By Rachel Lowy Werkheiser, Chair of the Wilmington Chapter of Hadassah’s Evolve Group
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When I was young, my mother (z”l) was very active in Hadassah in Raleigh, North Carolina (Hadassah of the Triangle). As I began my adult life in Wilmington, I found a community at Congregation Beth Emeth (CBE). It did not occur to me to seek out Hadassah in my new area, even as a Hadassah life member.
It was around my eldest’s high school graduation when CBE sponsored a congregational trip to Israel, which I was unable to work into my schedule. I had a longing to go to Israel since childhood, and missing this opportunity intensified that desire.
It was then that a friend told me about Hadassah Evolve and its Immersive Experience (EIE). Evolve is a national program for members in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, developed to inspire “The Next Generation” to be part of a Hadassah community and take action on issues about which they care. EIE was intended for a select group of these women to have a life-changing, immersive opportunity to learn more about Hadassah, gain leadership skills, and travel to Israel.
I applied, interviewed, and was accepted into the program. I met monthly with a Hadassah team and the women of my EIE cohort in preparation to travel to Israel together. And then came the devastating news of October 7, which cancelled our Israel trip. Hadassah gathered the EIE participants in New York for a weekend of learning and community, but the longing to travel to Israel persisted. Hadassah understood that longing, and in November of 2025, I, along with 12 of my EIE friends, took off for Israel.
The EIE program had sparked my interest in Hadassah and its mission. I was attending local Hadassah meetings and creating an Evolve group in the Wilmington area. I jumped into my Hadassah life with both feet, and I was ready to see everything that Hadassah had taught me in the last two years.
I arrived in Tel Aviv, navigated through immigration, and headed to my hotel. After check-in, I immediately began wandering the streets of Tel Aviv and made my way to the Port of Jaffa. This was my first time seeing the Mediterranean Sea. I walked along the water watching the sun set as Israeli flags waved in the wind.
The Hadassah mission began the next day. We visited Tzfat and took a class on micro-calligraphy. We toured the Hulu Valley, dined with the Druze, stayed on a kibbutz at the Sea of Galilee, and visited an Artist Colony.
Our visit to Hadassah’s Meir Shfeyah Youth Village was very impactful. We also picked sweet potatoes for Leket Food Bank, painted a playground at a Moshav that had been evacuated in the North, and made our way to Jerusalem.
In Jerusalem, we toured the tunnels of the Kotel and King David’s tomb. We admired the view from Mount of Olives, cried at Yad Vashem, and joined in Shabbat worship at a local synagogue.
We toured the Gandel Rehabilitation Centre at Hadassah Mount Scopus and the Hadassah Hospital at Ein Kerem. We met with soldiers, doctors, and psychologists. We heard about the treatment of wounds inflicted during the October 7 war. Hadassah Medical Organization prides itself on treating patients and hiring staff from all backgrounds, faiths, and ideologies—receiving and providing care side-by-side.
Every conversation, each step within the walls of the Hadassah Medical Organization buildings, praying at the Kotel, visiting the Gaza envelope, reciting kaddish at the Nova massacre site, touring Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, and walking the streets of our homeland, has all subtly shifted thoughts, my heart, and my commitment.
I am grateful for my EIE experience, the friendships I made, and the experiences we shared. I am proud to be part of Hadassah and the work we are doing in the USA and in Israel. This was my first trip to Israel, but not my last. In my mother’s footsteps, I look forward to continuing as a supporter and leader in Hadassah.
To learn more about the Wilmington Chapter of Hadassah’s Evolve: The Next Generation group, contact Rachel Werkheiser at rachellwerkheiser@gmail.com. Contact Arlene Eckell at hseane1967@gmail.com for other information about Hadassah and the Wilmington Chapter.
