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WASHINGTON, DC – At a moment of rising antisemitism at home and continued tensions abroad, 200 leaders of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, arrived on Capitol Hill today from across the country for the organization’s Day of Impact. They have come to urge lawmakers to maintain a strong US-Israel relationship, to confront antisemitism and to protect women’s health.
Representing Hadassah, the largest Jewish women’s Zionist volunteer organization in the United States, the advocates will hold more than 100 meetings with members of the House and Senate, elevating the voices of Zionist women and Jewish communities nationwide.
Hadassah’s coordinated advocacy effort comes amid record numbers of antisemitic incidents in the US and continuing discussions in Congress about America’s support for Israel.
“Hadassah has never sat on the sidelines and we are not going to do so at this pivotal moment,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, National President. “We are bringing the combined strength of our nearly 300,000 members, donors and supporters directly to Congress to stand firm against antisemitism, to uphold the strategic US-Israel alliance and to safeguard the health and well-being of women everywhere.”
The Hadassah leaders have traveled from communities across the country to share personal stories and policy expertise in order to advance Hadassah’s longstanding priorities.
“Advocacy is central to who we are and what we stand for,” said Ellen Finkelstein, CEO. “Our volunteers are civic leaders in their communities. When they walk into a congressional office, they bring not only their personal conviction but also the collective voice of the largest and one of the most influential Jewish women’s organizations in the nation.”
Hadassah’s Day of Impact reflects the organization’s broader national advocacy network, which mobilizes members across all 50 states to engage policymakers at the federal, state and local level. Today’s Capitol Hill meetings underscore Jewish women’s growing role as a powerful force shaping public policy during a consequential moment for both America’s and Israel’s security.
Hadassah’s priority issues include increased funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which will protect American communities at risk of terrorist attack; support for medical innovation and US-Israel medical partnerships, including the MIRACLE Act; and expanded federal investment in women’s health research, particularly for conditions that disproportionally affect women.
Hadassah’s Day of Impact follows a meeting of the organization’s National Assembly, its governing body, at which members adopted two new policy statements, Disarming Hamas as a Crucial Step to Lasting Peace and Supporting Women’s Health Research and Data Privacy.
In addressing efforts to advance peace in the Middle East, Hadassah reaffirms its support for the existence and safety of the State of Israel and the self-determination of the Jewish people, emphasizing that lasting peace cannot be achieved as long as Hamas remains armed and engaged in terrorism.
Hadassah also reaffirms its commitment to advancing women’s health priorities through expanded research, inclusive clinical trials and stronger protections for personal health data.