Hadassah Past National President Marcie Natan Dining Hall Dedicated at Israel Youth Village

NEW YORK - Jan. 29, 2018 - PRLog -- Hadassah's Immediate Past National President Marcie Natan was honored with the dedication of the Marcie Natan Dining Hall at the newly renovated Meir Shfeyah Youth Aliyah Village Enrichment Center near Zichron Yaacov, Israel. A dedication ceremony was held on Thursday, December 21 with Ms. Natan in attendance with her husband, Eli Natan, and visitors from Israel and overseas.  The ceremony also included a surprise "thank you" to Eli Natan for the help and assistance he has provided to graduates of the Meir Shfeyah school.

Natan, who served as Hadassah's 25^th National President (2012-2015), states: "We are very proud to be associated with the Meir Shfeyah Youth Aliyah Village and the wonderful work being done here. It's so fulfilling for me to continue the vision and legacy of Hadassah founder and first president Henrietta Szold." Hadassah has supported Meir Shfeyah Youth Aliyah Village since Szold received the village as a gift from Baron Edmond de Rothschild in 1923.

Among the many guests at the dedication ceremony was Alex Osadchi, a former student the Natan family supported through his higher education, who announced his recent engagement and that he is under consideration for a job in a top graphic design company.  The ceremony also incorporated music performed by the Meir Shfeyah Youth Aliyah Village Orchestra and Chorus.

The beautifully renovated facility features a learning center which will be open in the afternoons to help students with test preparation and homework. This is especially noteworthy for students who require smaller group instruction. In addition, the center offers computers, office space and Wi-Fi.

About Meir Shfeya Youth Aliyah Village

Baron Edmund de Rothschild bought the land for Meir Shfeya, near the other agricultural colonies of Zichron Yaakov, Binyamina and Pardes Hanna in the late 1880's.   In 1923, he gave the village to Hadassah Founder Henrietta Szold, who directed children who were escaping Nazi Europe to this residential educational center, beginning in the 1930's. With its dorm and high school, Meir Shfeya has continued to be a refuge for children and teens from war-torn countries, as well as those who come from disadvantaged and immigrant families.  Over 300 teens live in the village, joined by a similar number of students from nearby towns who elect to study in the high school because of its outstanding educational standards.

About Youth Aliyah

Hadassah sponsors three Youth Aliyah villages in Israel which provide education, psychological support and love in a safe and secure environment that fosters independence, self-esteem, and success. Youth Aliyah sets at-risk children in Israel on the path to a successful future. Since 1934, over 300,000 young people from 80 lands have graduated from Youth Aliyah. For more information on Youth Aliyah villages, visit www.hadassah.org.

Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) is the largest Jewish women's organization in the United States. With 330,000 members, associates and supporters Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as medical care and research, women's empowerment, and the security of Israel. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize Nomination in 2005 for building "bridges to peace" through equality in medical treatment. For more information, visit www.hadassah.org.