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Hadassah was honored to participate in the 2025 American Zionist Movement (AZM) Biennial National Assembly. This landmark event united leaders from across the Zionist movement. This year, national Jewish leaders, activists and thinkers convened to celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of Zionism as inspired by Theodor Herzl’s dream of a Zionist homeland.
As part of the incredible event, Hadassah National President Carol Ann Schwartz moderated a panel, Uplifting Zionist Women: Our Eyes to the Future, featuring three women honored as part of Hadassah’s 2025 18 American Zionist Women You Should Know: Georgia State Rep. Esther Panitch, Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip and Hadassah Long Beach-Orange County President Dr. Deborah Villanueva.
Rep. Panitch, a powerful advocate for Georgia’s passage of legislation adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, spoke about her experience with antisemitic threats and targeted hate mail. She emphasized the importance of speaking out, saying, “I’m loud because I know there are girls in college and in high school who are Jewish who don’t have their sense of confidence yet… who need to know that someone is there who will stand up.”
Pilip echoed Rep. Panitch’s call for action and bold advocacy, saying, “We should be proud and loud because we know we are part of this amazing nation: the Jewish nation.” She also stressed the importance of inspiring younger generations to stand up for their Zionist beliefs, saying, “Now history is calling us, and the question is what each of us will do.”
Dr. Villanueva, a Hadassah advocate, health professional, educator and Zionist activist, spoke about the importance of finding community as a Jewish and Zionist woman, saying, “Community is so important to me… I grew up a very proud Jewish woman, and my Zionism continued to grow as I became older and wiser and travelled.” Dr. Villanueva found Hadassah and realized, “I felt like I was finally at home, with my women, my people.”
Since our founding by Henrietta Szold, Hadassah has helped drive the Zionist movement, working to mobilize women’s leadership and strengthen connections with Israel.
We are amazing women, we are fierce, we are loud, we are proud, and we don’t let people stop us,” said Schwartz.What You Can Do:
- Learn more about Hadassah’s 18 Zionist Women
- Check out our Facebook post highlighting the event
