Style and Celebrity Highlight Hadassah Convention
Above: Joshua Nelson, known as the “Prince of Kosher Gospel,” is the star of the second-night concert, which targets the under-45 crowd.
Jewish women from around the world will attend Hadassah’s 98th National Convention in Atlanta from Monday to Thursday, July 25 to 28. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is slated to speak at the opening plenary, The Power of Our Dreams, along with Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens.
While attendees network and mingle for four days at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta, they will learn how to advocate for women and become educated on groundbreaking medical research conducted by the Hadassah Medical Organization.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow brings some national celebrity to the opening-night gala plenary of the convention.
Highly anticipated for the under-40 crowd are the Party at the Pulse reception and #HadassahRocks concert with “Prince of Kosher Gospel” Joshua Nelson the night of July 26. Atlantans who aren’t attending any other part of the convention can attend the concert for $36 or the concert and reception for $50.
Organizers Renée Rosenheck and Esther Panitch invite women under 45 to join the festive evening, regardless of whether they are active Hadassah members. “This is an opportunity to socialize and have fun,” Rosenheck said. “The younger Hadassah members can celebrate with our demographic and our vibe.”
Also on July 26, the executive director of the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta, Rachel Wasserman, will address how young women are engaging in leadership during a panel discussion of women in their 30s who lead Hadassah Foundation-supported programs.
“I spent time in Avodah (Jewish service corps) doing deep dives into Jewish studies and our responsibility to the world. Social change is very important to me,” Wasserman said. “In Atlanta, I have found excitement from older generations for young leadership in both a professional and volunteer capacity. There is a great excitement and priority on raising up future leaders.”
Piggybacking on that session, political strategist Rabbi Hank Sheinkopf will appear on a panel July 27. He and other prominent Jewish leaders will discuss trends in the Jewish communal world.
Located on the hotel’s atrium level, the convention registration desk will be open during the following times: July 25 from 1 to 8 p.m., July 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and July 27 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m.
You can register for the convention until Sunday, July 24. Visit www.hadassah.org/convention. Volunteers can sign up at www.hadassah.org/regions/southeastern/chapters/greater-atlanta.
Hadassah Greater Atlanta’s Convention Contributions
- Providing 100 volunteers from the Southeast — South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Volunteers range from active members to those inspired by the centennial.
- Hosting the Power of Our Dreams plenary with actress Gwyneth Paltrow, followed by a reception to celebrate the Hadassah Greater Atlanta centennial, which falls on Nov. 1. Banners will display the chapter’s history and photographs through the decades.
- Hosting a young women’s reception and #HadassahRocks concert. Like every major organization, Hadassah in Atlanta is faced with the challenge of engaging young members. These social events are geared for the 45-and-under crowd.
- Providing local speakers, including women’s cardiac health pioneer Nannette Wanger, Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta Executive Director Rachel Wasserman, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Deputy Director Anne Schuchat, and NASA bioethicist and Emory University scholar Paul Root Wolpe.
- Presenting a session on Breast Strokes — a Hadassah Greater Atlanta event that incorporates breast cancer education, artists and survivors — led by volunteers, honorees and local plastic surgeon Diane Alexander.
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