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On April 19, 1923, Gisell Herzog of Montreal founds the first Seattle Chapter of Hadassah while on a visit to Seattle. Hadassah, a women's organization, was founded nationally in 1912 by Henrietta Szold with the goals of fostering Zionist ideals in America through education and of beginning public health nursing and nurses' training in Palestine.

Early Seattle chapters were named B'not Jacob (Daughters of Jacob), Queen Esther, and Deborah. The first activity of these chapters was sewing clothes for children in Palestine.

Sources:

Washington State Jewish Historical Society, The Jewish Experience in Washington State: A Chronology 1853-1995 (Washington State Jewish Historical Society, 1998).

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