g resistance from some in the orga-
think that a woman like you can use
nized Jewish community who felt such
your influence to do it."
an organization was unnecessary.
The following year, Egyptian
The National Conference, founded
President Anwar Sadat made his "his-
in 1971, eventually became a potent
torical call" to Israel, paving the way for
political force in the battle to win free-
an Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.
dom for Soviet Jews.
"We like to joke that we changed
Jacobson's gift of persuasion provid-
the tide," Jacobson says now, "but we're
ed her with the leverage to push her
not fooling ourselves."
issues forward, she says, along with the
Colleagues do, however, credit her
clout as a representative of Harlassah,
for less momentous, but perhaps to her
the largest American women's move-
more satisfying efforts: keeping youth
ment.
issues at the forefront of the Zionist
"We acted for causes," she says.
movement, championing the "Israel
Stressing Hadassah's non-political
experience," advocating for young peo-
nature, she says she "relied on
ple moving to Israel and negotiating
Hadassah's reputation and the fact that
with the Jewish Agency on behalf of
in my work I had met people
Kibbutz Ketura, the settle-
from all streams, from right
ment in the Arava Desert
o left, and could go to them
founded by graduates of
Belo w:
honestly for a cause I
Hadassah's
youth move-
195 4•
thought was right."
ment, Young Judaea.
Wit h
A case in point: Jacobson
"What has Charlotte
Paula Ben- Gurion
became friendly with former
done?"
asks Rabbi Daniel
at th e
Israeli Prime Minister
Allen,
the
executive vice
prime mi mister's
Menachem Begin and could
president of the United
horn e
enlist his aid when necessary
Israel Appeal, where
in
— "not because I was inter-
Jacobson has been a long-
Sde Bo ker.
ested in his political views,
time board member. "She's
ut I was impressed by his
made sure that the next gen-
determination — and his
eration has every opportuni-
cause."
ty to be in Israel, to make aliyah and to
Her personal connections enabled
be part of the society."
her to make an appeal to the Egyptian
Now that Israel has completed much
first lady during a visit to Cairo in
of the work of absorbing immigrants
1976.
from North Africa to Eastern Europe,
"At the time I said, 'Look, I'm
Jacobson says Israel is experiencing a
here. I don't represent the Israel gov-
"lull" in Zionist activity
ernment. I don't represent the
"I think we're just sort of glad to
AJnited States government. I just rep-
catch our breath," she says, but she has
' resent an organization that cares
already turned her attention to foster-
about peace. And we think the time
ing connections between young Israelis
has come that women can play a
and American Jews.
role. We think dialogues is much
Combating disinterest, she says,
more important than war. And we
"this is the challenge of today." El

Top left:
1974: Charlotte Jacobson bestows the Henrietta Szold Award on Teddy Kollek,
Mayor of Jerusalem.

Top right:
1998: Charlotte Jacobson receives the Szold award from Carmelo E. Kalmanson
at Hadassah's 84th national convention in New York City.

Middle:
1995: At the Western Wall.

Bottom:
1967: Receiving the keys to Had.assah Mt. Scopus from
Menachem Schaifman of the IDE

8/7
1998

Detroit Jewish News

67