Hadassah this month

Nancy Wiadro, Presidents Council for Collier/Lee Chapter

April is a busy month on our calendars. Some of us will be packing to head back north while others will be preparing for Passover. The first Seder is Saturday evening, April 12. This is a rare opportunity for many to be together over a weekend as we share the Israelites’ journey from slavery to peoplehood at the Seder table. Some say Passover is the most celebrated of our biblical holidays.

Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah invites you to an important program on antisemitism. The program will be presented by Rabbi Ariel Boxman on Wednesday, April 23, 11 a.m. at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center at Jewish Federation of Greater Naples on Pine Ridge Road. To register for this program, kindly email collierleehadassah@gmail.com and put “Antisemitism” in the subject line.

Jews continue to remember their more recent history as we celebrate Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 24, and April 30 is Yom Ha Zikaron, Israel Memorial Day. Remembering those whom we have lost, as a people, is ever more meaningful since Oct. 7, 2023. In Israel, sirens blare, traffic comes to a standstill, and everyone observes a heartfelt moment of silent memories.

At Hadassah’s Gandel Rehabilitation Center on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, survivors with PTSD as well as grim physical injuries, receive the latest treatments. Recent studies suggest the potential of B-caryophyllene (BCP) a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound found in essential oils, combined with the statins we take to lower cholesterol, promote bone formation and reduce bone resorption through multiple biochemical pathways. Both BCP and statins have shown promising results in preclinical studies, enhancing bone density and promoting fracture healing.

At Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, we celebrated a first-in-the-world transplant of ovarian tissue from a healthy woman to her non-twin sister with a genetic syndrome. A healthy baby was born to a single mom!

Hadassah is the first in Israel with VECTRA, for skin cancer detection, which creates an extremely accurate 360-degree picture almost immediately. The photography is noninvasive and contains no radiation. During regular patient appointments, dermatologists at Hadassah hospitals can now examine every potential skin anomaly in three-dimensional detail. This is a dramatic contrast to what can usually be done during patient check-ups, when dermatologists focus on specific kinds of blemishes, freckles, beauty marks and moles.

Collier/Lee Hadassah is non-partisan and pluralistic. We welcomed 60 new members in 2024 and are well on our way this year. If you have relocated to Southwest Florida and were a member elsewhere, please send an email to collierleehadassah@gmail.com so that we can help you transfer to our vibrant, active chapter. We have Raquela study groups in both Fort Myers and Naples.

Monday, May 5 is our regular Board meeting at Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Following that 10:30 a.m. meeting, we will enjoy a cookie swap to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of our chapter. All are welcome.

Hag Pesach Sameach – Happy Passover to all!