Leading into the eighth night of Hanukkah, Hadassah leaders offered members and supporters an inside look at what life has been like at Hadassah’s hospitals and Youth Aliyah villages in Israel since October 7. The event, “This Is Hanukkah: Finding Light in the Dark,” brought together the Hadassah community in Israel, the United States and beyond with a menorah-lighting at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem and musical performances by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and Meir Shfeyah Mandolin Orchestra and vocalists.
A video crew was following Prof. Yoram Weiss, director general of the Hadassah Medical Organization, on November 30 when a terrorist attack took place at a Jerusalem bus stop. Three people were killed and, at 11:30 am., wounded patients began arriving at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem.
“When you’re managing such a large organization, you work in a chaotic environment. Everything that you plan can change within a second,” said Prof. Weiss, who had arrived at the hospital before dawn that day and already met with his management team. “You may start your morning thinking it will be a quiet day and suddenly you discover that you have a major crisis that you have to deal with.”
That afternoon, Prof. Weiss traveled to Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus, where an underground facility to treat 130 patients was put together in a matter of weeks. After a briefing with Jerusalem city officials, he visited with IDF soldiers receiving rehabilitation services. By 6 pm, it was back to Hadassah Ein Kerem to meet with US Republican Party representatives.
“When people ask me about this amazing organization that is called Hadassah, what is Hadassah? It’s first of all the people that all work together for one purpose. And this is really to provide the best medical care and to save lives,” Prof Weiss said. “Behind this, 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.”
The briefing also featured an interview with a student from the Hadassah Neurim Youth Aliyah Village. The village staff were providing comfort and resources in the wake of the October 7 attacks, said Vcevold Spytsyn, 18, whose family made Aliyah from Russia.
“I want to serve in the army even more. This is giving me strength,” Spytsyn said. “I feel that I am part of Israel, part of the society, and it’s really important for me to help our country and to defend its people.”
Barbara Sofer, director of Israel public relations for the Hadassah Offices in Israel, spoke with Dr. Yaniv Dover, whose son Stav was shot in both legs while serving with the IDF on October 7. Though he called the day the worst of his life, he couldn’t have been more relieved to find out that evening that his son was at Hadassah.
“The vascular doctors are amazing, they saved him and his legs,” Dr. Dover said.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Moshe Rozen thanked Hadassah staff for the care he and wife Diane received after being shot and nearly taken hostage on their kibbutz.
“We would like to express our emotional gratitude and, in turn, request that everyone, particularly from the Jewish world, support this noble institution,” Rozen said.
Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow offered her thanks for the incredible outpouring of support Hadassah has received over these last two months, resulting in nearly $14 million in emergency funding so far.
“If you have not yet participated in our emergency campaign, we hope you will consider making a gift today as this crisis is far from over,” Smolow said. “It is because of your support that we can continue to help Israel heal. Thank you again and happy Hanukkah.”