Marcie Natan of New York, N.Y., and Lancaster, Penn., was officially installed Wednesday as National President of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America. Natan, most recently National Chair of Hadassah College Jerusalem, was introduced during a ceremony at Hadassah's final national business meeting before entering its centennial year.
More than 400 national board members, delegates, associates (a group of men supporting Hadassah) and guests gathered this week at the Palazzo in Las Vegas as Hadassah celebrated achievements in membership recruitment and fundraising toward a state-of-the-art medical tower under construction at its hospital in Jerusalem.
Immediate past president Nancy Falchuk today passed on the organization's highest level volunteer leadership role to Natan, who was nominated by the National Board as incoming president at a board meeting held earlier this year. The ceremony also was watched via live webcast by over 1,000 people around the world.
"Serving as Hadassah's National President has certainly had its challenges, but it has also been the experience of a lifetime," said Falchuk, who remains on the Executive Board as Chair of Hadassah Magazine and Chair of Hadassah Offices in Israel, as well as continuing to serve on the Hadassah Medical Organization's Board of Directors. "I have loved every minute. It gives me great pleasure to pass the torch to Marcie Natan. I've known Marcie for many years and worked with her closely. I can't imagine a wiser, more creative, more dedicated president to lead Hadassah into its second century. I know she will take us to new heights, and I stand ready to help her in any way I can."
Since establishing a centennial membership drive in January, Falchuk helped lead Hadassah toward adding more than 29,000 new life members and associates to its membership base of almost 300,000 just this year. As of May 31, $257 million have been raised toward the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital Tower in Jerusalem.
Hadassah anticipates that it will begin treating patients in the tower in March of next year. The tower, estimated at a budget of $363 million, remains Hadassah's top fundraising priority.
The organization has outpaced itself this year, already raising, by May 31, $18 million toward the 2011 campaign goal of $20 million. Funds raised this year include five gifts of $1 million or more each.
In her acceptance speech, Natan called loudly for the release of Gilad Shalit. “From this Hadassah National Board meeting, we call for the release of Gilad Shalit, our kidnapped Israeli soldier, five years in captivity. We demand immediate visiting rights for the Red Cross and Gilad’s parents, Noam and Aviva – NOW! Not later! NOW!” she said, to thunderous applause.
The atmosphere at the business meeting was very positive particularly because of the additional 29,000 new life members, and cautiously optimistic fundraising predictions. The tremendous enthusiasm for the Convention in Israel in 2012, when thousands are expected to attend, was notable. Some 800 have already signed up more than a year in advance.
"Our grandmothers built Mount Scopus despite the Great Depression,” said Natan. “We are building the Sarah Wetsman Davidson tower despite the hole in the American economy."
Natan also spoke of overcoming two battles with breast cancer, and the death of her child Nina. "Hadassah helped me get through it," she said.
In addition to serving on Hadassah's National Board and Executive Committee, Natan is a former member of the Hadassah Foundation Board, which seeks to augment the work of Hadassah by improving the status, health and well-being of women and girls in the United States and Israel.
Natan first visited Israel in 1970, and has visited more than 45 times since. Among her involvement in Jewish and community service activities, she is a past President of Temple Beth El in Lancaster, Penn., and has served on the boards of the Lancaster Jewish Community Center, the Lancaster Jewish Federation and the Sisterhood of Temple Beth El. She has taught both Hebrew and Sunday school.
Natan has an undergraduate degree in early childhood education from the University of Maryland. She was trained and formerly served as a divorce mediator for the Lancaster Mediation Center. She is a member of a four-generation Hadassah Life-Member and Founder family, which includes her late mother, Anne Deborah Slonim, her daughter Heidi Natan, and her granddaughter, Nina. Her husband, Eli Natan, and son, David Natan, are members of Hadassah Associates. Marcie and Eli Natan are part of the Guardians of the Dream financial supporters group.