Shalom y’all! And a warm welcome to Hadassah Southern. We are a far-flung region that covers Alabama, Arkansas, the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Thanks to technology, we have been able to keep in touch and continue with programming during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our virtual programs have included book clubs, cooking demonstrations, advocacy programs and health education, to name just a few.
Hadassah paved the way for pioneering health care in pre-state Israel. Right from its inception, Hadassah’s mission was to treat everyone in need of medical care. Henrietta Szold, our founder, insisted on equal medical access to all who needed it. This compassion has been at the heart of Hadassah ever since. Today the Hadassah Medical Organization provides some of the best research and care in the world. Did you know that Hadassah also sends medical teams to countries where medical care is not always available? Our Region takes pride in our efforts to support Hadassah’s cutting-edge medical care.
Social justice and advocacy are also important issues for our region's members. Many of our chapters have provided programs advocating for Holocaust education in the public schools and ways we can combat antisemitism in our communities. Our members are united in our shared values in supporting Israel and its people, working towards social and economic justice, gender equality in health care and fighting antisemitism.
If you are new to Hadassah Southern, want to connect with a chapter or just want to talk about Hadassah, I’d love to hear from you (ssmolinsky@hadassah.org). And please check out and follow our Facebook page.
Susan Smolinsky
Region President, Hadassah Southern