Dear Hadassah Members & Friends,
Many of us will celebrate the Exodus at a table where it
wouldn't be a Seder if the Four Questions weren't followed by a lively debate,
the kind that gave rise to the phrase "two Jews, three opinions."
Unlike earlier generations, we live in a world where when we
celebrate freedom and Passover, we can debate, and "Next Year in Jerusalem" is more than
a metaphor. What, exactly, does Zionism mean today? How will we move forward when this
debate often divides more than it unites? At Hadassah, we've been dealing with this
question every day. This spring, we're excited to launch a
brand-new installment of Hadassah's provocative Defining Zionism video series. Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman, President of the Shalom Hartman Institute,
talks about the need to "reclaim" Zionism in a way that pays tribute
to Israel's history while recognizing its powerful role today. "The process of reclaiming
Zionism," he says, "is updating a connection to Israel which respects
and takes into account the new experiences of Jews."
If you have never experienced a Hadassah National Convention, prepare to be engaged, inspired, educated, driven to tears, motivated and wowed. Join us July 25-28 in Atlanta! You will attend amazing Plenaries:
- hear about ground breaking medical research direct from our physicians
- meet the patients whose lives we have saved
- hear about Young Judaeans who have become Jewish leaders
- hear about the power of Youth Aliyah
- listen to women who are achieving the dream
- learn more about Gender Equity in Medical Research
- gather political commentary on Election 2016
- discover more about Israeli Security
- learn about American and Israeli collaborations;
- advocate with Hadassah
- and much, much more in Achieving the Dream breakout sessions and in the Power of Hands-on Training workshops! read more below....
 "For now the winter is gone, the rains are over [unless you live in the PNW]; the blossoms appear in the land," joyfully proclaims the Songs of Songs, which is read on Passover, our festival of freedom. May you celebrate in joy with your family, friends, and community. May we all pray for the freedom and vitality of our loved ones, and kol ha'am. And, like my dear friends thoughout Israel, may we all pray for peace.
 From my family to yours...Hag Sameakh l'Pesach.
May we go from strength to strength,
Peg
Peg Elefant, President
Pacific Northwest Region of Hadassah
pelefant@hadassah.org
Hadassah Advocacy Alert
An important letter from Ellen Hershkin, Hadassah National President:
At Hadassah, we believe it's time to end inequities in women's health.
We believe that every
woman should have access to the highest quality care, to education about
how to stay healthy, and to treatments based on medical research
aligned with women's health needs, not just men's.That's why Hadassah is launching the Coalition for Women's Health Equity,
a new, national coalition to promote policies that address inequities
in women's health, from prevention and diagnosis, to treatment and cure.
Ultimately, these policies will impact every woman's life.
As the founder of this coalition, Hadassah is helping shape the future of women's health in America, just as we have in Israel.
Hadassah has already brought 14 of our nation's most influential women's and health organizations to join us.
Together, we'll coordinate advocacy initiatives for women's health
equity, focusing on the policies where we can have the greatest impact.
I'm
proud of what we've accomplished to date. So many in our Hadassah
community have been advancing these issues as advocates, at Days in the
District, with letters to elected officials, and through community
education. Now, by spearheading this broader effort, Hadassah
strengthens its impact in Washington. In partnership, the Coalition will
help us be more effective as we collaborate together on sign-on letters
and op-eds on specific policies, while enlisting members in coordinated
grassroots advocacy.
This is just the beginning! The Coalition is planning a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill next month.
Want to keep up with new developments? Please, take a moment right now to sign up for Hadassah's email advocacy alerts if you have not already done so.
Please join me in my
excitement. I hope you'll share this Hadassah news: forward this email,
share our Facebook and Twitter posts, and talk to your friends about how
the fight for health equity impacts the life of every woman, now and
for generations to come.
From my family to yours, best wishes for a Zissen Pesach, a Happy Passover.
B'Shalom,
Ellen Hershkin
National President
PS: Make sure you're signed up now for Hadassah's email advocacy alerts so you don't miss out on what's ahead.
The inaugural members of the Coalition
include the American Association of University Women; American Heart
Association; Black Women's Health Imperative; Breast Cancer Fund;
Institute for Women's Health and Leadership of Drexel University College
of Medicine; Jewish Women International; National Council of Jewish
Women; National Organization for Women; National Partnership for Women
& Families; National Women's Political Caucus; Society for Women's
Health Research; Vision 2020; WomenAgainstAlzheimer's and WomenHeart:
The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.
Hadassah Medical Organization
Our wonderful Hadassah physcians, nurses, and medical staff bring joy and vitality to so many in the form of cutting edge medical research and care. People from around the Region, indeed from around the world, benefit from Hadassah. Hadassah serves humanity. And that is why we want you to know that the world class medical research is truly RESEARCH IN SERVICE TO HUMANITY. And that is what YOU support!
The
heart of a major medical center is research. We want to connect you to the
latest research that is being conducted at Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO).
There is exciting work being done in the area of neurological diseases – those
affecting the brain, nerves, and spine – as well as diabetes, melanoma, and
heart disease.
Hadassah has always been an organization of visionaries. Over 100
years ago, Hadassah was the first to bring modern medicine to the Middle East. We
established Israel’s first teaching hospital and its first nursing, medical,
and dental schools. Doctors at HMO were first in Israel to
perform double bypass surgery, computerized robotic surgery, and successful
bone marrow, heart, liver, and lung transplants.
Today,
Hadassah’s two hospitals in Jerusalem, one in Ein Kerem and one on Mt. Scopus, serve Israel’s
largest population center and are known throughout Israel and the region for
their pioneering research and healthcare expertise.
Hadassah-Developed Blood Test Detects Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer & Brain Damage
A new blood test that uses the DNA strands of dying cells to detect diabetes, cancer, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative disease has been developed by researchers at Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) and The Hebrew University...."In the long run,” notes Prof. Glaser, “we envision a new type of blood test aimed at the sensitive detection of tissue damage, even without a-priori suspicion of disease in a specific organ. We believe that such a tool will have broad utility in diagnostic medicine and in the study of human biology." read more...
None
of this is possible without you --
Hadassah’s 330,000 members, associates, and supporters nationwide. Click HERE to donate now...
 Fundraising & Membership Awards 2015
Mazal
Tov to Hadassah’s Stars!
Congratulations to our National Fundraising & Membership Award Winners who have met or exceeded their
Membership and Fundraising goals!
Hadassah applauds your commitment, devotion and hard
work. Yasher Koach--May you go from
strength to strength as you make possible the extraordinary
work of Hadassah!
Fundraising: the following chapters met or exceeded their fundraising goals
Seattle,Tacoma, Portland, Salem, Shalom (Vancouver), Spokane
Membership: the following chapters and groups met or exceeded their membership goals
Anchorage, Shalom (Vancouver), Corvallis, Portland, Salem, Seattle, Seattle: Redmond Ridge Group, Seattle: Be'er Sheva Group 110% !
CONVENTION 2016 IN ATLANTA!
The Hadassah 98th National Convention begins
July 25 in Atlanta, kicking off 4 days of inspiring plenaries, breakout
sessions, leadership training and prominent speakers. Learn, grow and connect
with your Hadassah friends while gaining insight on critical issues around
Zionism in the 21st century, Gender Equity in Medical Research, and women in
Israeli politics (including Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik). Registration opens
later this month, but you can book your hotel today. READ MORE...
Have you never been to a Hadassah convention? I guarantee you a fabulous time! If you are a first time attendee, and you are interested in engaging with Hadassah and in helping your chapter or the region engage others, a partial subvention might be available for you. Contact our Pacific Northwest Region Convention Chair, Michelle Goldberg, for further information: michelle.goldberg@hadassah.org
Click HERE for a subvention application from the Pacific Northwest Region.
In addition, a partial subvention might be available from your chapter. Contact your unit president:
CONNECT WITH US!
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- sign up for your chapter's enewsletter
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