When we say, “18 American Zionist Women You Should Know,” we mean it. We really want you to get to know all about these remarkable women — and their dedicated activism that helps shape the future of Zionism. While most of the #Hadassah18 come from outside our Hadassah family, we’re shining a spotlight this year on our very own Hadassah leaders who wear their Zionism proudly.
Meet: Stephanie Z. Bonder, Antisemitism Committee and Zionist Education Team member
What was your first reaction to being included on Hadassah’s list of 18 American Zionist Women You Should Know?
I felt extremely honored to be included on Hadassah’s list. I write blogs advocating for Israel, and I write letters to and set up meetings with our local, state and federal government, standing for Israel and the Jewish people, but I have always done this because I was brought up to stand up for what is right, not for any recognition.
With this honor, I feel blessed to be included in such a group of powerful female Zionist voices from all walks of life and backgrounds. I know some of the members and have learned about others. I have been fortunate to have met some since the list was published. I feel this recognition will help bring my voice and my Zionism to more platforms.
What does Zionism mean to you?
Zionism means being proud to be part of the Jewish people and believing in Israel as our eternal homeland. It’s the understanding that Jewish peoplehood unites us — because when Jews are attacked, no one asks, “What kind of Jew are you?” We must stand together.
Israel is central to Jewish life. It is the heart of our heritage. Our Torah, history and holidays are rooted in the land of Israel. We are its indigenous people. Living a Jewish life in the diaspora is deeply connected to our bond with Israel.
Israel welcomes those who come in peace. But those who seek to destroy it will face consequences. Israel exists to ensure Jewish survival and self-determination.
My Zionism is active. I will write, vote, organize and rally. I will show up wherever I’m needed to defend Israel — because standing up for Israel means standing up for the Jewish future.
Is there something you wish more people knew about Israel?
I wish people knew that Israel is a place filled with people who want to live in peace with their neighbors. Israel is a democracy, so the people can vote and share their voices. Even when many people disagree with the standing government, they are still carrying Israeli flags because Israel belongs to all the people of Israel.
Tell us a little about your involvement with Hadassah. How, why and when did you get involved?
I was born into a Hadassah family, so I knew about Hadassah my whole life. As an adult, I immediately became involved in Hadassah when I got married and joined my synagogue. The Caldwell Hadassah chapter welcomed me with open arms and embraced me.
They immediately asked me to take on a job; I became the study group chair and led a study group on It Takes a Dream: The Story of Hadassah, by Marlin Levin. That book hooked me! I learned about the establishment of Hadassah by amazing women led by Henrietta Szold. I saw that Hadassah believed in saving children, through Youth Aliyah, and built the modern medical system of the future State of Israel. These were my values already, and Hadassah became the place I could express myself and advocate for the people and places I believed in.
What leadership roles in the Jewish community or at other nonprofits do you hold outside of Hadassah?
I began my leadership journey as a teen, when I was elected president of my youth group, USY. I was then selected by the JCC to participate in a teen leadership program in Washington, DC. That experience taught me how to engage with our elected representatives in Congress and how to advocate for Israel and the Jewish community.
I am currently a lay leader for the Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest NJ, where I chair our Israel and Overseas Partnership Network. In that role, I visit our partner communities in Israel and help allocate funds for their programs. I have visited Ukraine and have Zoomed with our partnership in Cherkasy, Ukraine. I am also a member of the Federation’s Holocaust Council, where I accompany survivors and second- and third-generation children and grandchildren to share their testimonies with students around our community. My in-laws were survivors, and I share their stories with children, teens and adults. I feel it is an essential mission of the current Jewish community to make these stories known.
One other role I hold is as a member of my synagogue’s Board of Trustees. I chair our Israel committee and organize programs on Israel, by Israelis and for Israel.
What is your proudest Hadassah moment?
My proudest Hadassah moment was becoming region president of Hadassah Northern NJ. I was able to lead a region with 22 chapters and 12,000 women. I stood for Hadassah as a representative in our Jewish Federation and on the JCRC. I also connected with the greater Jewish organizations throughout New Jersey. I was able to share about Hadassah with a larger community so that they would understand the impact of Hadassah’s incredible work.
What would you say to students encountering anti-Zionist and anti-Israel voices on college campuses?
I would tell our current university students to stand proud and learn about their history. Too many of our young people don’t have a solid understanding of Israel or Jewish history. They have been taught that Jews have “white privilege” and that Jews are “oppressors.”
They need to read and talk to people who know the truth about Israel — including its history and Jewish indigeneity — so they can stand up for Israel and Jews around the world and in their own communities.
Those who do have a background and know what Israel is really like should speak up; let those who are espousing falsehoods about Israel hear the truth. They may not change their minds, but the ones who are listening to them may. They also need to know what Israeli society really looks like: a diverse, multiethnic population that lives, learns and works together.
Favorite Israeli food? Favorite places to visit in Israel?
My favorite Israeli food is grilled chicken laffa. I love to go to restaurants that let you select your own toppings.
There are so many amazing places to visit in Israel! Of course, I love Jerusalem due to its centrality to the Jewish people and the fact that Hadassah is there, but I also love Tel Aviv with the constant activity and the café scene on Dizengoff Street. I love visiting our Youth Aliyah villages and seeing the kids learning in a warm and nurturing environment. I also feel connected to the desert and feel at home with my Federation partner communities in Ofakim, Merchavim, Arad and Kibbutz Erez. They’re like family to me, so that makes it like home.
Israel has so many places to see that you can never run out of favorite places to visit.
See the full list of 18 American Zionist Women You Should Know.
