Hadassah Foundation
at 25
A Jewish Experience of Gender Justice
Dear Friends,
We are delighted to welcome you to HF@25: A Jewish Celebration of Gender Justice. Whether you participate in the pre-event symposia with three of the Hadassah Foundation’s grant recipients or join us at 5:30, you will come away with a deep understanding of the many ways our almost $12 million in grantmaking over the past quarter century has improved the lives of women and girls in Israel and the American Jewish community.
Amid backlashes and threats to hard-won gains, these are not easy times for those of us who care about gender equity. However, the network of feminist leaders we’ve helped build and nurture over the past 25 years is strong and is not going anywhere. With your support, we will continue to be there for them, providing them with the resources they need to protect women’s rights and build a future in which people of all genders can lead and thrive.
Please scroll through to learn more about our work, our honorees, and our incredibly generous sponsors. We hope you have a wonderful and inspiring evening.
Thank you for joining us!
Warmly,
Audrey Weiner, Chair
Stephanie Blumenkranz, Director
Program
A Jewish Experience of Gender Justice
HONORING
Emmy-award winning actress, producer, and human rights activist
Debra Messing
Recipient of the Honor of Esther: Woman of Courage, Inspiration, and Commitment Award
AND
Hadassah Foundation Founding Board Member
Dr. Joan M. Leiman
Recipient of Dvorah Award for Distinguished Board Alumnae
Schedule
3:30 pm
Pre-Event Symposia
5:30 pm | Great Hall
Cocktails & Chef Tastings
6:30 pm | Auditorium
Program & Awards Celebration
Former Board Member
Introduced by Dr. Janice Weinman Shorenstein,
Founding Board Member
Introduced by Stephanie Blumenkranz, Director
Board Member, Forum Dvorah
Introduced by Ellen Steinberg Board Chair-Elect
7:30 pm | Great Hall
Dessert Reception
Symposia
Session A Popper Gallery
Women Tell War; An Exhibit of Artwork, Testimony, and Remembrance Experience the groundbreaking exhibit created by Eden Association portraying women’s experiences in the Israel-Hamas war. Tour the collection and gain insight into the exhibit’s creation and overarching purpose.
Session B Kovno Room
Women’s Security in Israel in Times of Crisis Having women in leadership roles has shown to be imperative to creating a strong economy and equitable society, yet women are omitted from the decision-making tables impacting Israel’s future. Take part in a policy analysis of recent legislation that places women at a disadvantage and learn practical solutions that promote gender equality.
Session C Shavl Room
Empowering Jewish Youth to Navigate Hate and Lead with Love
See firsthand how Jewish young adults are being prepared for leadership and activism on college campuses and in their communities in times of historic antisemitism and extreme social and political polarization. Then learn the basics of creating Jewish spaces that celebrate diversity and nurture belonging.
Honorees
Hadassah Foundation Honor of Esther: Woman of Courage, Inspiration, and Commitment Award Queen Esther used her feminist voice and strong values to stand up for and save the Jewish people. This award goes to an individual who emulates Esther’s qualities, demonstrating the tremendous impact that one woman can have on countless others.
Debra Messing is an Emmy Award-winning Actress, Producer, and Human Rights Activist, best known for her Emmy & SAG Award-winning role as “Grace Adler” on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning comedy series “Will & Grace.” Messing has been honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Women In Film’s Lucy Award, The Gracie Allen Award, American Comedy Award, among 50 more nominations.
In the wake of the atrocities committed on October 7th, Debra has used her platform to be one of the strongest, clearest and most informed voices advocating for Israel, the end of hate and misinformation and the release of the hostages. She spoke at the March for Israel in D.C. and traveled to Israel in December 2023 to bear witness to the massacre and meet with hostage families and survivors. She has been traveling around the country speaking and is Executive Producing the documentary, “OCTOBER H8TE,” about the explosion of antisemitism since October 7th.
She also serves on the board of The Body Agency Collective and is a passionate advocate for ending HIV/AIDS and campaigning for equality.
Hadassah Foundation Devorah Award for Distinguished Board Alumnae celebrates the invaluable contributions of a Hadassah Foundation board alumna and recognizes an individual who has helped drive equity and excellence in all their endeavors.
Embodying the ideals of the Hadassah Foundation, the selected alumna will have accomplishments that led to substantial social change, improving opportunities and outcomes for those who weren’t previously afforded them, most especially for women and girls.
In the Torah, Devorah is appointed to the male-dominated position of judge. “From there, she inspires the Jewish people to re-embrace their heritage,” writes Leah Kohn. “Devorah sustains her intrinsic feminine power to educate, encourage and uplift.”
A Founding Board Member of the Hadassah Foundation, Dr. Joan M. Leiman played an instrumental role in helping shape the Hadassah Foundation’s initial strategies, and she continues to serve as an adviser and strong supporter.
Joan established the Hadassah Foundation’s Bernice S. Tannenbaum Fund for Education, which underwrites Hadassah Foundation educational programs that address timely issues impacting gender equality, recent advancements in philanthropy, and the needs of the Foundation’s grant recipients. This fund has enabled the Foundation to offer nine different education programs, reaching over 1,500 people throughout North America and Israel. Prior to supporting educational programs, between 2009 and 2018, the Tannenbaum Fund underwrote the Bernice S. Tannenbaum Award, which was presented annually to an emerging professional who demonstrated a high degree of talent and commitment to the advancement of women and girls.
Joan also established the Fred Hayes Prize, which is given annually to young individuals in New York City government who have made innovative contributions to public service. In addition, she sponsored the annual Shabbaton at Park Avenue Synagogue in memory of both her late husband Lenny, who for many years was outside counsel to Hadassah, and her parents.
Joan had an illustrious professional career that included holding the position of Chief-of-Staff to the President and CEO of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Healthcare System, a network of teaching hospitals affiliated with the Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Weill Cornell Medical College. Prior to assuming her role at NewYork-Presbyterian, Joan served for more than 16 years as the Executive Deputy Vice-President for the Health Sciences at Columbia University and as the Director of The Commonwealth Fund Commission on Women’s Health. She has taught at the Mailman School of Public Health, Hunter College, the New School Program in Public and Urban Policy and the School for International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia.
Early in her career Joan served in the mayoral administration of John Lindsay as assistant budget director, deputy commissioner, and special adviser to the mayor. She has been a consultant to government, nonprofits, and foundations including the New York Academy of Medicine, the Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. She served as a member of the jury panel for the 2014 Genesis Generation Challenge.
Joan has served on the board of directors of numerous organizations and forums including, but not limited to, Public Health Solutions, the Healthcare Executive Forum, the Hereditary Disease Foundation, the Acting Company and the ARCO Collaborative. Among her honors, she was elected to the YWCA Academy of Women Achievers in 1997 and in 1999 received the Athena Award from the Columbia Partnership in Women’s Health for her work in women’s health.
Joan has been published in the Columbia Law Review; Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law; Journal of Women’s Health; and Journal of Adolescent Medicine. In addition, she has co-authored numerous monographs on women’s health. A Phi Beta Kappa and Durant Scholar graduate of Wellesley College, Joan earned an MA from Columbia University in public law and government, and a Ph.D. from Columbia in political science.
Speakers
Ronit Shoval-Atwan has been the CEO of Eden Association since 2017. Previously she served as the director of the Anti-Drug Authority and the youth director of the social services department of the City of Be'er Sheva, where she founded and led several social projects. Ronit is an expert in trauma therapy and has developed the Eden model, a feminist dialectical trauma-focused treatment model. Ronit earned a BSW and MSW in social work and a B.A in behavioral sciences and education from Ben-Gurion University. She is also a licensed family and couple therapist and has operated a private practice for over 20 years.
Symposia Session A
Gal Shiloah joined the professional team of the Eden Association in 2018 when she served as the manager of programs and content for the organization. Since 2022, she has been Eden’s deputy CEO. She is responsible for managing the entire headquarters team and its broad areas such as logistics, operations, administration, resource development. Additionally, Gal manages and leads the content development team and is responsible for the field of professional knowledge.
Symposia Session A
Tal Hochman is executive director of the Israel Women’s Network. Before that she was its head of policy and government relations. She has previous experience as a Parliamentary Assistant in the Israeli Knesset and is a trained social worker who counseled youth who were formerly in prostitution. Tal earned a master’s degree in international social and public policy at London School of Economics, with a dissertation on Israel’s recent legislation decriminalizing women in prostitution, and earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Tel Aviv University.
Symposia Session B
Maya Schocken is the director of international relations at the Israel Women's Network. Between 2021-2024, she worked as a welfare correspondent, news program editor, and producer at IDF Radio. During her coverage of welfare and employment issues at the station, she focused on reporting on women's rights, care for people and children with disabilities, and assistance for the elderly
Symposia Session B.
Shuli Karkowsky is chief executive officer at Moving Traditions (she/her/hers). Shuli has extensive experience in nonprofit management, including at legacy institutions like UJA-Federation of New York and innovative startups like 70 Faces Media and Hazon. She joined the nonprofit world after litigating at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Shuli graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland and from Harvard Law School. She lives in Westchester County with her husband and three children.
Symposia Session C
Alina Shkolnikov is the co-chair for the Forum Dvorah U.S. committee and a part-time faculty member at The New School. With a career spanning both the private and public sectors, including positions at the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation, HP, and PresenTense. Alina excels in crafting financially sustainable strategies for scalable social and environmental change. Her professional journey dates back to her military service as the head of the Russian Desk at the IDF Spokesperson Office. Alina holds a BA in communications from Reichman University, an MA in security & military strategy from Tel Aviv University and is a graduate of Mahindra United World College in India.
Event Sponsors
Visionary Sponsors
Jacquie Bayley
Moshe Silagi
25th Anniversary Benefactors
Dr. Joan M. Leiman
Scott and Jen Morris
Audrey Weiner and Jeffrey Solomon
Foundation Builders
Sue Beller
Edith Ginsberg and Family
Susan Glicksberg
Carol M. Joseph
Jeff Morris
Diane Sigel
Anna and Jerry Solomon
Ellen S. Steinberg
Foundation Sustainers
Amy Berler
Nancy Berman
Olga Brawman-Mintzer
Katie Edelstein
Michele Beth Foster
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization
of America
Rabbi Marianne Novak
The Rayah Fund
Roni and Michael Schwartzz
Current Grant Recipients
Visit hadassahfoundation.org/grantmaking to learn more about our grantees.
Visionary Partner
Israel Women’s Network (IWN)
Jewish Women International (JWI)
Moving Traditions
WePower
Core
Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI)
Eden Association
Forum Dvorah
Fuente Latina
Gender Equity in Hiring Project
Israel Women’s Network
Itach Ma’aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice
jGirls+ Magazine
QueenB
Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center
Women’s Spirit
Yeshivat Maharat
Spark
ASLI: Israel White Ribbon Organization
Kamochah
The Friendship League of Culture and Sports
Jewish Women’s Collective Response
Adva Center
Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel
Itach Ma’aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice
Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center
WePower
Board
Officers
Audrey Weiner, Chair
Ellen Soffar Steinberg, Vice Chair
Roni Schwartz, Treasurer
Edith Ginsberg, Secretary
Members
Amy Berler
Mindy Bloom
Olga Brawman-Mintzer
Stacey Aviva Flint
Michele Foster
Stephanie Garry
Susan Glicksberg
Joanna Golden
Avra Gordis
Kathy Hershfield
Michelle Krasner
Deborah Meyer
Rabbi Marianne Novak
Lida Sharlin
Negar Treister
Founding Director
Linda Altshuler
Past Board Chairs
Barbara Dobkin, Founding Chair
Sue Beller
Rabbi Jacqueline Koch Ellenson
Donna Gerson
Carol M. Joseph
Julie Morris z”l
Rabbi Suzanne Offit
Roz Garber Toledano
Staff
Stephanie Blumenkranz, Director
Julie Wiener, Assistant Director
Kayla Campbell, Administrative Assistant
The Hadassah Foundation leads the movement to revolutionize the role, perception, and impact of all who identify as women and girls in Israel and the American Jewish community.
Thank You
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