September 2020

L’Shana Tovah!  I am warmly wishing you and your family a Good New Year, a Year of Health, Happiness, and Peace.  For the past six months, when I have sent cards, I dated them “Year of Covid”.  I feel like the overarching fear of catching and spreading the novel coronavirus ushered in a New Time Period in a New World, radically upending our way of life as we have to mask-up and keep our social distance from one another. 

We adapted.  Sometimes feeling lonely.  Sometimes feeling sad.  Often slowing down to appreciate more of what we do have—and have in common— that we value so much, getting a head start on the self-examination period of the High Holidays.  We have found ways, like Zoom and FaceTime, to stay connected.  Leading Seattle Hadassah, the Board has exhibited the finest of supportive teamwork—see their names at end of every Newsletter. Special thanks to Ricki Gafter, IT Chair, for keeping our members connected and engaged, while giving opportunities to support the outstanding teamwork of our own Hadassah Hospital on the frontlines of Covid. 

One example of this teamwork is represented by Ein Kerem Hospital senior physician (ICU), Dr Akiva Nachshon, and SodaStream head of Research and Development, Avi Cohen, who created a special engineering team to lead the project to deal with the pandemic.  “We realized that there was an acute shortage of non-invasive respiratory aids to treat Covid-19 patients, and after recognizing there was a desire from the industry to help in dealing with this crisis, we tried to think outside the box,” said Dr Nachshon.  “The advantage of our development is the ability to replicate it in bulk for patients suffering from respiratory distress in Israel and around the world,” added Cohen.  The medical equipment creates an “oxygen-air mixture through the nose at high flow rates, high humidity and body temperature”.  How ingenious is that!

Looking forward to seeing you “in the Zoom” at upcoming programs,

Ettie Davis, President

Sunday, September 6, 10:00am A Conversation on Hadassah’s Holistic Approach to Hospice Care
	The Beersheva group proudly presents a  conversation on Hadassah’s holistic approach to hospice care with Professor Jeremy Jacobs MD and Anna Kochin MSW.  Register Here
Wednesday, September 9, 7:00pm Just in time for Rosh Hashanah
	Zoom in to watch Leah Gladstein cook Sephardi Rosh Hashanah delicacies.  Leah grew up in Seattle and attended Stern College for Women in New York.  She met and married Robert Gladstein and then returned to Seattle. Leah and Robert have three children, Josh, Marilyn and Jojo. They are active members of Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation. Leah’s Mom’s family is from the Island of Rhodes and her Dad’s family is from Turkey. She loves spending time in her kitchen, preparing Sephardi food. Recipes will be sent prior to the event. Register Here
Tuesday, September 15, 10:00am Redmond Ridge Book Club
	Join the Redmond Ridge Book club in a discussion on the book Just Mercy: A story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. This discussion will be lead by Susie Pass with special guest Professor Ron Hallman. RSVP Here