Global Impact, Local Connection
By Jill Cousins
Marjorie Smith is passionate when she talks about all the meaningful work and causes supported by Hadassah, the American Jewish volunteer women’s organization that has almost 300,000 members in the United States. Then she looks at the two other women seated across from her in a room at Congregation Ohev Shalom – Susan Witt and Roslyn Leventhal – and she smiles.
“Hadassah’s mission, I hold near and dear to my heart, which is the medical research and innovative treatments,” Marjorie says, “and as an aside, I’ve made wonderful, wonderful friends, two of whom are sitting right here at this table. It’s a lovefest!”
In fact, Marjorie, Susan, and Roslyn are not just friends who happen to be members of the Hadassah Orlando Chapter. They also made local Hadassah history when all three were installed as co-presidents in January 2023 – they’re calling it the chapter’s first “presidium.”
“I really love what it stands for; I’m very proud of it.”
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, was founded in 1912 in New York City by Henrietta Szold, along with other Zionist women, to help meet the health needs of Palestine’s people. Today, Hadassah is one of the world’s largest Jewish organizations and continues to work toward supporting women’s health issues, supporting Israel, and instilling Jewish values in future generations.
“It’s the connections with Jewish women in the community,” Marjorie says of Hadassah’s 100-plus year legacy, “and through those connections, these women find a niche and are able to connect with the state of Israel and learn the meaning of Hadassah’s mission.”
Locally, the Orlando chapter raises funds to support Hadassah’s two state-of-the-art hospitals in Israel while fighting for women’s rights, fighting against antisemitism, and working as advocates for contemporary issues. Hadassah started in Orlando in the mid-1940s and, for a time, was divided into different groups when membership reached 500.
Susan Witt, Roslyn Leventhal, and Marjorie Smith made Hadassah Orlando Chapter history when they became the organization’s copresidents in January.
The current chapter has 800 members “on the books,” according to Marjorie, with about 50 members attending Hadassah’s meetings, which are held at Ohev Shalom on the first Tuesday of every month.
Family Ties
Marjorie’s grandmother was a Hadassah member in New York City, and her mother was a member in Long Island, where Marjorie grew up. Now a mother of three, Marjorie was active in Women’s American ORT when she lived in Chicago and the National Council of Jewish Women when she lived in New Jersey. She was recruited to join Hadassah by her daughterin-law when she moved to Lake Mary 15 years ago and has been actively involved ever since.
Roslyn was born and raised in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Her marriage to her husband brought her to Altamonte Springs in 1984. Their son was born in 1988. He later joined the Israeli Defense Forces as well as the U.S. Army. She began volunteering at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center in Maitland – where she met Susan – after retiring from teaching in 2012. She joined Hadassah in 2015.
“I heard about Hadassah but didn’t really know anything about it,” Roslyn says. “For me, it was about getting involved with something. But I really love what it stands for; I’m very proud of it.”
Susan grew up outside of New Haven, Connecticut, with a mother who was president of her local Hadassah and a member of the Connecticut Region Board. While a teacher and administrator at a prep school south of Boston for over 40 years, Susan was active in Hadassah. When she retired in 2014, she and her husband Richard moved to Lake Mary to be near her son Jonathan and her daughter-in-law Amy. Of course, Hadassah was high on her to-do list.
“One of the first things I did when I moved here is I sought out Hadassah,” Susan says. “We joined Congregation Ohev Shalom right away, and I was very much welcomed into Sisterhood and Hadassah. My mother was a Hadassah Life Member, so I followed family tradition and became a Life member, also. Of course, I plan on making my two granddaughters Life Members in the near future. That’s a goal I have – to carry on the legacy.”
Meet Bestselling Author Kristin Harmel
WHAT
Hadassah Orlando Chapter’s monthly meeting in October will feature acclaimed local author Kristin Harmel whose novels have been New York Times bestsellers, many with Holocaust themes. She will discuss her new book, The Paris Daughter, followed by a Q&A session. Admission starts at $36 and includes a catered lunch. A signed copy of the book can be reserved online for $21.74.
WHEN
Tuesday, October 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m
WHERE
Congregation Ohev Shalom, 613 Concourse Parkway South, Maitland
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
September 23. No walk-ins. Register at Events.Hadassah.org/orlandoharmel.
Hadassah’s monthly meetings, held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., feature both fun and educational programs. Recent guests have included Maitland Police Officer Daniel Holland, Holocaust Center CEO Talli Dippold, and local fitness guru Bethanne Weiss. New York Times bestselling author Kristin Harmel headlines the upcoming meeting on October 3 (see sidebar).
In addition to monthly meetings, the Hadassah Orlando Chapter has several subgroups that meet monthly for lunch or dinner to promote camaraderie and raise additional funds.
“We all have Hadassah as a goal in mind,” Susan says. “We work hard to raise money for medical care and research at the Hadassah Medical Organization and to impact the lives of people in Israel, in the U.S. and worldwide.”
“And,” adds Roslyn, “have fun!”
This story was originally published in print in Fall 2023.