Seattle HadassahIt was a stormy February night… filled with rare bursts of lighting and thunder. Nearly 50 Hadassah Women climbed the wet stone steps to knock on the front door of Fortun Azose’s welcoming home. I watched their faces as they entered and registered the scene. Eyes lit up with curiosity. Before them were women from the Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities, women who were young mothers and women who were grandmothers, women who hailed from the east and west coasts of America and women with family in Israel, Eastern Europe and South Africa.
All came to participate in the pilot launch of Seattle Hadassah’s “Power of Women Who Do” Salon Series. Lynne Smith, a new leader at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who hailed from Chicago, came to tell her story of what happens when the plans we carefully make in our lives play out in ways we least expect. After Lynne’s remarkable and very funny talk, she turned to everyone in the room and posed the question, “has anything like this happened to you?” In an instant, she created a safe place to reflect on how each of us had addressed that unexpected “surprise” situation we never anticipated needing to navigate. Lynne created a sense of sisterhood and laid the foundation for Seattle Hadassah to engage and build community. That evening will long remain among my fondest memories. The year was 2015.
Fast forward to 2018. Our salon series in now midway through its third successful year. The wind is at our back. Our membership is growing. Our success has been recognized by Hadassah National and will be featured in this year’s Annual Report. From internationally recognized diabetes researcher Dr. Carla Greenbaum, to award willing children’s author Brianna Caplan Sayres, it is the intimacy of these conversations that makes them magical. Our opening D’Vars ground us on why, especially in this centennial year, the work of Hadassah Medical Organization takes on added significance.
In September, we will be convening our 2019 Salon Series Planning Task Force. Would you be willing to host an evening or an afternoon in your home? Do you have a speaker in mind? Are you interested in interviewing and writing about one or more of our featured women for an upcoming newsletter? Do you enjoy follow-up phone calls to receive feedback on the program? These and other volunteer opportunities will be described more fully in the volunteer section of our next newsletter. If you are interested in learning more, click here.
We look forward to seeing you at one or more of our August, September and October salons, click here for more details.
With deep appreciation for all the ways in which you support Seattle Hadassah,
With five fabulous August events, Seattle Hadassah has something for everyone. Don’t miss your chance to register. Our July event at the Mexican Consulate SOLD OUT! Sign-up today and save your seat! We look forward to seeing you.
- August 15: Pamela Lavitt, Telling Her Stories
- August 19: Launch of Seattle Hadassah Young Women’s Group (EVOLVE)
- August 20: Hadassah Town Hall Meeting
- August 30: Redmond Ridge Hadassah Members Tea
We welcome new member, Rachel Hayden, and members who have transferred to the Seattle Chapter, Jane Bender, Roslyn Mentzer and Jill Cotton.
Congratulations to member Rochelle Kochin on the birth of her eleventh grandchild, Leora Fay!
We mourn the passing of:
Ruth Sonkin, mother-in-law of member Netta Sonkin.
Mary Azose, mother-in-law of member Fortun Azose and grandmother of member Miri Tilson.
Frances Rogers, mother of Jimmy Rogers and Linda Morgan (Mike) and the grandmother of Melissa Nelson (Marty), Todd Morgan (Wendy Lawrence), Zoey Rogers and Sabina Rogers.
Naomi Henryson, cousin of members Rita Katz, Renee Katz, Julie Katz and Cindy Katz.
Do you have news of family events to share with us? We are happy to include announcements about weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, birthdays and births in the Membership News section of our monthly newsletter. Please send notices to Seattle@haddash.org. Tributes to Hadassah can be made online here.
Volunteering with Seattle Hadassah is a great way to meet new people, connect with old friends, give back, support Hadassah hospital, and stay on top of what’s happening in our lively local community of Jewish women. No matter your area of expertise or the amount of time you’d like to contribute, we welcome your participation. Current volunteer openings are below. Also, do you have an idea for a speaker or an event that you would like see as part of our 2019 Salon Series? We want to hear from you. Contact us today!
- Fall Brunch Gala: Help with decorations, menu, publicity and more
- Salon Series Steering Committee: Idea Generators, Event Organizers
- Communications Team: Copywriters, Editors, Graphic Designer, Webmaster
- Treasurer