Dear Friends of Hadassah,
It’s been quite a year, and we are still alive and well living in Broward County because of you extraordinary women. You have held on, stayed the course and continued your love affair with Hadassah. And for that, we are so very grateful.
I have said this before, and I’ll say it again: we have come this far because of the women on the Region Board and because of your chapters. We have all worked hard to achieve the goals for fundraising and membership set forth by National.
The projects we have supported this year have continued to bring forth some miracles and medial advancements.
For example, at Hadassah Medical Organization:
· Our professors continue to excel in competitive bids for grant money so vital to their continuing research in kidney disease, asthma, inflammatory and oncology processes, diabetes, ophthalmologic diseases and chronic pain. Our doctors won 12 grants!
· We were the first to use space age surgery using robotics.
· Our Hadassah Women’s facility at Mount Scopus was voted to be the best clinic in Israel.
Our Hadassah College Jerusalem is the #1 school of higher learning in Jerusalem.
Our Villages in Israel take in children at risk.
Our Broward Nurses Council runs the Check It Our Program for American school children – how to check for breast cancer and testicular cancer.
Our grandchildren and great grandchildren have the opportunity to go to our Camp Judaea in Hendersonville, North Carolina so children in America can learn about Zionism and to love Israel, our second home. This is our camp – Broward and five other local Hadassah Regions own it – and we need to keep supporting it.
Last year I promised:
· To help you with your Chapter and council fundraising efforts, so as to help you to support our two hospitals in Israel, to help you support our college in Jerusalem, and to help you keep saving the children at risk that come our way – which we have done thanks to Joan Florsheim.
· To help by providing you with exciting and new program suggestions for you to present to your members – which we have done thanks to Roberta Schussel.
· To help you help us to GO GREEN – which we have done thanks to Marsha Fischer and Ronda Finkelstein, Education Day Chairs
· To educate you – which we have done thanks to Sophie Gottlieb.
So many thank yous go out to my outgoing board. They worked closely with me to achieve and fulfill the promises I made last year. I could not have done it without their guidance and input. I want to especially acknowledge the untiring efforts of our Area Vice-Presidents who are our liaisons between the Region and the Chapters.
My incoming board will work hard in the same direction – to help you and your chapter and council reach your goals.
The Vice Presidents and their chairs and I will come to you, either at your chapter meetings or council meetings to bring you the most up to date information so that you will understand better why we need to continue to support Hadassah.
The Region office, our wonderful staff – Fran Gaswirth and Kawai Matthews – I could not work without them. They are marvelous, warm and helpful and will be at the other end of the telephone or email. We will continue to be responsive to your requests and needs. Do call them or me if you have any questions – we are there to help you.
To Ruthie Rinis, who did a fantastic job in organizing the Conference – I cannot thank you enough for all the time and effort and excellence you put into getting this done. Thank you so much.
Thank you to Bobbi Levin, our National Liaison for always being there for us.
The following is a note sent to me by National --- the people I report to and am responsible to (aside from you):
“THANK YOU FOR THE VALUABLE WORK YOU DO
OUTSTANDING IN HOW YOU ALWAYS COME THROUGH
LOYAL, SINCERE AND FULL OF GOOD CHEER
UNTIRING IN YOUR EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
NOBLE ARE THE CONTRIBUTIONS YOU MAKE
TRUSTWORTHY IN EVERY PROJECT YOU TAKE
EAGER TO REACH YOUR EVERY GOAL
EFFECTIVE IN THE WAY YOU FULFILL YOUR ROLE
READY WITH A SMILE LIKE A SHINING STAR
SPECIAL AND WONDERFUL – THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE.”
That about sums up the way I feel about you. Thank you for the opportunity to continue in my role as President and to work for you for another year.
Warmest regards,
Sheila
President, Broward Region Hadassah
