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November 19, 2004/Kislev 6 5765, Vol. 57, No. 12
Local woman earns Hadassah distinction
STEPHANIE N. HENSCHEL
Staff Writer
Sharon Briskman is excitedly preparing for her next trip to Israel.
The local Hadassah Valley of the Sun member and national vice chairwoman of Keepers of the Gate was recently appointed to a leadership team that is planning the group's historic mission to Israel, March 20-27, 2005.
The historic nature of the trip is due to the dedication of the new Center for Emergency Medicine at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Briskman is charged with facilitating local member participation on the trip. Anyone who has donated or pledged a gift of $5,000 or more is invited to join the trip.
According to Briskman, what is unique about the trip is immediate family members of those who donated or pledged funds are also welcome.
"There's a tremendous amount of excitement related to this mission," Briskman says.
According to Briskman, Hadassah realized early on the need for emergency medical care.
The current emergency and trauma room at Hadassah Medical Center at Ein Kerem was opened in 1979. It was designed for 41,000 patients. Last year alone, more than 70,000 patients visited the facility.
As the only medical facility in the area to provide Class I trauma care, it was necessary to expand.
"We tend to think first about terrorists (attacks), but in reality, Jerusalem is a big city," Briskman says. The facility will serve a larger area and more than just those affected by terror attacks.
The new $46 million project will be three times as large as the current facility and can accommodate up to 100,000 patients annually. The center will also be able to withstand biological and chemical attack.
Briskman was actively involved in the first phase of the fund-raising campaign that raised $29.6 million.
"And now it's time to see it and touch it," Briskman says with obvious excitement.
The Scottsdale resident and Temple Chai member has been active in Hadassah for "almost virtually all my adult life," she says. She got involved when a friend invited her to a meeting.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Briskman enjoys her work with Hadassah, not to mention the lifelong friends she has made through the organization.
"I love working with women," she explains. "I respect the way women work and the things they accomplish."
She also served as campaign director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix about nine years ago, she says. Then she returned to Hadassah after what she calls a "hiatus."
"It was like coming home," she says.
And Hadassah is happy to have her.
"She really represents the kind of woman (we wanted leading the trip)," says Susan Mark, chairwoman of corporate and foundation relations for Hadassah. "She's articulate, she's very bright and she's a successful leader in the community."
Mark calls Briskman "attractive in every sense of the word," which added to her appeal.
"She really supports our mission," Mark says. "For us, it's so important because the Center for Emergency Medicine is really the first of its kind in the Middle East."
As she prepares for the upcoming jaunt, Briskman finds it difficult to hide her excitement about her upcoming trip.
"We're just so excited about it," she emotes.
A tentative itinerary for the trip includes a visit to a high security area and even possibly a visit with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Contact the writer here
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