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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of
4Hadassah on the occasion of the organization's 100th
5anniversary on February 24, 2012; and
 
6    WHEREAS, In 1909, Henrietta Szold and her mother took a
7trip to pre-state Israel, where they witnessed the starvation
8and disease that afflicted the people of the region; upon
9returning to the United States, she soon founded Hadassah, a
10volunteer women's organization with the biblical mission of
11Aruhat Bat Ami: the Healing of the Daughter of my People; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Hadassah's first mission was to send two nurses to
13Palestine to provide pasteurized milk to infants and new
14mothers; the organization also worked to eradicate trachoma, an
15easily cured eye disease that was robbing thousands of their
16sight; by 1918, Hadassah had sent an entire medical unit,
17composed of 45 doctors, nurses, dentists, and sanitary workers,
18to bring American-style medical care to serve all, regardless
19of race, creed, or ethnicity; and
 
20    WHEREAS, By the mid-1930s, it had become clear that Jewish
21children needed to be saved from a Europe that was rapidly
22darkening with anti-Semitic and Nazi threats and actions;

 

 

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1joining with a German colleague, Henrietta Szold helped
2organize the rescue of thousands such children, bringing them
3to safety in Palestine; these children became one of the
4foundations of the modern state of Israel, and many of her
5"children" and their children survive to this day; and
 
6    WHEREAS, As early as 1942, the U.S. State Department named
7Hadassah as one of the five largest contributors to overseas
8relief; during World War II, Hadassah chapters around the
9country sold a total of $200 million in war bonds; for their
10efforts, Hadassah was rewarded with 100 U.S. Air Force bombers,
11each bearing the name of a Hadassah chapter; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Hadassah founded, owns, and supports 2
13world-class medical centers in greater Jerusalem, and are
14rapidly expanding their campuses and facilities; Hadassah is
15currently concluding a $210 million capital campaign for the
16Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower at Hadassah Medical Center in Ein
17Kerem, Jerusalem; over the years, Hadassah has expanded Israeli
18projects to include Hadassah College Jerusalem, one of Israel's
19top-ranked smaller colleges, 3 Hadassah Youth Aliyah villages,
20where they house, feed, educate, and nurture young immigrants
21and Israel's underprivileged youth, and Israel's largest
22touring and residency program for American Jewish youth through
23Young Judaea, the Hadassah Zionist youth movement; Hadassah
24also supports major reforestation and water conservation

 

 

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1programs to protect Israel's precious natural resources; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The Hadassah-supported Youth Aliyah/Children at
3Risk program sets Israel's disadvantaged children on the path
4to a successful future; since 1934, over 300,000 young people
5from 80 lands have graduated from Youth Aliyah; young
6immigrants and "at-risk" native Israelis, many of whom are
7victims of abuse, receive counseling, education, and support
8services in Youth Aliyah day centers and youth villages; the
9Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) is one of the world's
10leading institutions in healthcare, comprised of the
11Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center at Ein Kerem and the
12Hadassah University Hospital at Mount Scopus; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Since its inception, Hadassah has taken firm
14advocacy positions on First Amendment issues, public health,
15support of Israel, and a vast array of social concerns,
16including immigration and voting rights; in recent years,
17Hadassah has spoken out passionately in favor of federal and
18state funding for stem cell research and has advocated strongly
19for legislation that supports medical privacy and freedom from
20genetic discrimination by insurance companies and employers;
21and
 
22    WHEREAS, With 300,000 members, Hadassah is the largest
23Jewish volunteer organization in America and one of the largest

 

 

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1women's volunteer organizations in the world; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of Hadassah serve as models of hard
3work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of
4Illinois; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
6NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
7we congratulate the members of Hadassah on the occasion of the
8organization's 100th anniversary and wish them continued
9success and happiness in the future; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That the date of February 24, 2012 be designated
11as Hadassah Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to Hadassah as a symbol of our esteem and respect.