Please join us in giving Carol Ann Schwartz the warmest of welcomes as our 28th Hadassah national president. Assuming the role on January 1, 2024, Carol Ann has been working since her July election toward a seamless transition with outgoing Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow, who has led Hadassah through incredible milestones and challenges over the past four years.
"Carol Ann Schwartz's devotion to Hadassah, the Jewish community and Israel, her fierce intelligence and her talent as a manager and leader will serve her and Hadassah well as she leads Hadassah into the future,” says Rhoda.
"Rhoda Smolow’s four-decade commitment to Hadassah is a model for younger members. She is one of the many remarkable women who have made Hadassah what it is today,” says Carol Ann. “If I can lead with just some of the grace and wisdom she has shown over the last four years, I cannot help but succeed.”
Later this month, Hadassah will formally celebrate Carol Ann’s installation after she returns from the Hadassah Solidarity Mission to Israel. For now, help us mark this moment by getting to know our new leader, who will guide Hadassah's efforts to support Israel, fight antisemitism, advocate for women's health, champion and support Hadassah’s hospitals and help at-risk children at Hadassah's youth villages in Israel.
Three Decades Strong at Hadassah
“I am honored and humbled to serve as Hadassah’s 28th national president, representing the largest Jewish women’s volunteer organization and the largest Zionist organization in America,” says Carol Ann Schwartz. “It is a responsibility I do not take lightly.”
“More than 30 years ago, I became involved with Hadassah in my hometown of Cincinnati. When I was nominated last July, I understood the weight of the assignment as well as the honor. Through our strength and determination over the generations, Hadassah has become a pillar of Israel, Jewish life and women’s empowerment, committed to healing in every sense of the word. “
Carol Ann joined Hadassah in 1991, following in her mother and aunt’s footsteps as a Hadassah volunteer. Before assuming the national presidency, she served as chair of Hadassah's National Speakers Bureau, a Hadassah representative to the American Zionist Movement and a member of the Hadassah Medical Organization's Board of Directors. Before that, she served as national secretary and as one of six vice presidents. She’s held many other national positions and chaired or served on national committees, following regional and local leadership positions.
Carol Ann has an MBA from Cincinnati’s Xavier University and has been an executive at The Morris Investment Company, founded by her grandfather. A highly regarded civic leader, Carol Ann has served on the boards of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Jewish National Fund-Cincinnati Region, Rockwern Academy, the University of Cincinnati Hillel, Adath Israel Congregation, the Israel Innovation Fund and the Sigma Delta Tau Foundation. She has also served on the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Israel and Overseas Committee.
Heart & Soul: A Midwesterner Defined by Her Love for Israel
“Everything I do comes from my heart,” Carol Ann says.
“I am a Midwesterner, through and through. I grew up in a home filled with Zionism, where my parents taught us to have a good work ethic and a good neshama, a good soul. My father used to joke that while I was the youngest of three, he really had four children: me, my siblings and Israel. When I married my husband, Michael, 38 years ago, he felt similarly, and we raised our three children with these same values. Well, for me and my husband, our fourth child is not only Israel, it's Hadassah. We taught them to stand up, to speak out, to volunteer.”
“My first trip to Israel was when I was in high school in 1977,” she says. “It was amazing. But it wasn’t until I saw Hadassah’s hospitals in action with my own eyes that I realized just how important Hadassah is.Every day, medical breakthroughs and innovations from the Hadassah Medical Organization save lives and give hope to families, not just in Israel but around the world. At Hadassah, we go from lab bench to bedside, from education to advocacy.”
“Today, the anxiety level is so high in Israel. The people of Israel need to see that we’re there and that we’re showing up, and I’m glad that one of the first things I’ll do as president will be to visit Israel for the Hadassah Solidarity Mission to demonstrate our support for Israel — and all of the people of Israel — as your president.”
A Vision Rooted in Women’s Empowerment & Gratitude
“I believe in Hadassah. I believe in empowering women,” says Carol Ann. “I believe that it is the duty and responsibility of this generation to serve as mentors for the next, to help nurture and grow future leaders, so that Hadassah grows stronger and our mission continues to evolve and pivot to face our current challenges and the ones that lie ahead. Hadassah is and must be a welcoming, diverse place for all generations.”
“I believe in leading with kindness and appreciation and civility. My mother always said you can never say thank you too many times,” she adds, thanking everyone who has in any way helped advance the work of Hadassah and stressing the importance of sharing the passion and determination for which Hadassah leaders are known.
“You are vitally important to the work we do to empower women, advocate for women’s health and rights, fight antisemitism and provide the highest quality of healthcare in Israel. I want to thank each of you for supporting the mission, the vision and the values of Hadassah. Together, we are saving lives, we are saving souls. We’re standing up, we’re speaking out. Together, we make a difference. I thank you b’chol l’vav, with all my heart. Thank you.”
Read More
Carol Ann Schwartz Elected as Hadassah’s Next National President
A Look Back: Rhoda Smolow’s Lasting Impact