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One of my earliest memories is of my grandparents, Rose and
Joseph Herman, raising funds for Palestine. Framed certificates
from the Jewish National Fund and Hadassah- WIZO hung proudly
in their home, the same home where the inaugural meeting for
the establishment of the Mount Sinai Hospital on Yorkville
Avenue was held.
These values of continuity and Tzedakah were passed on to
my parents, Allie and Bernie Herman, whose philanthropy and
leadership in the United Jewish Welfare Fund, State of Israel
Bonds, Canadian Hadassah-WIZO and the Mount Sinai Hospital
were exemplary.
With this legacy imbedded in my soul, I too, have attempted
to bolster our Jewish community and Israel by assuming leadership
roles in UJA Federation, the advocacy campaign to liberate
Jews from the Soviet Union and other worthy Jewish organizations
and institutions. The skills that I have acquired and the
remarkable people I’ve met through these endeavours have
enriched my life immeasurably.
Zionism was woven into the fabric of my husband Elliott’s
family. A branch of the family is still living on the Kibbutz
that his uncle, Joe Eisen, helped to found almost sixty years
ago, prior to fighting, along with his brother Bob, in the
War of Independence in 1948. In Toronto, Elliott’s parents,
Selma and Dave Eisen, were leaders in both synagogue and Jewish
communal life, and Elliott has directed his energy and expertise
towards several local Jewish social service agencies and the
annual UJA Federation campaign.
On the occasion of our marriage, Elliott and I established
an Endowment Fund at UJA Federation, earmarked for educational
projects in Israel. We are delighted to see it grow and flourish.
Today, we work together to enhance Israeli culture, through
our involvement with the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
Elliott and I feel blessed to have been nurtured by parents
who were passionate Zionists and we have endeavoured to impart
this legacy to our children. To date, two of our four daughters
assume leadership positions within the Jewish community and
they wear their Lion of Judah pins with pride. I suspect that
one day, like I, they will endow their pins, to help ensure
Jewish viability in Toronto and in Israel, in perpetuity.
One has only to think of the sacrifices made by Israelis
on a daily basis to recognize how privileged we are to be
in a position to strengthen our ancestral homeland in many
meaningful ways.
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