Henrietta Szold’s Zionism and Ours
Part of our fall learning series, Zionism: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond—Expanding the Conversation
With Dr. Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Chancellor and Irving Lehrman Research Professor of American Jewish History, JTS, in conversation with Carol Ann Schwartz, Hadassah National President
Henrietta Szold, JTS’s first female student, was the most learned Jewish woman in America in the first half of the last century. Attracted to the Zionist dream as a teen in Baltimore, she channeled her intellect and love for the Jewish people into Hadassah. Defying gender norms and expectations, she transformed the way Jewish women thought about their capabilities and the way many Jews approach their relationship to Zionism.
What can this 20th-century Zionist leader teach us about Zionism today? Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz and Carol Ann Schwartz, Hadassah National President, explore Szold’s experiences and reflect on its implications for us all.
These links were shared in the chat during the session:
- Hadassah’s Hospitals
- Youth at Risk: Youth Aliyah
- Advocate for Israel & Zionism | Hadassah
- 2024 Edition: 18 American Zionist Women You Should Know
This session is co-sponsored by Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America and generously sponsored by:
Lori Gilman, in memory of her grandmother, Anna Goodman. Henrietta Szold was her heroine.
Karen Price Rafalowicz, in loving memory of her mother, Ruth Epstein Price
Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Irving Lehrman Research Professor of American Jewish History, a groundbreaking scholar of American Jewish history, and a visionary institutional leader, is the eighth chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary. She is the first woman to serve in this role since JTS was founded in 1886. Chancellor Schwartz was one of the first women on the JTS faculty and played an instrumental role in introducing Jewish gender studies into the curriculum. As a scholar, she brings to light previously overlooked contributions of women to Jewish life and culture over the centuries and continually expands our understanding of American Judaism.
Carol Ann Schwartz is Hadassah’s 28th national president. She has more than 30 years of service to Hadassah at the local, regional, and national levels, including roles as member of the Board of Directors of the Hadassah Medical Organization, Speakers Bureau chair, national secretary, a national vice president and Cincinnati Chapter president, among others. Carol Ann was a recipient of the Presidents’ Award in 1994. Carol Ann, of Cincinnati, has been active in her local community, serving as president of Yavneh Day School (Rockwern Academy) and on the boards of Adath Israel Synagogue and Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. She earned a BBA in marketing and management from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA in finance from Xavier University. Following seven plus years in banking, Carol Ann now works with her family in commercial real estate.
About the Series
What does it mean to be a Zionist in 21st-century North America? Expanding on conversations from our two-day convening “Zionism: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond,” this webinar series will explore this and other questions, presenting significant insights and debate and enhancing the context that is informing contemporary issues. JTS faculty will highlight the political, religious, and philosophical perspectives that shape the current landscape for Jews in North America in relationship with Israel.
