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October 12, 2001/Tishri 25, 5762, Vol. 54, No. 5
Hadassah convention in Israel draws local executive
LILA BALTMAN
Special to Jewish News
It was a four-day trip she will never forget.
Jody Goldman, executive director of Hadassah Valley of the Sun, was one of 550 Hadasssah delegates who traveled to Jerusalem Aug. 5-9 to attend Hadassah's 87th National Convention, "Dwelling Together in Unity."
During her trip, Goldman was able to visit the numerous Hadassah buildings, villages and installations up close and in person.
As a convention delegate, she was allowed to view in person how Hadassah's humanitarian efforts affect lives in Israel.
"Reading about the projects that Hadassah supports and actually seeing them first-hand is an indescribable experience," says Goldman. "For instance, how does one describe the casual conversation between the Orthodox father and Arab mother while observing their children playing peacefully together in the midst of their chemotherapy treatments?"
It was a sight, she says, that she wishes the whole world could see. "Now I truly understand Hadassah's statements of 'medicine is our bridge to peace.' "
Goldman says the outpouring of gratitude expressed to the Hadassah delegates was also quite moving.
"Every speaker we heard, every person we encountered, and even signs in store windows, thanked us for coming," she says. "The message we heard over and over again was, 'Thank you for coming to Israel at this difficult time ... You cannot know how much we appreciate your support of solidarity.' "
According to Goldman, Hadassah was the only major organization to hold a regularly scheduled convention in Israel this year.
The convention officially opened with an address from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, reports Goldman. He thanked Hadassah for its support of the Jewish state and "for the right to be called Zionists in the United Nations."
Bonnie Lipton, national Hadassah president, echoed those words with her firm commitment to the delegates that "Hadassah is working to reject the accusation that Zionism equals racism."
It was on this first night of the convention that Goldman says she was moved to tears. She says that occurred more than once on this emotionally stirring trip.
Standing together with more than 700 Hadassah members from the United States and Israel, singing "Hatikva" in the Jerusalem Theatre, "took on a far different meaning for me than ever before," says Goldman.
She says she still gets chills thinking about it.
The next morning, Goldman and the other delegates visited the synagogue at Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Karem that showcased Marc Chagall's stained glass windows.
"Yes, they truly are magnificent," recalls Goldman, "but they pale in comparison to the work that goes on in Ein Karem. We had the opportunity to not only visit the Mother and Child Pavilion, but also the Trauma Unit, the Women's Wellness Center and the research labs of the Goldyne Savad Gene Therapy Institute."
Goldman says the women spoke with physicians and met with HMO Director General Shlomo Mor Yosef. "And that was just the first day of our visit," she adds.
Over the next three days, Goldman says, the delegates operated on very little sleep and a lot of adrenaline.
"This was my first trip to Israel, and although I visited only a fleck of the sites, I saw the most important places," she recalls.
"I marvel at Henrietta Szold's vision and Hadassah women's desire to carry out her dreams. If you ever doubt that Hadassah's work is insignificant, visit just one of its projects and you will see that you truly make a difference in the lives of countless people."
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