Hadassah’s second cohort of Evolve Leadership Fellows is already making its mark on Hadassah and the Jewish world. A few months into their two-year program, these 11 powerful women in their 20s, 30s and 40s from around the country shared what Hadassah means to them.
“I’ve been falling more and more in love with Hadassah. Hadassah ticks all the boxes in terms of advocacy,” said Leah Bloom, an entrepreneur from Oakland, California.
“Hadassah, I think, attracts a well-educated woman that likes to put their values into action,” said Candice Feldman, a process engineer from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. “I think what really appeals to me is that we like to leave the world a better place than how we found it.”
The Fellows met for the first time last September in New York, kicking off their program with an extensive orientation into the inner workings of Hadassah. They toured the Hadassah archives at the Center for Jewish History, visited the Hadassah offices and met with key Hadassah leaders and staff.
Fellows will continue to meet with Hadassah's national leaders and experience Hadassah's programs and initiatives firsthand throughout their time with the program. At the end of the two years, Fellows commit to taking on a leadership role or special project in their Hadassah chapter.
“I love that Hadassah is really empowering women to take on leadership positions and to lead in their community,” said Natasha Tourial, a first-generation Hadassah member from New York City. “I can’t wait for my children one day to talk about how their mother was a Hadassah member and Fellow and all of the incredible things that I hope to do one day with Hadassah and just, l’dor v’dor, generation to generation.”
“When I learned about Evolve, I learned that we’re trying to take Hadassah and move it into this next chapter and continue its legacy for a new generation of members,” said Shayna Engler of Jersey City, New Jersey. “I was like … maybe this is my next step. My way of finding a community of people around my age who want to get involved in something and do something more meaningful with their life while making friends along the way.”
“I’m learning how to do these things, these skills that I never had before, that I never knew I had in me,” said Ashley Buckholtz of Arlington, Massachusetts. “I just feel very blessed and lucky to be part of this group.”
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