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Szold, Henrietta (1860 - 1945)
Educator, author, social worker and founder of Hadassah. Born in Baltimore,
U.S.. In 1877, she graduated from Western Women's High School. For nearly
15 years, she taught FrenchG german and mathematics at a girls' high school,
as well as classes at Ohev Shalom religious school, and gave Bible and history
courses for adults.
In the 1880's, Herietta Szold became involved in the Americanization
problems of Russian Jewish immigrants. In 1888 she opened a night school
for them.
In 1893, she became literary secretary of the Jewish Publication Society
of America, a position she held until 1916. In 1897, she joined the Zionist
Association of Baltimore.
In 1903, Henrietta Szold moved to New York, where she enrolled at the
Jewish Theological Seminary of America. In 1909, she visited Palestine.
In 1910, she became secretary of the Federation of American Zionists.
In 1907, Henrietta Szold had been invited to join the Hadassah Study
circle. In 1912, this group became the nucleus for what, in 1914, became
Hadassah - the Women's Zionist Organization America - the largest Zionist
organization in the world. Henrietta Szold was elected first president
of Hadassah.
In 1917, she was charged with organizing the American Zionist Medical
Unit, which, in June 1918, sailed for Palestine. She soon became director
of the American Zionist Medical Unit, ran the newly established Nurses'
Training School, now known as the Henrietta Szold Hadassah School of Nurses,
and directed health work in Jewish schools. In 1926, Henrietta Szold became
honorary president of Hadassah. A year later she was elected a member
of the three-man executive of the World Zionist Organization, with the
porfolio for health and education. In 1939, she was offered a seat on
the Va'ad Le'umi (National Council) of Palestine.
In 1934, Henrietta Szold became director of the new Youth Aliyah agency,
which rescued thousands of Jewish children and youngsters from Nazi Germany
and other European countries. It was her most memorable project.
Henrietta Szold initiated and founded many of Hadassah institutions
in Palestine. She died of pneumonia at the Hadassahh Medical Center, in
Jerusalem - the hospital which she had done so much to build.
Mossad Szold - an institute for research, publications and coordination
of national youth activities and Kfar Szold, a kibbutz in northern Israel,
are named after her.
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