The Migdal Chapter of Hadassah at North Shore Towers presents…
Migdal/Hadassah Tenth Anniversary Celebration
of Chapter’s Reactivation
RENEWED MIGDAL CHAPTER OF HADASSAH TURNS TEN
BY LILLY COHEN
Photos by Stephen Vrattos The Migdal Chapter of Hadassah
has been an active presence
at North Shore Towers
since the mid-nineteen seventies.
Unfortunately, by 2005 the chapter
was unable to function effectively.
In 2007, the Nassau Region of Hadassah,
which oversees Hadassah
chapters on Long Island, charged
Joan Newman, a Region Board
member, with the task of reviving
the Migdal Chapter.
Shortly thereafter at a Nassau
Region luncheon, Newman asked
North Shore residents Zona
Schreiber and me to help her reactivate
Migdal. When the initiative
was mentioned to Eva Kessner,
Kessner reacted positively and
immediately brought in an enthusiastic
Roz Chumsky. Towers resident
Carolyn Dinofsky, a well-known
teacher of Hebrew, Yiddish, Jewish
history and literature was recruited
to be our president. We all sat down
together and quickly became the
nucleus of an enthusiastic group of
Hadassah members committed to
the revival of Migdal. Since North
Shore Towers always had a large
number of Hadassah members,
people who had been active in their
previous communities, it was not
difficult to get organized.
For many of the women living
at the Towers, participating in
the work of Hadassah is a family
tradition, dating back to the
organization’s founding in 1912.
Long before the advent of women’s
lib, Hadassah members have
been dreamers and doers. By
pooling their energies and funds
they built the Hadassah Medical
Organization, two Hadassah hospitals
and Hadassah College. They
initiated significant ongoing medical
research programs, youth programs
and so much more! Israelis,
patients from all over the Middle
East and we Americans have all
benefitted from these endeavors.
And, the Migdal membership,
continue to be proud of contributing
our time, energy and financial
support to such a dynamic and
productive organization.
It has been a busy ten years for
Migdal. Under the leadership of
Caroline Dinofsky, an inspired
and fun-loving teacher, we established
a variety of programs which
we continue to offer to meet our
members’ educational and social
needs and provide a sense of Jewish
community. Carolyn established
the popular Yiddish Club. Bern
Rosenthal and the late Barbara
Rosenfeld introduced our active
Jewish Book Club. Eva Kessner
leads a Current Events Discussion
Group, focused on Israel and the
Jewish Community. We have celebrated
Purim and Chanukah, for
which Carolyn wrote “spiels.” We
invite speakers on Jewish culture,
history, health and mental health.
We find special interest films, invite
musicians and comedians. We hold
fund raisers, like card parties, luncheons
and fashion shows. We
added “Associate” memberships
to our roster, thus recognizing the
men who are always so willing to
help us achieve our goals.
By the time Carolyn Dinofsky
moved to the Middle West several
years ago, Migdal had established
a solid base and our leadership
team was able to continue on.
Fortunately, the influx of new
members and new leaders have generated
innovative ideas that have
helped us to diversify and expand
our programs. Current membership
stands at 350 strong. Without the
help and support of our devoted
members and North Shore Towers
management Migdal could not have
renewed itself and become the vital
chapter it is today.
TPhoto by Stephen Vrattos he Migdal Chapter of Hadassah
at North Shore Towers
will hold a festive luncheon
at the Swan Club in Roslyn Harbor
on Thursday, October 26, at noon.
The event celebrates the tenth anniversary
of the renewal of Migdal
as an active chapter at the Towers
(Hadassah has been a presence in
the Towers community since the
mid-1970s.).
Program chairperson Gloria
Beck will be honored at the luncheon
as Migdal’s “Woman of the
Year,” for expanding Migdal’s programs
through her dynamism and
expertise.
A memorable celebration is
planned, with music by Johnny La
Rosa, a Migdal nostalgia trip down
memory lane and good food. The
colorful fall foliage visible from
the Swan Club in Roslyn Harbor’s
windows will add beauty to the
occasion. There will also be a raffle
drawing. The Swan Club in Roslyn
Harbor is located at 90 Glenwood
road, Roslyn Harbor, NY 11576.
Couvert is $65 per person. The
proceeds from this event will benefit
Hadassah’s ground-breaking medical
research. Registration deadline
is Friday, October 20. Checks
should be made out to “Hadassah”
and left at the concierge desk in
each building, addressed to the
contact person.
Contacts are: Zona Schreiber,
Building #1, Apartment 12A; Dee
Dee Goidel, Building #2, Apartment
29N; Roz Chumsky, Building #3,
Apartment 29E.
For further information call:
Marcia Jacobson at 718-631-1067
or Roz Chumsky at 718-279-1270.
MIGDAL/HADASSAH TENTH
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF
CHAPTER’S REACTIVATION
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26
AT NOON.
SWAN CLUB IN ROSLYN HARBOR
90 GLENWOOD ROAD, ROSLYN
HARBOR, NY 11576
COUVERT IS $65 PER PERSON
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20.
Gloria Beck, recipient of the
Migdal/Hadassah Woman of the
Year award
(Left) The Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem; (right) In 2016, the
Hadassah North Shore Towers chapter held its first author luncheon
with 7th-generation Sabra, writer Talia Carner
6 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ October 2017