New Orleans Hadassah contingent arrives in centennial style
When the centennial of Hadassah was celebrated this week in ceremonies across Jerusalem and elsewhere in Israel, New Orleans was very well represented. Roselle Middleberg Ungar, a member of the National Hadassah board, was there, coordinating all the bus schedules for the hundreds of attendees. She was accompanied by her sister-in-law Patty, a member of the Southern region board, and her daughter Evette. Then there was the Kansas delegation. No, not the delegation from the state of Kansas, but the two representatives of the Kansas family, Racheal Kansas and her mother Lee, the Southern Region president.
Greater New Orleans Hadassah chapter members from left Southern region president Lee Kansas, daughter Rachael, Evette Kansas, Patty Ungar and national board member Roselle Ungar. (Photo Arlene Wieder)
Perhaps not surprisingly, this was not the first trip to the state of Israel for any of the ladies. In fact, for Roselle Ungar she believes this could be her 13th trip, but she’s not certain. She’s been on so many previous missions for Federation and Hadassah that she has lost count.
What makes this trip even more special is that this it is not only the celebration of the first 100 years of the Zionist organization founded by American Henrietta Szold in New York, Roselle Ungar stated. It also marked the dedication of the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower, a 19-floor state-0f the-art medical facility with 20 operating rooms and a multitude of life saving equipment that may hold as many as 500 beds when it is fully operational. The tower, with five floors located underground in case of war, is named for the late mother of the late owner of the Detroit Pistons, Bill Davidson, who contributed $75 million towards its completion. The campaign to raise a total of $360 million has been ongoing and is the largest significant gift the organization has ever made to the state of Israel.
Evette, Roselle and Patty Ungar shopping in the old city of Jerusalem before the convention. (Photo by Arlene Wieder)
“I was proud to be a part of a special pre-convention trip with all of the region and big chapter presidents,” reports Lee Kansas via email.”The highlight was the dedication of the heritage center at the new tower and an up-close tour of the facility along with Hadassah’s national president Marcie Natan and the national executive board.” She says the celebration began soon afterwards. “I looked forward to seeing the fruition of so much work by the incredible 360,000+ Hadassah members who are building on the legacy of Henrietta Szold and following her commitment to practical Zionism.”
On a personal note Kansas says she had only been to Israel once before when her daughter was a young girl. “I have been looking forward to this trip so I can personally deepen my connections to the land and people of Israel.”
The same cannot be said for her daughter Rachael. “I have been fortunate to have traveled to Israel many times, but this will actually be my first trip with a member of my family and my first Hadassah convention,” she beams. “It is quite special to share this experience with my mom and witness the energy and passion of thousands of Hadassah convention participants. I am always impressed by the amazing work Hadassah has done for Israel and I look forward to seeing even more.”
That sense of accomplishment is echoed by Patty Ungar. “I’ve looked back at the number of years that I’ve been involved in Hadassah – it’s not even a third of the centennial – and I just am amazed what Hadassah has accomplished since I’ve been involved (including) the buildings we’ve built and the impact we’ve had on the Israeli people,” she says. “We’re the largest national contributor to the (Israel) National Fund.”
Hadassah has built dams for water conservation and planted whole forests, she adds.
Having Hadassah fun are from left Patty Ungar, Southern region president Lee Kansas, national board member Roselle Ungar, Evette Ungar and Rachael Kansas. (Photo by Arlene Wieder)
Daughter Evette agrees, and notes this is her fifth trip to Israel. She began as a teenager, followed with another trip in her senior year of high school and journeyed back to Israel as the youngest member of the Hadassah Leadership Academy a few years ago.
Among the things the youngest representative of the Ungar family was looking to do is to attend the women’s Rosh Chodesh service at the Western Wall, which will be a change for her. “Every time I’ve been to the Kotel, men have been celebrating. I can’t wait to see the women have their time.”
Aside from the large commitment Hadassah has made in strides towards improving medical care in Israel, Evette Ungar also notes entire towns they have helped build and the fact they were nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize some years ago.
“We secretly trained Palestinian doctors years ago,” she continues. “We don’t shy away from doing what’s right in the conflict and caring for all people.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was presented a Henrietta Szold Award by the organization’s president Marcie Natan, another highlight for participants.
“I’m excited to be part of the celebration,” she says. “But the real thing is in my heart and that is I’m going with my mom. I can’t imagine anyone else I would want to be with beside her to celebrate Hadassah’s centennial.”
(Editor’s note: Arlene Smason Wieder, a native of New Orleans and the Advertising and Marketing director for the CCJN, was a representative of the Greater Cleveland chapter of Hadassah and provided photos for this, her very first trip to Israel.)
