55 North 5th Street, Philadelphia PA
A few steps from the Liberty Bell
January 15 to June 15, 1997

Daughter of Zion: Henrietta Szold and American Jewish Womanhood

This exhibit shed light on the woman best known as the founder of the women's Zionist organization, Hadassah, and provided a glimpse into the struggles of an original Jewish activist searching for intellectual, spiritual and personal fulfillment as a woman, a Jew and an American. One of the first Americans to work actively for a return of the Jewish homeland in Palestine, Szold (1860-1945), who was born in Baltimore, defined a new identity for American Jewish women as communal leaders, and as the providers of health care and social services in the land of Israel. Her vision grew out of her own struggles with her identity as a modern Jewish American woman, and the restrictions and opportunities presented to a woman in that era. Through her accomplishments, Szold achieved international prominence as an educator, social reformer and Zionist. Szold moved to Jerusalem in 1920. Although childless herself, she was "mother" to the thousands of young refugees from Nazi Germany saved from the Holocaust by the Youth Aliyah movement which she headed. Furniture, fine art, silver, clothing, Judaica, books, documents and more than two hundred rare archival images were featured in the exhibition, bringing to life the places, people, and events of Szold's fascinating and inspiring career. The exhibition was organized by the Jewish Historical Society of Maryland. Credits All images on this page courtesy of the Jewish Museum of Maryland. The portrait of Henrietta Szold at the top of the page was taken about 1913, gift of M. Jastrow and Alexandra Lee Levin. The picture of Henrietta Szold dancing with Youth Aliyah children, 1940s, was taken by N. Tim Gidal. This Exhibition announcement provided by the courtesy of the Independence Hall Association Internet preparation by Paper Pen and Inc.