Hadassah New Zealand is part of an international organization of volunteers who work to support the work of Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel. Hadassah Hospital is internationally acclaimed as one of the outstanding hospitals in the world. It is at the leading edge of excellence in healing, caring, teaching and research and is at the forefront of research in many fields.

It is our privilege to support the Hadassah Medical Organization, globally renowned for its humanitarian policy of treating all patients, both within the Middle East and around the world, with high-quality compassionate care, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Transcending politics, religion, and geographical boundaries to enhance world health and wellbeing, the Hadassah Medical Centre was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

 

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The Hadassah Memorial Garden for Children

We are planning the next planting of bulbs in memory of the 1.5 million children who lost their lives in the Holocaust

 

We invite you now to purchase bulbs to celebrate a family occasion or simcha, or to honour the memory of a loved one or simply to say “Thank you” to a friend.

5 bulbs                              $20

20 bulbs                            $60

40 bulbs                            $100

100 bulbs                         $250

 

All proceeds will go towards the HINZ Paediatric Examination Room at the  Gandel Rehabilitation Centre at Hadassah Hospital Mt Scopus

 

HINZ bank a/c number: 01-0258-0149902-00
Reference: “Your Name” & bulbs

Please send an email to treasurer_newzealand@hadassah.org for acknowledgement.

 

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HADASSAH INTERNATIONAL AGM 2025 held on 9/11/2025 at  the AJCC,   514 Remuera Road , Auckland.

 

Hadassah NZ Auckland branch held a very successful AGM on Sunday 9 November 2025.  About 27 members and friends attended. The meeting opened with a video of the Gandel Rehabilitation Centre showcasing their physiotherapy equipment and treatments available including the hydrotherapy pool and a dog as a novel physio aid.

Jenny Leiman read her President’s Report noting the success of the Bulb Fundraisers for the Hadassah Memorial Garden( to commemorate the one and a half million children who were murdered in the Holocaust)  and reiterated our appreciation for the donations given after the June 25 Hadassah Appeal. This year US$33,000 has been remitted to HMO towards the NZ Paediatric Examination Room in the Gandel Centre. HINZ also acknowledges the support of the Lady Marion Davis Trust (through Perpetual Guardian) and hope to eventually have the LMD Physiotherapy Hall named in her memory.

The late Wally Hirsh was remembered for his support of Hadassah through his time as the inaugural treasurer, reporter in the NZ Jewish Chronicle and in the founding of the Valda Knight Scholarship.

• The standing officers were unopposed .
• President:                            Jennifer Leiman
• Secretary:                            Lisa Dorushkin
• Treasurer:                            Fiona Ross
• Committee Members:    Mary Lou Stiassny, Nina Blumenfeld and Elaine Silverman.
• The formal meeting closed and the guest speaker was introduced.

 

 

Avital Kaszovitz RN   “Healing in a Fractured World: My Hadassah Story”.

Avital is a nurse, wife, and mother to three beautiful children. She worked at Hadassah Hospital for 5 years in both the dialysis and Bone Marrow Transplant units as well as working with Hadassah outreach while living in Kenya. Avital spoke about her attachment to the HMO, how both her grandmother and her husband’s grandmother had been presidents’ of their Hadassah chapters in the US and about her work at Hadasah. The Rabbinical Kaszovitz family have recently moved to Auckland and are settling well into the Jewish and wider community and the audience were  appreciative to have this informal opportunity to chat with Avital. After her talk we watched a delightful Hadassah video made in the Bone Marrow Department starring patients and staff in the department.

 

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ABOUT HADASSAH NEW ZEALAND

 

CONTACT US

 

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THE VALDA KNIGHT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The Valda Knight Memorial Scholarship applications have been deferred for the moment due to uncertainty in Israel. The VKMS committee will meet when appropriate to call for applicants for the next scholarship round. If you are interested  please start to make enquiries at Hadassah in your field to be prepared when the applications open.

Update of October 2024

 

Introduction

The scholarship will provide recipients with a rich opportunity for professional development, personal growth and a chance to engage in their own comparative studies and projects.

Recipients of the travel grant will have an opportunity to visit Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem and spend a little time there while also pursuing other interests and opportunities in Israel.

 

The Scholarship

1. Pre-amble

1.1 The Valda Knight Memorial Scholarship has been established in Memory of Valda Knight who was President of Hadassah International in New Zealand from 1996 until her untimely death in 2007. In those 11 years, Valda lead a small and enthusiastic Hadassah committee in New Zealand.

Their work placed this country strongly in the world network of Hadassah.

Valda Knight earned the huge respect of Hadassah workers in the United States of America and many other countries. She also became very highly regarded by staff at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. She made a difference. A nursing station in the magnificent new building completed in 2011 at Hadassah in Jerusalem was named after her. This scholarship has also been established in her memory.

• The underlying purpose of the scholarship is to provide a New Zealand Health sector worker or student with a special opportunity for professional development and growth and personal enrichment. The scholarship provides for a visit to Israel where awardees will be expected to arrange a program and/or conference to suit their own interests. The successful applicant will be responsible for organizing a minimum 2-3 day visit to Hadassah and liaising with appropriate people there. Some assistance with this part of the program will be provided. The program will also provide an opportunity for the recipient to see something of the life, the history, the scenery and the institutions of Israel.

 

2. The Award.

2.1 The award is bi-annual as funds permit. It provides an opportunity for a New Zealander to spend a period of up to 3 weeks or longer in Israel. The length of the stay is negotiable and will vary according to the interests of the successful applicant. A student awardee will need to stay longer if doing an elective in Israel.

The award provides for a return economy class airfare from New Zealand to Israel and a maximum grant of $NZ1500 towards living expenses in Israel.

2.2 While key people at Hadassah Hospital will be made aware of the successful applicant’s visit, the applicant will be solely responsible for arranging their own time and program at Hadassah as well as all other conferences and visits in Israel.

2.3 The Scholarship will be administered by a special subcommittee of Hadassah International in New Zealand. This Committee will be known as the Hadassah Scholarship Grants Committee (HSGC)

 

3. Who is eligible to apply?

3.1 Any New Zealander who is currently either employed in the Health Sector or who is a student studying at Medical School or allied health sector institution. The Grants Committee takes a wide interpretation of this employment or study. It includes all those involved in dispensing health care and includes those who write or report about it.

 

4. Awardees obligations.

4.1 The award is primarily designed to enrich the health/medical experience of the successful applicant.

4.2 On returning to New Zealand applicants will be required to furnish a short report on their experiences to the Grants Committee.

• The awardee will be expected to write an article for medical publication, (print or online) in New Zealand and provide an article for publication by Hadassah NZ in appropriate channels.
• The awardee should also write an article for their own organization’s/university’s journal or paper.
• The awardee will be asked to speak about his/her experiences at a local meeting of Hadassah International in New Zealand and may also be invited to speak to other groups both within and outside the Jewish Community.
• The Grants Committee hopes that scholarship awardees will address a meeting of their own association or organization on their return to New Zealand.

 

5. The application process.

Applications should be completed on the official application form which can be downloaded from the New Zealand webpage on the Hadassah International Website www.hadassahinternational.org (Where we are)

Applications close on 31 March 2020. Interviewing of shortlisted applicants may be necessary. Any such interviews will be conducted by members of the Grants Committee

The successful applicant will be advised within six weeks of this and will be expected to take up the scholarship within 12 months of that advice.

A hard copy of your application should be emailed to:

 

The Chair

Scholarship Grants Committee

president_newzealand@hadassah.org

 

Notes for all applicants:

1. New Zealander: means any person with citizenship or residency in this country. Evidence of either must be provided. (photocopies not originals)
2. Employed in the health sector means anyone who is currently employed in a health-related job. Evidence of this employment must be appended to each application.
3. Student means anyone currently studying at a University Medical School or other health sector degree or diploma-granting tertiary institution.
4. Applicants must include one character reference and the name of a referee in support of their application.

 

Notes for the successful applicant:

1. The successful applicant will be expected to liaise with the Grants committee regarding their program in Israel including their time at Hadassah.
2. Some assistance may be available in making other visits while in Israel but the bulk of the program of study remains the responsibility of the applicant.