"For me, public service and Jewish values are intertwined.... We are part of such an incredible tradition, and I’m so grateful to Hadassah and Young Judaea for keeping that alive," said Shelley Greenspan, White House Liaison to the American Jewish Community at a June 22 Hadassah-Young Judaea online discussion. “Growing up, it was never a question to me to be a Zionist and lean into my Jewish identity,” she said, after opening remarks from Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow.
Attendees to the virtual event included Young Judaea Global CEO Adina Frydman; Greta Rothschild, Hadassah-appointed liaison to the Young Judaea board; and Young Judaea board member and Hadassah National Secretary Marcia Gabrilove Ladin, as well as Hadassah members and Young Judaea alumni and participants from around the country.
A self-proclaimed Zionist, lifetime Hadassah member and Young Judaea alumna with an extensive history in public service and Jewish community engagement, Shelley spoke of how Young Judaea’s Year Course inspired her to get involved in advocacy and service, beginning in college.
“When I got back from Young Judaea Year Course, I got really involved in Hillel and student government and had a lot of excitement and energy,” she said. “I spoke at an event for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and a few weeks later I was interning at her office and had my first taste of public service. There was something so inspiring about seeing a Jewish woman in such a powerful role of government, but also seeing the value of tzedek, tzedek tirdof, justice, justice you shall pursue.”
Shelley also spoke about her experiences as White House liaison to the American Jewish community over the last year, particularly the recently released National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and the process from its inception to release.
“We decided to host a roundtable at the White House and had a handful of Jewish professional leaders, who spoke with one voice — and it was really clear they wanted a national strategy to tackle antisemitism,” she said. “This is the most ambitious and comprehensive plan to counter antisemitism.... This is really a whole of society effort, and I’m so grateful for partners like Hadassah when they come to me with ideas and suggestions.”
Speaking more on her work with the Jewish community, Shelley said, “The best part about my job is that I get to see the American Jewish community living up to our values, and I’m inspired on a daily basis by how committed American Jews are to public service.”
She shared a powerful call to action to the audience to lean into their Jewish values, especially to young members and alumni of Young Judaea.
“Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We must renew it each year – it’s what enables us to thrive as a society,” noted Shelley. “Whether it means getting involved in campaigns or building bridges through art, culture or tech, getting involved in democracy allows Jews everywhere to thrive. To the next generation, continue and build upon our legacy, get involved and lean into Jewish values.”
For young Jews interested in following a similar career path, she had this advice: “Chase what interests you — first and foremost, building an authentic community has been a key to success, and building a network at a young age will serve you well later in life.”
Shelley shared final remarks on the importance of advocating for causes critical to the American Jewish community, noting, “Advocacy is a muscle you flex or part of your daily routine; I don’t think there’s one right way to go about it, but hearing from constituents — hearing authentic stories — goes such a long way,” she said. “We work on behalf of the American people, so your voices do matter, and I’m so grateful for Young Judaea and Hadassah because we can’t do it alone.”
"For me, engaging in advocacy and taking action to bring about the change we want to see in the world is more important every day in the face of the alarming and dangerous rise in antisemitism and anti-Zionism," Rhoda said. "Now, more than ever, we must take action together with passion and pride."
As the largest Jewish women’s organization in the US, Hadassah advocates to strengthen the US-Israel relationship, combat antisemitism and champion women’s and public health to enhance the lives of people in Israel, the United States and worldwide. Right now, the Senate has an opportunity to take up a critical bill that recently passed the House and would establish a Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords, the landmark normalization agreements between Israel and Arab countries.
Watch the recording of the conversation below.