Life Lessons From My Hadassah Mentors

How do I describe the many Hadassah women who have entered my life and mentored me? There are too many to list. For brevity’s sake, I have chosen a few.

One early fall morning in 1977, commuting to New York, I saw the woman next to me illustrating a Hadassah chapter bulletin. Excited, I introduced myself and asked her about herself. Karen from White Plains invited me to join her at the next Elana Chapter of Hadassah meeting, where I promptly joined and became a board member.

Mentor Lesson #1: Introduce Hadassah when opportunity presents itself.
Almost immediately, I met other young women (late 20s on up) who lived nearby. We carpooled to chapter, region and national events. Over the years, my family and I moved and new friends and mentors entered my life, from local and region boards and then national committees, as I climbed the ranks of Hadassah leadership.

I held portfolios in advocacy, membership, communications and fundraising. I served as treasurer, vice president and president—representing almost 30 years on the Westchester Region of Hadassah board. All in support of the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) in Israel which operates two world-class research hospitals in Jerusalem: Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem and Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus.

Region President Ruth deSola Mendes appeared larger than life when I attended an early advocacy training seminar, my newborn daughter, fourth-generation life member, in tow. With Ruth’s full-throated delivery, bright clothing, action-packed narrative and “can do” enthusiasm, she reignited a long-ago passion in me.

Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. Photo supplied by Hadassah.

Hadassah Advocacy image courtesy of Hadassah

Soviet Jewry, Natan Sharansky, Ida Nudel and the other “refuseniks” all became the prime focus of my work as I encouraged others to write letters, sign petitions, attend assemblies at the UN and elsewhere. I worked through my baby’s naps. Who knew how much one can achieve? I cried when Natan and Ida were freed and went to live in Israel.

Mentor Lesson #2: You never know what idea will spark new action or renew old passions. One woman in particular was a wonderful, natural mentor. Her name was Norma Wasserman, and we became friends working on committees for special events, such as Hadassah Westchester’s Education Day at the State University of New York (SUNY) Purchase and Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y. Norma’s gentle encouragement, probing and teaching while doing empowered all of us Hadassah volunteers with new skills.

Whether it was our speeches, program design and layout, choice of speakers, the order of events — like where to place each piece of the program– building in breaks, allowing times for attendees to mix by having boxed lunches, locating coat racks, enhancing table or podium decor with banners, posters and flowers — everything was part of one central action plan.

Our symposia were so successful that the National Hadassah Education Department used them as models for other regions. (It might have helped that we included as a key speaker the renowned educator Carol Diamond, who headed National Hadassah’s Education Department.)

Mentor lesson #3: A gentle voice and caring probes achieve more than berating substandard progress. A busy healthcare industry executive, Phyllis Hartstein was always prompt and prepared for every Hadassah Region meeting she chaired. Her meetings began on time. She stuck to the agendas she sent out in advance, expecting each of us to have a thorough report to share. Committees were expected to complete their assignments off-site, outside of our monthly meetings. Whether she was at home, in the office, or on a business trip, she was always available to us.

Mentor Lesson #4: Be prepared and keep lines of communication open. The incredible women who have led our Region or lead it today have many traits in common: decency and dedication to Israel among them. They are in touch with who they are and their priorities. They convey the belief that each of us is capable of fulfilling our roles and commitments, no matter how old, young or experienced we are, whatever the extent of our Jewish background. Their faith in us inspired our work ethic, enabling us to carry forward Hadassah’s motto, “The healing of the daughter of my people.”

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Linda is a member of the Hadassah Writers’ Circle, a dynamic and diverse writing group for leaders and members to express their thoughts and feelings about all the things Hadassah does to make the world a better place. It’s where they celebrate their personal Hadassah journeys and share their Jewish values, family traditions and interpretations of Jewish texts. Since 2019, the Hadassah Writers’ Circle has published nearly 500 columns in The Times of Israel Blogs and other Jewish media outlets. Interested? Please contact hwc@hadassah.org.