“I always said I had two full-time jobs. My profession as an architect and my profession as a Hadassah volunteer.”
When Dana Waxler found herself in search of community after moving to Midland, Texas, in the early 1990s –– about 10 hours from her hometown of Houston — her new neighbors directed her immediately toward Hadassah.
“It was a very, very small Jewish community. I think there were 25 people in the Hadassah chapter,” said Waxler, a newly elected national vice president on the Hadassah board.
While she enjoyed the social aspects of the group, it was at her first regional board meeting in Dallas shortly after that she really learned what Hadassah was all about.
“It supported Israel, women’s health care, women’s rights, they talked about separation of church and state and, of course, back then JNF, and it just seemed like this is everything that I support, so I got move involved,” she said.
Just as she was about to become president of the Midland chapter, however, her husband got a job near Chattanooga, Tennessee, and they relocated to the town of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. This time, she knew where to turn. Once again, her connection to Hadassah was forged quickly.
“To me, the Hadassah chapter in Chattanooga was huge. It had 250 people. Again, I immediately met people, immediately had friends, and of course it didn’t take long for them to make me president of their chapter,” Waxler said.
From there, she advanced to region president before beginning her term on the national board. “I went to these leadership conferences, which were amazing. Not only were they leadership training-focused, but they were also Hadassah mission-focused,” she said. “The more and more I went up the ladder in my leadership, the more passionate I got.”
Inspired by the powerful women around her at each level, her philanthropic investment in Hadassah also grew. “Becoming a Keeper was a big deal for me when I was a chapter president. I felt that it was so important. Hadassah is a membership organization and a fundraising organization, but what we do, we need to raise funds for. I always felt it was important to engage members to understand that it’s not just a social organization, but that it’s an organization that we need to support financially, and that’s why I was passionate about being in philanthropy and especially in annual giving.”
After a first stint on the National Board, she served on the Keepers of the Gate and Annual Giving teams for 11 years, including as chair. During Covid, she helped to develop a virtual annual giving training for region boards that is still in place today.
As vice president, Waxler said she hopes to focus on creating programs that engage members and can be implemented by chapters across the country. “This is one of my goals, to go back and focus on programs that encompass our advocacy, our healthcare, our civil rights and women’s rights,” she said.
She will also continue to engage her own family in Hadassah, including her daughter and two young granddaughters who are all life members.
The Fun Facts
Gefilte fish, yes or no?
Yes!
Favorite Jewish holiday treat?
On Passover when you mix the charoset and horseradish on matzah, the Hillel sandwich.
Favorite Jewish author?
Alice Hoffman, Jodi Picoult
If you could have dinner with any historical Jewish woman, who would it be?
Golda Meir and, of course, Henrietta Szold. “If I could have dinner with both of them, that would be my dream dinner.”
Hadassah vice presidents play a critical role in setting organizational priorities, raising funds and serving as representatives for Hadassah at the national level. There are six vice presidents on the Hadassah National Board at any one time, and each brings her own unique experience and skill set to the position. In this series, we invite you to get to know these Hadassah vice presidents.
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