WINTER 2019 | KISLEV - NISAN 5780 Kaleidoscope Today, Tomorrow: a Unifi Ed Voice on Anti-Semitism
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NEWS & INFORMATION WINTER 2019 | KISLEV - NISAN 5780 kaleidoSCOPE Today, Tomorrow: A Unifi ed Voice on Anti-Semitism Hadassah Southern California Sunday, December 8, 2019 Luxe Sunset Hotel 2019 Winter Conference 10:00 AM Los Angeles Register today online: hadassah.org/events/todaytomorrow2019 or call 310-276-0036 WHO WE ARE Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is a volunteer organization that inspires a passion for and commitment to the land, the people, and the 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. kaleidoSCOPE NEWS & INFORMATION WINTER 2019 | KISLEV - NISAN 5780 FROM OUR PRESIDENT AREA CONTACT INFORMATION HADASSAH SABRA OF THE DESERT DESERT/EAST AREA “If we are Zionists…what is the good of meeting and talking and Cindy Hailpern, President drinking tea? Let us do something real and practical—let us organize Michelle Shahon, Area Director the Jewish women of America and send nurses and doctors to Hadassah Desert/East Area Palestine.” PO Box 11979 Palm Desert, CA 92255-1979 —Henrietta Szold, Feb. 24, 1912, the day Hadassah was founded, to 38 ph (760) 327-7059 fax (310) 247-0607 women gathered at Temple Emanuel, New York City [email protected] And to Henrietta’s words asking for “something real and practical,” that’s HAWAII exactly what those 38 women did. How far we have come; 107 years of Andrea Snyder, Hawaii President ph (808) 265-3559 challenges and accomplishments! [email protected] As I come to the end of my three-year tenure as your President, I want to thank the volunteers LONG BEACH/ORANGE COUNTY AREA and sta of Hadassah Southern California for their unwavering support, leadership and Dorie Rogers, President commitment in making our work such a success. With their professionalism and passion, each Michelle Shahon, Area Director challenge was met with unwavering strength and dedication. Hadassah Long Beach/Orange County Area PO Box 881 To all our supporters, I thank you for your commitment to the work of Hadassah and its Zionist Los Alamitos, CA 90720 dream. With you, we will continue our extraordinary work to save lives every day not only in the ph (562) 430-5055 fax (310) 247-0607 U.S. but throughout the world. [email protected] METRO LOS ANGELES AREA As we gather on Sunday, December 8, to install our next Hadassah Southern California Maureen Bernstein and Mitra Irani, Co-Presidents President, Michelle Conwisar, and the board, I wish them continued success for the benefit of Hazel Gordon, Area Director our community and beloved Hadassah. Michelle is a true visionary and strong leader and she will Hadassah Metro Area continue to inspire us into the future. Amelia & Mark Taper Hadassah House 455 S. Robertson Boulevard L’dor v’dor! May our daughters and granddaughters continue to enhance the work of Hadassah Beverly Hills, CA 90211 including our medical organization, education and youth programs, health and environmental ph (310) 276-0036 fax (310) 247-0607 initiatives. [email protected] Wishing you joy and peace during Hanukkah. NORTHERN AREA (VALLEYS) Gabrielle Clayman and Fay Thaw, Co-Presidents Chag sameach, Rachel Charnick, Area Director Hadassah Northern Area 20350 Ventura Blvd. Suite 220 Debbie Kessler Woodland Hills, CA 91364 ph (818) 887-1912 fax (818) 887-1913 [email protected] FROM OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR SAN DIEGO AREA Lori Good and Joan Rosenberg, Co-Presidents Hadassah friends, as the end of the calendar year approaches, I begin Deena Feinman, Area Director to think about what took place in my life that was significant and the Hadassah San Diego Area events that had an impact on me. In 2019, what was significant for 4950 Murphy Canyon Road me was unfortunately the many anti-Semitic incidents here in our San Diego, CA 92123 country, and the realization that we have a “new normal.” ph (858) 268-3200 fax (858) 268-3299 [email protected] With that new normal, my thoughts go to concerns about the next generation, and the world they will live in. HEADQUARTERS HADASSAH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA I am grateful that our organization has taken such a strong stand against Debbie Kessler, President anti-Semitism and is doing important work in this field. One of Hadassah’s Lauren Rothman, Managing Director top legislative priorities is the Never Again Education Act which would make Neil Fischer, Director of Operations, comprehensive Holocaust education available to every school in America. Administration and Technology Harriett Zeitlin, Western Regional Director This national legislation will give teachers across the United States the tools and training they of Major Gifts need to teach middle and high school students lessons of the Holocaust and the consequences Ian Merles, Annual Giving Officer, West Coast of intolerance and hate. Hadassah is working side-by-side with legislators to garner support for Amelia & Mark Taper Hadassah House this non-partisan bill which will enable teachers around the country to have access to training and 455 S. Robertson Boulevard curriculum guides, as well as grants for Holocaust-related field trips. Beverly Hills, CA 90211 ph (310) 276-0036 fax (310) 247-0607 What can you do to have an impact and to ensure a future for generations to come? [email protected] www.hadassah.org/southerncalifornia 1. Join us at our December 8, 2019 conference (see cover story). 2. Log in to Hadassah’s website at www.hadassah.org and go to Take Action. kaleidoSCOPE 3. Read Hadassah’s policy statement on anti-Semitism and share it with others. Published by Hadassah Southern California 4. Sign up to receive Hadassah advocacy alerts and easily write your legislators and urge them to support the Never Again Education Act. Editor: Terry Whitten [email protected] As we will soon light our Hannukah candles, let us light in support of l’dor v’dor, for our next Staff Editor: Michelle Shahon generation. [email protected] Chag sameach, Layout & Design: Mac Media, LLC Lauren Rothman hadassah.org/southerncalifornia NEWS & INFORMATION WINTER 2019 | KISLEV - NISAN 5780 Today, Tomorrow: A Unifi ed Voice on Anti-Semitism ADL’s annual audit of anti-Semitic incidents in the Never Again Education Act—which demonstration of resilience as a consistent recorded a total of 1,879 attacks against Jews introduces a comprehensive Holocaust response,” shares afternoon panelist, and Jewish institutions across the country in education program for schools—and remains Joanna Mendelson, Senior Investigative 2018, the third-highest year on record since one of Hadassah’s top legislative priorities. Researcher and Director of Special Projects, ADL started tracking such data in the 1970s. Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Hadassah has worked hard over the past Extremism. What does this mean for us living today as year for the passage of the bill. National Diaspora Jews in the United States? President Ellen Hershkin and CEO/Executive Empower yourself and be a part of this Director Janice Weinman share, “This bill is important conversation—join us and learn What can we do to ensure there is a future urgent. Students—and sometimes teachers how you can help to make an impact. for our community? and administrators, too—are painfully unaware of the Holocaust. We must address Join us on Sunday, December 8, 2019, at this because Holocaust education programs Winter Conference 10:00 AM, for Hadassah Southern California’s are important at reducing extremism, hate Winter Conference and Installation, Today, and bigotry against all people.” HIGHLIGHTS Tomorrow: A Unifi ed Voice on Anti-Semitism, at the Luxe Sunset Hotel in Los Angeles, as The conversations are important too. Sunday, December 8, 2019 we address these questions and shed light • How do we continue to enjoy living our on a topic which is central to many of today’s 10:00 AM Check-in lives to the fullest as Jews today? conversations. 10:30 AM Sharp, Program • How do we counter anti-Semitism in Hear from a dynamic panel of speakers today’s society? Luxe Sunset Hotel including the morning keynote, Elan Carr, U.S. • How do we leave a less troubling legacy to Los Angeles Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating our children and grandchildren? Anti-Semitism, who will educate and Couvert enlighten attendees about the importance Hear from afternoon panelists about their $60 (includes lunch and program) of our work in the Jewish community to work in the fi eld to combat anti-Semitism, Advance reservations only advance a shared vision to combat anti- their hopes for the future and what Jews and Semitism not only for Jews, but the health of the Jewish community can do today Morning Keynote Speaker: Elan Carr society and the country at-large. U.S. Special Envoy for Monitoring “For every hateful incident that occurs in and Combating Anti-Semitism Special guest, National Hadassah President- our country, we must be reminded that Elect, Rhoda Smolow will share and stress it is in these very communities that we Conference Chair: Naomi Rabinowitz the importance of Hadassah’s role as a leader see an outpouring of support, love and Register online: www.hadassah.org/events/todaytomorrow2019 or call 310-276-0036 Mazal Tov to the 2020 Hadassah Southern California Board Maureen Bernstein, Metro Los Angeles Area President Evelyn Perl, Planned Giving Chair Jean Blumin, Jewish Education Chair Dorie Rogers, Long Beach/Orange County Merle Carter Propp, Long Beach/Orange County