Members of the new young adult chapter, Leorah, with members flanked by adviser Beverly Fine,
left, and Carol Ogusky, Greater Detroit Chapter president

back, they decided to return.” The
new chapter is named Aviv.
When asked about her own
Hadassah journey, Ogusky says
she started about eight years ago
with a trip to Israel and a tour of
Hadassah Hospital with her hus-
band.
“He was so impressed he sug-
gested I become a Hadassah mem-
ber. I agreed, but you know how
it is — you come home, fall into
your old routine and the time slips
away,” she says. “My husband had

to remind me about it. And when I
called the office, and they told me
the different ‘levels’ of membership,
I thought I’ll just become a Life
Member and be done with it.
“Well, you can see how that
worked out for me, and judging
from the stack of work on my desk
today, I’m now hooked in the best
way possible. For life!” •

This story first appeared on Federation’s
myjewishdetroit.org, where Vivian Henoch is
editor.

fashion show using clothing sent by
Jewish families moving to the suburbs,
students at the Brandeis/Hadassah High
Hadassah sold the building, invested the
School in Jerusalem and collected dimes funds, and rented office space at 10 Mile
in “eye banks” to
and Evergreen in
help wipe out the
Southfield.
Byron “Bud” and
eye disease, tra-
The current
Dorothy Gerson
choma.
Hadassah House on
On a trip to
Orchard Lake Road
Palestine in 1935,
in West Bloomfield,
Joseph Wetsman
originally the West
and fellow Detroiters
Bloomfield Township
David Zemon and
Library, opened
David Simons
in 1985. Sarah
bought a tract of
Wetsman Davidson’s
land on Jerusalem’s
daughter, Dorothy,
Mt. Scopus. The
and husband, Byron
land was eventually
“Bud” Gerson, were
donated to the Jewish National Fund and among many generous donors who
became the site of the first Hadassah
made the purchase, renovation and
Hospital.
maintenance of the building possible.
By 1955, Detroit’s Hadassah chapter
Under the leadership of Phyllis
had 19 Detroit groups with more than
Newman, Hadassah Greater Detroit ran
6,000 members. Until 1957, Hadassah
several thrift stores over the years. Now
had operated out of members’ homes
Hadassah holds a week-long rummage
and cramped rented offices in a store,
sale in November.
above the Linwood post office and
In 2007, Detroiters William and
above the Avalon Theatre at Linwood
Karen Davidson, on behalf of Guardian
and Davison, a building owned by the
Industries, gave $75 million to Hadassah
Wetsman family.
to construct a new inpatient tower at
In 1957, at the urging of member
Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem. It was
Diane Hauser, a longtime dream became named the Sarah Wetsman Davidson
reality. A group of businessmen, includ-
Hospital Tower in memory of Dorothy
ing Hauser’s father, Israel Davidson,
Gerson and Bill Davidson’s mother.
donated funds to buy an office building
“The power of family is truly a binding
at 7 Mile and Evergreen in Northwest
one,” said the late Bill Davidson, add-
Detroit. It was the area’s first Hadassah
ing that he felt privileged to be in the
House, and it became a true home
third generation of his family to support
where members congregated.
Hadassah’s achievements and goals. •
In 1977, with more and more

HOPE

AGAINST

HATE

Building Resilient
Jewish Communities in
the Face of Threat

Monday, May 8th
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
An Evening with
Deborah E. Lipstadt

“Denial: Holocaust
History on Trial”
7:30 to 9:00 pm

Professor Lipstadt shares
her spellbinding account
of the experiences which
led to her book, “Denial:
Holocaust History on
Trial,” as well as her
insights into the lasting
legacy of Anti-Semitism.

Also, join us for a special
screening of “Denial”
starring Academy Award ®
winner Rachel Weisz.
5:00 to 7:30 pm.
(Kosher box-dinners
available.)

A minimum pledge of $18 to
Federation’s 2017 Annual
Campaign is required.

To learn more and register,
visit: jewishdetroit.org/hope

For more information, contact Margie Davis
at 248-205-2551 or davis@jfmd.org

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jn

May 4 • 2017

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