April 2024

President's Message

Friends,

April 1 marked 178 days that the hostages have been held in Gaza. During the past month, Hadassah launched the #EndTheSilence campaign, raising awareness to the sexual crimes committed by Hamas. Hadassah’s National President Carol Ann Schwartz delivered our petition, containing 130,000 signatures, to the United Nations demanding that the UN pursue an independent, unbiased investigation and seek justice for the victims of sexual crimes committed on October 7. If you have not yet had an opportunity to sign the petition, it is not too late! Signatures will continue to be collected worldwide until the UN responds. (Sign the petition at hadassah.org/endthesilence#Petition).

March 8, International Women’s Day, saw hundreds of Hadassah gatherings to raise awareness taking place in 17 countries around the world and being posted on social media. Building on Hadassah’s efforts globally, we held many gatherings throughout HSC. One of those gatherings was a media event held in conjunction with the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Many HSC members attended, as well as past National President Nancy Falchuk. It was an impactful program and we look forward to future collaborations with the Simon Wiesenthal Center. (Read HSC Communications Chair Ronnie Gerber’s article about the program below).

The #EndTheSilence campaign does not stop here. The Yellow Nail Initiative is taking place from April 8-22 (leading up to yellow nails at your Passover Seder). Members and supporters are encouraged to paint one nail yellow -- a sign of solidarity and hope -- and post photos on their social media. The idea for painting nails yellow started in Israel from the testimony of a volunteer who prepared the bodies of the victims of the October 7 massacre for burial. In a morbid sea of the awful colors of death, the only “living” colors seen were the nail polish on the fingernails of the young women. At Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem and Hostages Square in Israel, volunteers at Hadassah booths painted nails yellow, an act of solidarity designed to raise international awareness to #EndTheSilence. Following on that successful action in Israel, we are now bringing the yellow nail initiative to End The Silence to our membership in the United States. All Hadassah members and supporters are encouraged to take part. (See instructions below the Presidents message)

Hadassah’s Second Solidarity Mission recently returned from an impactful and important time in Israel. Four members from Southern California were a part of that mission and were deeply grateful for the opportunity to bear witness to October 7, listen to the stories from survivors, visit Hadassah’s hospitals and help make a difference by helping pack food for displaced families. There are more Hadassah Solidarity Missions being planned. The next two missions will take place May 5-15 with an extension available for Yom Ha’Atzmaut and June 2-7. For more information or to register, contact Ayelet Tours at 800-237-1517 or email israeltravel@hadassah.org for more information.

With deep appreciation for all you do for Hadassah and my best wishes for a Happy Passover to you and your families.

Click here to watch the Video of the Month: 
End the Silence

Yellow Nail Initiative
to End the Silence

Initiative will run from 4/8-4/22 (leading up to Passover/yellow nails at Seders)

The Campaign

Call to Action

1. Paint a fingernail in bright, bold yellow — a color that can’t be ignored and will lead to questions and conversation.
2. Post a photo on your personal social media page with the suggested messaging provided.
3. Include the hashtags #EndTheSilence #Hadassah and tag Hadassah.
4. IMPORTANT: email photos to engagement@hadassah.org. If you have access to Facebook, please also post on the Hadassah Chapters Facebook group. This is essential for tracking — we want to share our successes widely.

Options

1. Get creative. Paint another nail with a yellow ribbon or other meaningful messages and symbols.
2. Take a photo of yourself or with a group.
3. Show off nails and hold up signs to emphasize messaging. Signs and other resources posted here.
4. The campaign ends the morning of the first Passover Seder. Consider displaying your yellow nail at the Seder and raising a “5th Question” — why is my nail yellow tonight?

Messaging for Posting on Social Media:

You ask why my nail is yellow.
I’ve painted my nail yellow to #EndTheSilence about the sexual violence committed by Hamas. My nail is yellow to show my solidarity with my sisters and brothers in Israel. My nail is a cry of alarm but also a sign of hope. #EndTheSilence #Hadassah

Social Media

Hadassah Southern California:
facebook.com/HadassahSC

Hadassah West:
facebook.com/HadassahWestGeo
instagram.com/HadassahWestGeo

Denial Is a Weapon:
The Wiesenthal Center & Hadassah Southern California Collaborate
by Ronnie Katz Gerber, Education Chair, Hadassah Southern California

First there was music and dancing. Then there was a barrage of screams. All the screams ended with the sound of bullets.

That’s the scene Talia Biner and Ron Gabay, survivors of the October 7th attack by Hamas on Israel’s Nova Music Festival, described for us when they spoke at the “Silence Is A Weapon” event at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles on March 8th in honor of International Women’s Day. The event kicked off a collaboration between the museum’s Simon Wiesenthal Center and Hadassah Southern California to end the silence about Hamas’ weaponization of sexual violence against women.

Talia and Ron, both in their early 20s, came to share their story and to receive strength from our support. Talia spoke in English while Ron often added information in Hebrew for Talia to present to us. This is their story.

On October 7th, Talia and Ron were with several friends at the music festival in the Negev. They were enjoying the music and dancing when, suddenly, they heard gunshots and screams. Terrorists ambushed the crowd. For hours and hours, men and women were shot, tied up against trees or taken to terrorists' hideouts, where they were tortured, stripped, sodomized, cut and beaten. Their cries were heard throughout the festival grounds, which were strewn with dead bodies.

Talia and her friends managed to escape to their trailer, hoping against hope that they would not be found. One person in the group had been shot and everyone knew his screams of agony, as he bled from his wounds, could not continue if they were to survive because, surely, the terrorists would discover them. So, Talia, who is a nurse, wrapped his wounds with her clothes and put her hand over his mouth to mute him. He passes away. But at least they were not discovered.

Other festival goers were not as fortunate. One minute they were listening to music and dancing and suddenly their attackers pounced on them, took them to secluded areas and gang raped them multiple times. Talia heard their screams and witnessed attacks—the perversity and boldness. Many of the young women are now pregnant, and they have no idea who the father is or how they will raise these children in a war-torn country. And many of the women are still in captivity.

Talia said “I cannot deny that. You cannot deny that. I was there. I saw with these eyes. I am telling you-It cannot be denied.” She was making sure we understood the truth of her words and that she bore witness. This was an allusion to Holocaust deniers refuting survivor reports. We understood.

As Talia spoke, she often choked on her own memories. Sometimes, she whispered until her strength returned, but she held us with every breath. Her experience that day is one she cannot erase. It has left her with recurring visions of horror. She can no longer work at her job at the Hadassah Medical Organization’s two hospitals in Jerusalem. It is too painful.

As Talia spoke, she implored us to remember that each of these women is a person who must be remembered, a person who lost her life because terrorism exists. Israel needs support, she told us. Women everywhere must stand up and speak out against sexual crimes. Her eyes saw the terror. Her ears heard the horror. “I cannot deny that” she said.

No matter how much the deniers wish to downplay the violence as the price of war, the truth is that war cannot be about raping, disemboweling or torturing women. We are not targets or throwaways.

As she spoke, she implored us to remember that women are human. That terrorists and horror do exist. That Israel needs support. That women must stand up and speak out against sexual crimes. As she said, “I have eyes. I saw this. I heard this. I cannot deny it.” It is truth no matter the deniers or those who wish to downplay it into a price of war. War is an armed disagreement to be negotiated for the spoils. Women are not targets or throw aways.

Talia and Ron’s story is our story, too. Women must band together. We must speak out against sexual crimes. We will not be victimized by gender. We are proud to be women. We encourage peace, prosperity and hard work in various fields. We are educators and mothers and helpmates, all in the same breath. We are not objects.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s collaboration with Hadassah’s global End the Silence campaign is a powerful partnership. (Hadassah launched End the Silence to raise the world’s awareness of Hamas’ sexual war crimes against Israeli women and girls and to demand that the UN and other leading international institutions hold Hamas accountable.) The March 8th kickoff event was a wonderful way for the Wiesenthal Center to show their shared solidarity with Israel and to offer support to two brave survivors of the Nova Music Festival massacre.

Denial is not a weapon. Silence is not a weapon. Truth is power.

End the Silence.

One Book, One Hadassah

Join us on Thursday, April 18 at 4:00pm Pacific as Hadassah Magazine Executive Editor Lisa Hostein talks with writer and prominent art conservator Rosa Lowinger about Dwell Time: A Memoir of Art, Exile and Repair. Cuban-born Lowinger’s family were immigrants twice over—fleeing rising antisemitism in Europe for Cuba then escaping to Miami after Castro’s revolution. In her remarkable book, she expertly weaves her personal history with her decades of conservation experience, contending with generational trauma, the struggles of exile and the challenges of caring for aging parents. Register at events.blackthorn.io/en/8c4sgS87/g/tws32mT8YD/one-book-one-hadassah-live-with-author-rosa-lowinger-4a3d8cm7lL/overview

Hadassah Advocacy

Do you ever feel like your government doesn’t listen to you? Do you ever wish you could speak to your legislators but are too shy to do so?

Overcome your shyness by dining with your state legislators and members of the Jewish Caucus...learn that they are real people just like you and me, with similar wants and goals...learn how the wheels of government turn...

If you have been upset over decisions made by our government and you want to learn more and make a difference, then we have the perfect opportunity for you!

JPAC – the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California is the only such organization in the entire United States! This exciting, expanding organization will hold its annual Capitol Summit in Sacramento on Tuesday-Wednesday, May 14-15 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel.

Please join your Hadassah sisters from all over the state...share this opportunity with them – make new friends and acquaintances...learn how your values align with theirs...be on the same team and watch what can happen when we’re all in the game together!

Please join me!

Audrey Levine, HSC President
ablevine@hadassah.org

Join your Hadassah Southern California sisters this May for the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California’s (JPAC) Capitol Summit 2024. This year we are hoping for 450 people to join in making this year JPAC's biggest event yet. Please follow this link to sign up. 

As JPAC’s premier annual event, Capitol Summit provides an empowering opportunity for Jewish community members and allies to learn, network, and advocate for our community’s priorities.

During this two-day gathering, you will:

• Hear from some of the state’s most powerful lawmakers and activists.
• Practice and participate in direct lobbying.
• Access exclusive networking opportunities with elected officials, Jewish organizational leaders, and lay leaders from across the state.

Join hundreds of Jews and allies in Sacramento, May 14th - 15th, 2024 to amplify the voice of California’s Jewish community. No prior experience necessary. 

Please join all of Hadassah Southern California for our inaugural Walkathon on Sunday, May 19th, 2024. You can walk at one of our designated venues, or walk in your neighborhood, parks, or wherever you wish. We will walk with our Hadassah sisters, with friends and family! We all want to walk together to show solidarity and support with our beloved Israel!

You can register, and also find out all about our walks on our customized site: HERE (runsignup.com/hadassahsoutherncaliforniawalkathon). Don't forget to check out our new Hadassah Southern California SHOP (the-shop-by-hadassah-socal.myspreadshop.com) to purchase all kinds of Walkathon and HSC shirts, caps, fanny packs and more! For any questions, or to find a walk in your area, please contact Cindi Feig at 805-907-8116 or cfeig29@gmail.com

We will walk, so Israel can walk!

Sunday, May 19th, 2024
from 8:30am - 10:30am

Joining together in solidarity to raise funds to rehabilitate the people of Israel.

TWO WAYS TO PARTICIPATE:
In-person event at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks
Walk in your community, or wherever you choose

Interested in finding a walk in your area?
For Desert Area, contact deserthsc@hadassah.org
For Long Beach/Orange County Area contact lbochsc@hadassah.org
For Metro Los Angeles Area contact metrohsc@hadassah.org
For Northern Area contact northernhsc@hadassah.org
For San Diego Area contact sandiegohsc@hadassah.org

Register here: runsignup.com/hadassahsoutherncaliforniawalkathon

We welcome corporate sponsors and event volunteers.
Interested? Contact Cindi Feig at cfeig29@gmail.com

New Podcast Episode #EndTheSilence

In this special episode of Hadassah On Call, we sit down with Dr. Dvora Bauman, director of the Bat Ami Center for Victims of Sexual Abuse. She sheds light on the pressing issue of sexual violence stemming from the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel, its implications, and the challenges ahead. Click here to access the podcast.

Israel Bonds and Hadassah

Forge a connection to Israel and provide vital funding for Hadassah's essential programs. Purchase a Shalom or eShalom Bond and donate it to Hadassah. Hadassah will receive interest on the bond plus principal upon maturity. You will support Israel’s economy and make a difference. Click here for all the information.

Hadassah Chapters Mobilizing for Israel and Against Antisemitism

Mazel Tov to everyone that has been mobilizing for IHRA definition of antisemitism legislation and against ceasefire resolutions at the state and local levels. Read information here to help you become a more effective advocate, spread the word. Contact advocacy@hadassah.org for support.

Easy Ways to Learn More about Hadassah!

• Podcasts
• Video Library
• Virtual Programming