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For Michele Rubin, leadership is rooted in community, compassion and a deep belief in giving young people the chance to thrive. A native Chicagoan and University of Kansas alumna, she began her career as a middle school teacher before transitioning to a full-time role raising her family. Now a resident of Chicago’s northern suburbs with grown children, Michele has spent the last three decades evolving from a local volunteer to national chair of Youth Aliyah, combining her professional background in education with a strategic vision for supporting the next generation across Youth Aliyah villages.
Rubin’s connection to Hadassah began in 1996, but her roots in the organization run much deeper as a four-generation life member. She first joined a newly formed chapter in her Chicago neighborhood while staying home with her young son and daughter. What started as a way to meet other women in her community quickly grew into a lifelong commitment to service. Her leadership evolved through several pivotal roles, including serving as treasurer and recording secretary, before she became the first president of the Hadassah Chicago North-Shore region. Today, with her children now grown, she continues to lead with that same dedication to community.
“As a teacher, you’re used to leading the room,” she said. “Hadassah taught me how to expand on that, to delegate, think long-term and lead as part of a team.”
Mentorship sits at the heart of Rubin’s approach today. She supports emerging leaders locally, encourages growth nationally and strives to create space for others to step forward with confidence.
A Place to Learn, Grow and Heal
Her understanding of Hadassah’s impact deepened in 2003, when she participated in a Young Women’s Mission to Israel and visited Hadassah Neurim Youth Aliyah Village.
“As a former teacher, kids are always close to my heart,” Rubin said. “On that visit, I instantly fell in love.”
At Hadassah’s two Youth Aliyah Villages, Meir Shfeyah and Hadassah Neurim, young immigrants and native Israelis receive a full spectrum of help: education, shelter, food, counseling and other supportive services.
Each Youth Aliyah village, Rubin explained, is far more than a school or program; it’s a true village. Students and staff create a nurturing community where young people can grow, learn and heal. Alongside strong academics and rich extracurricular opportunities, the staff’s around-the-clock care and attention make the villages so special.
“Sometimes students just need someone to listen,” she said. “That unconditional kindness and encouragement from the staff makes all the difference.”
One of the most meaningful parts of her role, Rubin said, is when students understand that Hadassah women around the world are investing in their futures and believing in their potential. “They’re amazed. They truly feel supported.”
Lessons Beyond the Classroom
Seeing the lifechanging impact of Hadassah’s support continues to fuel her passion. Among Rubin’s proudest Youth Aliyah experiences has been accompanying students on the annual Poland experience trip — a 30-year tradition she is honored to support as she prepares for her third journey this year. On this Hadassah-supported week-long trip, select 11th and 12th graders travel to Poland where they learn about prewar European Jewry and the Holocaust, and they visit sites including the Treblinka death camp, Majdanek concentration camp and old synagogues — ruined, restored and even one still in use in Oświęcim. Through this experience, students gain a deeper connection to their heritage.
“Some students arrive not knowing much about the Holocaust, and I get to watch them absorb the history and begin to process it. Seeing them connect these lessons to their own families is incredibly powerful,” she said. “I feel defiant when I’m at the concentration camps and proud to be there with young, resilient Israelis. This trip is one of the greatest gifts Hadassah gives these young people, and I’m honored to be part of it.”
Partners in Purpose
Rubin’s dedication to Hadassah is shared by her husband, Brian, who serves as a vice president of the Hadassah Associates, the organization’s arm of male supporters. He is deeply passionate about what he calls “practical Zionism,” particularly through the healing mission of the Hadassah Medical Organization, which he views as a powerful example of peace in action.
What drives Michele and Brian’s dedication to Hadassah is a guiding belief rooted in Jewish values: leave the world better than you found it, give more than you take and build strength through community. Beyond their leadership roles, Brian is the CFO of a healthcare technology company, and Michele manages her own personal bookkeeping business, helping clients from young adults to busy professionals master their household finances. In their downtime, they enjoy traveling together, and Michele finds balance through cooking, needlepoint and playing mah jongg.
Growing Leaders, Building Futures
Rubin reflects proudly on her role as the first president of Hadassah Chicago North-Shore, where she helped guide a complex and sensitive regional merger that has since become a successful model across the organization, demonstrating how partnership and shared purpose can turn challenge into opportunity and strengthen community.
Hadassah changes members’ lives, Rubin said, by creating a close-knit community of like-minded women and opening doors to leadership, learning and personal growth.
“Hadassah gives all of us a connection to Israel and Zionism we can’t get anywhere else in quite the same way,” she noted. Rubin’s own journey reflects that growth, as she evolved as a leader and developed skills in strategic thinking, collaboration and vision.
“Hadassah offers so many ways to be involved and experiences we wouldn’t get anywhere else,” she said. “It gives people the chance to lead, to grow and to make a real difference — and that difference is clearest when you see the students of Youth Aliyah stand taller, gain confidence and look to the future with hope.”
