Dear ,

Message from the Presidents

As you all know, Hadassah is still impacted internationally, nationally, and locally by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our offices remain closed throughout the U.S. although employees of the National Office are continuing to work remotely. The regional and local chapters are continuing to hold board and committee meetings on Zoom.

Locally, Hadassah Minneapolis has continued its phone calling project to find out how our members are faring during the pandemic and whether they have unmet needs that we can help them address by referring them to the appropriate community programs. The calling project is also requesting updated contact information for the members we are able to reach. We are in the process of sending letters to those for whom we do not have current e-mail addresses or phone numbers. Barbara Parks has taken the lead for this project and spent a great deal of time initiating and directing it, and collecting all of the pertinent information that we receive. It has been a huge amount of work for her, and the project would never have gotten off the ground without her. We are very grateful to her.

On August 26 at 7 p.m., Hadassah Minneapolis will host a comedy and music program on Zoom starring Rabbi Sim Glaser from Temple Israel. Additionally, some of our book groups are still meeting on Zoom. Unfortunately, all our other activities, such as our popular walking group, are still on hold. We anticipate that everything will be back in 2021.

We hope that this message finds you in good health and good spirits.

Stacey Bush and Donna Fredkove.

Upcoming Program: Humor with Rabbi Sim Glaser

The Program Committee is delighted to present a light-hearted Zoom program to take our minds off all the bad news for a little bit of time. Rabbi Sim Glaser will entertain us with music and humor on August 26 from 7-9 p.m. with his program titled “Getting Quirky in Quarantine: Some Levity from the Inappropriate Rabbi.” The program is free, but we are asking for donations toward Hadassah Hospital’s research into COVID-19. To see the flyer, click here. To register, click here. After you register, we will e-mail you the link to join the Zoom meeting one or two days before the program. For more information, contact Terry Hallfin at terryhallfin@gmail.com or 763-588-5597.

Hadassah High Holiday Cards for Sale

Especially during these times, getting a card or a letter in the mail  has become an important way to communicate with each other. Celebrate the Jewish New Year and contribute to Hadassah by sending cards to your family and friends! The cost is only $5.00 each or 3 for $12.00. Contact Ronna Locketz at 612-730-6418.

                                            

Education

Here are some little-known Jewish women who have “paved the way” and made an impact. Click on their names for more information about these wonderful women.

•  Sarah Aaronsohn  -- A spy for the Nili espionage ring, she fought to free Palestine from Turkish rule and withstood torture for her ideals.
•  Ruth Abrams -- The first woman to serve on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, she upheld the rights of women and minorities throughout her career.
•  Jill Abramson -- As the first female executive editor of the New York Times from 2011-14, she fought to change the newspaper’s culture, mentoring female reporters, choosing female bureau chiefs, and focusing more attention on stories about race and gender issues.
•  Grace Aguilar -- In her short life, she wrote twice as many books as Jane Austen, from popular historical romances to an introduction to Judaism that was used by both churches and synagogues.

                            

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, mourns the loss of Congressman John Lewis z"l, an icon of the struggle for civil rights and equality and a leader in uniting Black and Jewish communities. Lewis’s life was and will remain an example of an extraordinary commitment to tikkun olam or repairing the world. In the photo (below) from the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, AL, he is on the left with Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel next-to-right and Martin Luther King, Jr. in the middle.

                               

Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow said, "Congressman Lewis was a lifelong leader who stood with great courage for all people yearning for equality in the face of discrimination. He used his towering voice to help knock down barriers, unite communities, and build a more peaceful and tolerant world than the one he was born into. His example will live on in the actions of others, including members of the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition and the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish relations – both of which he helped establish – and inspire generations to come.”

Book Chavurot

The Nightclub book group will meet on Thursday, August 6 at 7 p.m. This will be a Zoom meeting. Our book for this month is The Book of Essie by Meghan Maclean Weir. The Zoom invitation will be sent out on August 4. If you have questions, contact Sue Garnett (nettgar1@gmail.com or 952-545-1435).

The Knollwood book club is alive and well but not meeting as a group just yet. Due to remodeling in the building and visitor restrictions because of the virus, we are all sheltering in place and reading. Let us know some titles of books that you have found interesting -- or not -- as we will begin compiling titles for our 2021 season. We are not sure when that will begin, but we can all hope and plan as if we will be meeting soon. Send your titles to Debby Wolk at tzvibo@aol.com or call her at 612-925-7932. She would love to hear from you just to say hello as well. Be well!

Craft Co-Op

We will not be conducting any public sales in the near future but hope to be back up and running again soon. In the meantime, if you enjoy sewing, knitting, crocheting, beading, etc., and currently have some spare time to work on creating something beautiful to donate to this project, please contact Sara Bernstein, at hadassahcraftcoop@gmail.com, or Sue Blehert, at sblehert@q.com,  and we’ll be happy to add your items to our lovely inventory.  We hope to be “back in business” again soon.
 
               

Hadassah News: New Meir Shfeyah Graduates Despite COVID-19

Eighty students have graduated from Hadassah’s Meir Shfeyah Youth Village despite closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since Israel first shut its schools in response to the pandemic, Meir Shfeyah residents have been preparing and sending meals to at-risk families, many of whose students returned home to families without the means to support themselves. In Israel, nearly 73 percent of recently unemployed families now need help feeding their children, according to a recent Jewish Agency poll. To read the full story and to read about a graduate (shown at left with his proud mother), click here.

Walking Group Suspended

The Walking Group continues to be on hold because of COVID-19. National Hadassah has suspended all face-to-face programming until we get a grip on this horrible virus. We will keep everyone updated.

Ronald McDonald House Shows Appreciation

The Ronald McDonald House has contacted Hadassah Minneapolis to say how much they appreciate our involvement in their Cooks for Kids program and how much they miss our presence. They still are not having volunteers come to the building, but they wanted to reach out to us to let us know they are thinking of us.

Region News:  Office Update

All Hadassah offices have been closed since March, and at this point, we have not been given a reopen date. Since we do not have access to either our office email or voice mail, if you wish to reach us, please use the Hadassah Minneapolis email, hadassahminneapolis@gmail.com.

Community News -- Participate in Democracy

2020 Census: The Census will shape political representation, funding of government programs, the flow of business and commerce, and the planning and delivery of services to local communities. It has far-reaching effects, holding relevance to many facets of our everyday life in Minnesota. If you haven't already, click here to complete your census form online.

2020 Election: Your voice is important, make sure it is heard by voting in the primary election on Tuesday, August 11 and in the general election on Tuesday, November 3. In Minnesota due to COVID-19, you can vote by mail. Click here to register to vote.  Click here to request a mail-in-ballot.

Save the Dates

Hadassah Minneapolis will partner with National Council of Jewish Women on a timely and important program called From #MeToo to #WeToo, Safety, Respect, and Equity in our Jewish Community. This program, scheduled for Sunday, November 8 at 10 a.m. with Zoom doors opening at 9:30 a.m., will include an open conversation with NCJW CEO Sheila Katz and Minnesota Jewish community leaders about gender discrimination and assault within and beyond our community. You'll hear first-hand narratives from across the country and engage in key questions and concrete strategies for how we can build and sustain a safe, respectful, and equitable Minnesota Jewish community. Invitations will be e-mailed in early October. They will also sent by USPS to those who do not have e-mail.

The TRYmester program about Jewish fertility journeys out loud, has tentatively been re-scheduled to Sunday, November 15. Hadassah Upper Midwest is co-sponsoring this powerful program.

Hadassah Missions is now Hadassah Israel Travel. Visit the Hadassah Israel website to pick your favorite tour for fall and winter 2020 and join us in Israel! Don’t forget to invite your family and friends!

Office Depot Discount for Hadassah Minneapolis Members

Office Depot has offered our members a non-profit discount on over 2,000 items. The flyer with the discount card can be viewed and printed by clicking here.  Take it to Office Depot. They will laminate the card for free, too. You still will have to pay taxes on your purchases. This card entitles you to a discount if available.  Contact Judy Edwards, Office Manager, Hadassah Upper Midwest, 612-759-5357, if you have questions.

Perpetual Yahrzeits at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem

When a loved one dies, please consider directing memorial gifts to Hadassah. The spirit of your family member or friend will live on in the lives that you help to enrich and to save! All donations will be promptly acknowledged to the donor and provided to the family of the deceased. A “Perpetual Yahrzeit” can be purchased with a one-time contribution of $1000. Kaddish will be said annually in the Abbell Synagogue at the Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem. Advance yahrzeits can be purchased at any time for yourself or a loved one.  We Americans are culturally deprived when it comes to death and dying. For information on Hadassah's Perpetual Yahrzeit program call the Hadassah Minneapolis office at 952-924-4999 or click here. Memorial contributions of any amount may also be mailed to Hadassah Minneapolis, 5905 Golden Valley Rd, Golden Valley, MN 55422. 

It's a Win-Win for You and Hadassah!

Become a taste-tester for Tasteocracy, formerly Food Perspectives, Inc. Every time you qualify for and participate in a survey, you will be paid an incentive of approximately $35 to $85, based upon the time the survey session takes. In addition to that amount, Hadassah Minneapolis will be paid $10. Men and women who sign up to be testers must be between the ages of 18 and 84. If you are interested in participating -- or know someone (friend, relative, son, daughter, grandchild, etc.) who would like to participate -- registration can be done on-line at www.tasteocracy.com. To sign up, click on Join button at the top. After you enter your personal information, choose Plymouth, MN as the “Closest testing location," select Yes in the "Make Donation" space, “Religion HADASSAH-MINNEAPOLIS CHAPTER” in the “I am fundraising for” space, and "Partial payment of $10" in the following space. If you prefer to register by phone, please call Tasteocracy at 763-354-2776.  Remember, this is a fundraiser that is a “win” for Hadassah and for the participant.

Cards, Certificates, and JNF Trees and Blue Boxes

                                   

Ten reasons to buy your greeting cards through Hadassah:

     1. The cards are attractive and meaningful.
     2. The money you pay for your cards goes directly to Hadassah!
     3. There are a number of card categories including birthday, sympathy, get well, mazel tov, bar/bat mitzvah, etc.
     4. You can buy cards at Hadassah events and also through our Hadassah card contacts listed below. (No standing at the store).
     5. We have brand new Happy Birthday cards that have just arrived!!
     6. The cards offer a variety of messages.
     7. The recipient will understand and appreciate that the money you spent on their card goes to support Hadassah’s mission.
     8. The price for the cards is $5 each or 3 for $12….a real steal!!
     9. Our special Malinsky cards (photo at right) for Cancer Research are $10 each.
   10. Why would you spend more money at a store when you can support our chapter fundraising goals and Hadassah at the same time?

Hadassah Certificates are a special way for you to make a donation in honor or in memory of someone. These attractive certificates ranging from $10-$500 are personalized with the message you wish and sent directly to the recipient. Contact the Card/Certificate person below to order your certificates or online through www.hadassah.org. Click on Donate, then Other Ways to Give, then Personalized Certificates.  Be sure to designate Hadassah Minneapolis when prompted.

Malinsky Cards: Ronna Locketz ronnalocketz@gmail.com or at 612-730-6418

Cards (Knollwood Place): Maurine Ziv maurineziv@gmail.com or 952-938-2550

Cards or Certificates: Ronna Locketz ronnalocketz@gmail.com or 763-544-5439

JNF Trees: Sheryl Cohen stelladoob@gmail.com or 612-298-5597

Contribution envelopes or Bea Rossen Youth Aliyah Fund: Sheryl Cohen stelladoob@gmail.com or 612-298-5597

If you have a full JNF Blue Box that needs to be emptied, contact Ellen Etzkin at etzkin44@gmail.com or 952-935-7767.

E-mail Addresses

If you have Hadassah member friends not receiving the monthly Hadassah Minneapolis emails, please forward this newsletter to them and encourage them to sign up. Since we do not have access to either our office email or voice mail, if you wish to reach us, please use the Hadassah Minneapolis email, hadassahminneapolis@gmail.com.

View our Hadassah Minneapolis website at www.hadassah.org/minneapolis.

Like Hadassah on Facebook.