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When we speak about Hadassah, we often characterize it as a community of women bonded by shared values.
When it comes to the members of the fourth cohort of Evolve Leadership Fellows, this descriptor has never been truer. And it’s never been more important.
Fellows are in sync about what leadership looks like in today’s climate — with ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising antisemitism in the United States.
For Donna Heaton, 39, of Houston, it “requires bravery and focus.”
“Wear that star or chai,” says Alyson Kushnick, 35, of Coral Springs, Florida. It’s important, she says, “not to be ashamed of who we are.”
Cassie Schwartz, 45, of Riverwoods, Illinois, shares the sentiment. “It’s about not shirking away from the pride we have and who we are as Jews.”
After October 7, 2023, Carly Wittman, 36, of Portland, Maine, turned to Hadassah for a space that was “explicitly pro-Israel.”
In fact, Wittman hopes that through strengthening the Hadassah community in Maine, she can even bolster the pro-Israel sentiment in spaces where, she says, “Jewish life is being constricted.”
“I take action when I see the opportunity,” Wittman says. “Jews are a mighty, resilient people, but we are few, and I feel a deep responsibility to advocate for our rights as a people and for our indigenous rights to Israel, the Jew among nations.”
Similarly, Schwartz found that after a career shift, she had more time to dedicate to volunteering. “Hadassah just kind of kept coming up for me…. Certainly, October 7 played a huge part in my itch to advocate and do more in a more structured way.”
“I'm really concerned about the use and misuse of the terms ‘being a Zionist’ and ‘Zionism’ and the way that they’ve been manipulated and used against us as Jews…. I'm hopeful that through my connection to Hadassah as an organization that is so innovative in so many ways, dedicated to empowering Jewish women and also committed to the land of Israel, I can be a part of changing the tide, or at least kind of outnumbering the critics.”
Hadassah’s mission incorporates a range of key priorities; there’s something for all the Fellows to support, whether it’s combating antisemitism, healing the world at Hadassah hospitals, empowering women and youth or advancing women’s health.
Standing up for women’s reproductive rights is more important than ever, according to Wittman. She says the Hadassah For Choice campaign is “a rare entity in today’s world that I can wholeheartedly support.”
This year’s cohort, comprising 11 women from across the country, is now in the first year of the two-year leadership engagement initiative of Evolve Hadassah: The Next Generation. They are deepening their knowledge of Hadassah, developing leadership skills and engaging meaningfully with their local and national Hadassah communities.
And the Fellows are learning just how lifechanging Hadassah can be.
“I have heard many stories where the Hadassah hospitals in Israel have saved lives. The Hadassah Youth Aliyah villages also provide lifechanging support for young people in need,” says Heaton.
Schwartz doubles down about Hadassah hospitals: “Ten percent of Israel's population is served by our organization. And to me, that's just like an incredible, incredible feat.”
Kushnick has seen how transformative Hadassah is for Hadassah women. “As women, I think it’s important for us to speak up for our rights and lift each other up when we each need it.”
In addition to specialized opportunities to grow and learn, an essential part of the Fellows program is an immersive trip to Israel to see firsthand Hadassah’s lifesaving work at Hadassah hospitals and Hadassah-supported Youth Aliyah villages. When, earlier in the year, the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, and Iran retaliated, Hadassah postponed the trip from spring to fall.
Reactions were similar: disappointment but also understanding.
“I was sad, but I was not surprised. I was excited to go on the trip, and the itinerary looked amazing,” says Wittman.
Through Evolve, women are empowered to create impact.
“I am so excited to be involved with Evolve, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me,” said Heaton.
