A Lifechanging Moment
for Israel (and Hadassah)
When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, Hadassah responded immediately, supporting Hadassah hospitals’ lifesaving treatment of soldiers and civilians and advocating strong US support for Israel. In the months that followed, Hadassah accelerated construction of the Gandel Rehabilitation Center, expanded the hospitals’ ability to treat mass casualties and operate safely in war, bolstered mental health services and spoke out for the hostages and for those brutalized by rape and sexual violence.
At the Ready. Always.
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I received my life back and would like to thank Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem and the entire staff,” says Roni, 20, a Nahal Brigade soldier who was severely wounded by gunfire on October 7 — while under missile attack. After he was evacuated by helicopter to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, doctors performed a series of complex surgeries. “Roni fought the battle and we at Hadassah fought for his life and succeeded,” said Prof. Yoram Weil, director of the Orthopedic Trauma Unit.
To read more download the full Annual Report here
We have full trust and confidence in Hadassah and a longstanding, family-wide relationship with this wonderful organization…. Simply put: With Hadassah, we know that our money is going exactly where we want it to go. After October 7, we sought an opportunity to make a difference, and ultimately, we decided that donating an ambulance helicopter and related equipment was the gift that felt right. Our family — our son, daughter and son-in-law — contributed to this gift, made in memory of my mother, Adele Gutterman, z"l.”
Renee Sandler
Cincinnati, OH
To read more download the full Annual Report here
What is Hadassah? It’s first of all the people who work together for one purpose. And this is really to provide the best medical care and to save lives. Hadassah has an army, and this is the army of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America. And there’s no question that we can do it, and together, we will do it, whatever the challenges are.”
Prof. Yoram Weiss
Director General of the Hadassah Medical Organization, during a special war briefing for major donors held during Hanukkah
To read more download the full Annual Report here
Hadassah on the Ground: In Peace and War
From lifesaving care at Hadassah hospitals in the immediate aftermath of October 7 to addressing longer-term needs, Hadassah provided hope and healing when it was needed most.
National President Rhoda Smolow: On the Ground on Day 1
Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow was en route to Israel when Hamas terrorists launched their unprecedented attack on October 7. The next day, she was on the ground in a nation at war, helping steer Hadassah’s crisis response efforts and comforting Hadassah hospital patients on behalf of the entire Hadassah community.
Back in the US, Smolow shared these experiences widely. “I found a strength in myself that I didn’t know I had,” Smolow told the Good Day New York morning show.
In late October, Smolow traveled back to Israel as a key member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, bringing 50 leaders to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem to meet with staff and patients.
In Rehab at Hadassah, Saar Keeps Fighting
Following a serious injury in Gaza and orthopedic surgeries on his hands and feet at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, Saar, 27, desperately wanted to go back to fighting in the field. With the help of rehabilitation specialists at Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus, he feels confident he will get there.
“I feel a real improvement when it comes to the movement of my arms and legs, and it gives me a sense of relief that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Long-Term Needs: Medical Technology, Rehab and Mental Health
A New, 3D Knee:
Top orthopedic surgeons were able to reconstruct the knee of a wounded soldier using a 3D printer and bone taken from his pelvis.
Cutting-Edge Tech:
Using the Mazor robotic guidance system, surgeons in December were able to remove a bullet lodged in a soldier’s spine.
The Path to Healing:
Rehab is a “place where the body meets the soul,” said Dr. Sheer Shabat Ben-Yehuda, a senior resident in rehabilitation, on the events of October 7 and the increased need for rehabilitation.
Speaking Out for the Hostages and Against Sexual Violence
Hadassah issued a statement on October 26 in response to public remarks made by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the group UN Women: “As the largest Jewish women’s organization and the largest Jewish women’s foundation in the United States, Hadassah and the Hadassah Foundation call on UN Women to speak out for the protection of Israeli women — who were left out of its previous statement — and to condemn Hamas’ inhuman attacks, denounce rape and call on Hamas to immediately release all hostages.” Further statements and actions followed, laying the groundwork for Hadassah’s 2024 #EndTheSilence campaign.
At DC March for Israel, Members Make Their Voices Heard
Hadassah leaders and members from across the country took planes, trains and automobiles (and, of course, buses) to proudly participate in the largest pro-Israel rally in US history on November 14, marching among nearly 300,000 supporters on the National Mall in Washington, DC. With their signs, T-shirts and voices, members sent a clear message: Hadassah stands with Israel.
“I have attended rallies in the past — nothing was like the exhilaration we experienced standing shoulder to shoulder with our Hadassah family and with our Jewish community from across the United States and around the world,” said then-President-Elect Carol Ann Schwartz, who became Hadassah’s national president in January 2024.
Youth Aliyah Villages: A Haven for Students and Families
After October 7, students and staff at Hadassah’s two Youth Aliyah villages, Meir Shfeyah in the north and Hadassah Neurim in central Israel, had to adjust to a new reality. Staff mobilized immediately to provide a safe and secure environment for youth who remained on campus. Living quarters were reconfigured to accommodate displaced families and, thanks to generous donors, new bomb-proof shelters were built and older ones refurbished. When local workers were called up for reserve duty, students volunteered to fill in the gaps.
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