charlotte Metro) or Twitter (@HadassahCLT), or send us an email at Hadassah- CLT@gmail.com.