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October 2, 2009
Commitment honored
Hadassah looks to its past to face the future.
MICHELLE DODEK
Since 1917, women in Canada have been organizing themselves to build community and to raise funds to provide services for Jewish women and children, the world over. In 1949, the need for infrastructure to support the brand new state of Israel intensified and Hadassah-WIZO was at the forefront, helping, for example, to build new facilities for women and children's health care.
At this year's annual luncheon, Vancouver Hadassah will be honoring women in the community who have been members long enough to not only remember rallying to the cause of building the new state of Israel, but even what it was like prior the founding of the state itself.
Few people can say that they have been actively involved in an organization for more than half a century. Women who have been members of Hadassah-WIZO for 50 years or more will be recognized and honored for their lifelong support and vision.
Faye Riback is one such member. She is sure that there will be more women being honored alongside her than anyone would think.
"[Any Hadassah member] who has celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary is a 50-year member of Hadassah. When we got married, joining Hadassah was the thing to do. We were all very zionistically inclined and we formed chapters to make friends with other young brides and to work toward a common cause," shared Riback. She remembers how exciting it was when Israel was founded. "We raised money for projects in Israel to help women and children there. Now in Israel, you see Hadassah-WIZO's name in every corner of the country."
Judy Mandelman has been a member for 40 years. She references her involvement to the year she was married and helped found the Aviva chapter with nine other new brides. The women were united with a common goal, Mandelman said. "We believed in Israel. We did good things together and met new friends as well. Another bonus of our chapter in the early days was that every woman who took the presidency got pregnant!"
In its heyday, according to Riback, there were 22 Hadassah chapters active in Vancouver. Over the years, the organization has changed. There are more volunteer opportunities than ever but many women are supplying a second income to their families, which was not the mainstream in the past. One casualty of the times was the much beloved Hadassah Bazaar.
As Hadassah honors the role of women who have been participating for more than 50 years, these same women are searching for ways to ensure that the causes they support and the organization that they love will continue to thrive in a very different environment from when they began.
"Although women have less time now, we still have many factors that bring us together as Jewish women. We just need to be more flexible with how we do things in the future," said Mandelman. Reinforcing this sentiment, Riback said, "Women still need to have a cause to work toward, otherwise you'll ask yourself why you are here."
One rallying cry for women is the subjugation of women's rights. Featured at the Hadassah luncheon in October will be Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Bramham, who has been covering the Mormon community in Bountiful, B.C. She has turned her research into a book and will be speaking about the effects of polygamy on the women of Bountiful and its community.
Hadassah raises funds worldwide to contribute to the health, safety and development of women in Israel. Projects include the world-renowned Hadassah Hospital, day cares and educational facilities for children and women. At the upcoming luncheon, Hadassah's members will look to the past in order to affirm the commitment and contributions of women who will be helping to steer the organization into the future.
The Hadassah-WIZO annual luncheon happens on Oct. 18, at 11 a.m., at the Arbutus Club, in Vancouver. For more information or to declare yourself a 50-year member, contact the Hadassah office at 604-257-5160.
Michelle Dodek is the mother of two young children and a freelance writer.
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