Ellen Hershkin

National Board Member

National Coordinator, PRAZE Division

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ellen Hershkin of Dix Hills, New York, is a member of the National Board of Hadassah. She currently serves as the Coordinator of the PRAZE (PRogramming, Advocacy, Zionism & Education) Division. She is the immediate past National Secretary and as such, was a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to being appointed to this position, she served in a number of significant portfolios. Ellen is a former National Vice President of Hadassah.

 

Ellen served Hadassah as its National Chair of Hadassah’s Membership Outreach Department which followed her service as National Chair of the Public Affairs Department and the Hadassah Office in Israel. Previously, Ellen served as the Chair of the Hadassah National Convention 2004, held in Phoenix, AZ. She served as the National Coordinator of the Young Judaea Division and Chair of the Young Judaea section of the Fundraising Division. She was the appointed Liaison from HWZOA to Hadassah Israel, National Chair of Coordinated/Leadership Training and National Chair of the Local Convention Committee for Hadassah’s 84th National Convention, 1998, held in New York City.

 

Ellen has developed and facilitated numerous leadership workshops and training seminars for Hadassah units, for Hadassah Israel, for Hadassah International, for the Senior Nursing Staff of the Hadassah Medical Organization and the Nursing Faculty of Hadassah Hebrew University. She was called upon to facilitate a ”Speakers Effectiveness Training and a Speaking to the Media Workshop” for the foreign ambassadors posted in Israel. Ellen initiated the concept of inter-divisional/departmental National Coordinated Training Events and created “Commit to Hadassah,” a program designed to orient Hadassah House staff to the organization.

 

The first National portfolio Ellen held was that of National Young Leaders Chair. She participated in the 1979 Young Women’s Caucus, a forerunner to the Young Leaders Department, and was an original member of the National Greater Metropolitan Young Leaders Committee. In 1984, Ellen chaired the first in-house National Young Leaders Institute, and served as advisor to many Young Leaders.

 

Ellen has been a member of Hadassah since 1973. She is past President of the Dix Hills Chapter and past President of the Suffolk Region. She has held many board positions. 

 

Ellen has been a two-time recipient of the Woman of the Year Award– from her chapter in 1977 and from the Region in 1984.  She was recognized by the Dix Hills Chapter with the National Leadership Award and Love of a Lifetime Award.  In May 2006, at its annual installation event, the Suffolk Council of Jewish Organizations bestowed its highest honor on her for her leadership, commitment and dedication to Jewish Life.

 

Ellen has experienced many memorable visits to Israel, including all the National Conventions, the Mid-Winter National Board Meetings and the 75th Jubilee Mission. She also led the 1991-92 Vanguard Mission to Israel, the 1993 Young Leaders Mission to Israel, the Young Leaders Mission to Israel held in conjunction with the 1995 National Convention, and was a tour leader on the 1998 Miracle Mission. Ellen attended and trained the Hadassah Bus Leaders for the 2001 Convention in Israel.  She was part of the Center for Emergency Medicine (CEM) Mission and the Judaean Youth Hostel Dedication Mission.  She also led the Renaissance Family Missions of June 2005 and 2008. Ellen was part of the Hadassah delegation to the 1997, 2002 and 2006 World Zionist Congresses in Jerusalem. Ellen maintains that, other than her first trip to Israel in 1978, her most significant Zionist experience was to escort 60 Young Judaeans on the history-making Young Judaea Youth Solidarity Mission to Israel in February of 2001.

 

In addition to her work for Hadassah, Ellen has served on the Board of Directors of the Jewish National Fund, the United Israel Appeal Board of Trustees and was a member of the American Jewish Congress Women’s Roundtable. She is an active Board member of Suffolk COJO (Council of Jewish Organizations) and led its Missions to Israel in 2006 and 2007. She serves on the Executive Boards of her local Civic Association and of the Friends of Israel Sports Center for the Disabled in Ramat Gan, Israel, of which she is a founding member.

 

Ellen studied speech and education at Hofstra University in Long Island and Jewish studies through a program of the Melton School of Jewish Education/Hebrew University (held in conjunction with her local JCC). She was a travel consultant for 20 years, and after a significant hiatus, has returned to specialize in Israel travel.

 

Ellen is part of a four-generation Life Member family that includes her mother-in-law, Ruth, her daughter, Lisa, her daughter-in-law, Paige, and her granddaughters, Amanda and Emily. Her husband, Joel, their son, Marc, their son-in-law, Brett, and their grandson, Jake, are Associates. The Hershkins are Founders in the Mother & Child Center at Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem.

 

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