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From behind the scenes or before a crowd, embarking on a traditional leadership journey or taking an untraditional route, there is no one way to support Hadassah. Hadassah National Vice President Michelle Hubertus of Short Hills, New Jersey, a managing director at Deutsche Bank, should know. She’s done them all.
Hubertus’ introduction to Hadassah was fairly conventional, having been invited to a Hadassah party by a neighbor when she moved to a new town in the mid-‘90s. She was in her 20s at the time, and she found community immediately. “This is my group,” she said upon meeting the “really interesting women.” She attended more events, even chaired a few, but with full-time work and grad school, she had to scale back.
At the top of her game in her finance career years later, Hubertus was prompted by a senior colleague to seek a spot on a nonprofit board as a springboard to a seat on a for-profit board. Hubertus, still feeling a connection to Hadassah, enrolled in the Hadassah Leadership Fellow program as a stepping stone to becoming a Henrietta Szold member of the board. Once on the board, she had the opportunity to run for Hadassah’s Finance Committee, a natural fit for her financial acumen. “I really enjoyed my time. I mean, that’s my thing, right?” This served as the launchpad for her role as national treasurer, and at this point, she no longer planned to serve on a for-profit board.
Next is where her Hadassah journey veered off the usual course. With no Hadassah region presidency in her portfolio, Hubertus was elected as a national vice president at the Heart of Hadassah — Pride, Passion and Purpose symposium and the July 2023 National Assembly/Business Meetings in Chicago.
Little did she know that a year later she’d be overseeing the annual event. Selected to chair the 2024 National Conference in Las Vegas, Hubertus welcomed the opportunity to expand. “When you get pretty senior in the organization, I think one of the things people do, or should do if they’re not, is look at your skill set and say, ‘What am I missing?’”
While executing a standout event for hundreds of people, Hubertus added building relationships — with Evolve members and Associates and Hadassah departments, including Marketing and Communications and Legal — to her toolbox of strengths. “It proved to me that I could do something different. It got me closer to the country.” What’s more, she exceeded the event goals set.
But it’s also behind the scenes where Hubertus has enjoyed some of her proudest moments. As a member of the Pension Committee, she ensures Hadassah employees can retire properly, and by serving on the Strategic Planning and Gift committees, she ensures the organization’s sustainability and that Hadassah is bringing in ethical donations.
“It’s not front and center, but that’s OK,” she said. “I don’t need to be front and center.”
And before her national presidency ends, she’d like to make sure the strategic plan is delivered and executed.
Hubertus has had memorable moments as well, including one with a student from Hadassah Neurim Youth Aliyah Village. As proud supporters of Youth Aliyah, Hubertus and her husband donated a bench to Hadassah Neurim. While in Vegas, they met a student from the village who eats lunch on that bench every day. Moved by the meeting and hearing the student and her peer share their stories, they made another donation to the village. “That just got to us, seeing those kids being successful.”
The Fun Facts
Gefilte fish: Yes or No?
Yes (salmon)
Favorite Jewish holiday treat?
Rosca (a Ladino dish)
Favorite Jewish author?
Emma Lazarus, the first Zionist before the World Zionist Congress even met
If you could have dinner with any historical Jewish woman, who would it be?
Hadassah founder Henrietta Szold, to ask her if we’re going in the right direction.
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