During the last weekend in August, YHI welcomed 50 participants traveling from Australia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Panama, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. “Ultimately everyone agreed that it served as the perfect backdrop for a humanitarian organization,” Liz Bazini, YHI Chair, remarked. “We learned about our past and discussed issues of tolerance and understanding from all perspectives.”
During the opening dinner on Friday evening, thought-provoking speakers provided fascinating insights into the complexities of being Jewish and living in Berlin. Similar complexities of multireligious relationships at Hadassah were shared through moving stories of healing by Senior Attending Neurologist, Dr. Itai Berger, who works in the Neuropediatric Unit of Hadassah’s Pediatrics Department on Mount Scopus. Dr. Berger also gave a captivating glimpse into the research and treatment being conducted at the Hadassah Medical Organization, especially within the Pediatrics Department.
One of the Weekend’s highlights was the unveiling of the new YHI logo and its accompanying “Say HI to Life” campaign, designed by David Abadi, Founder and Vice President of La Unión Publicitaria in Panama City. The new YHI logo cleverly incorporates Hadassah International’s (HI) newly designed logo by DDB, an internationally ranked marketing agency, while giving YHI a distinctive brand. “YHI finally has its own strong identity,” commented Sandrine Asseraf, a YHI Board member living in Paris.
Using the “Say HI to Life” theme in clever and humorous ways, many came up with their versions of “Say HI to [fill in the blank].” Plans to launch the new YHI logo are currently in the works, including the creation of www.yhadassah.org and other accompanying materials.
The Weekend closed on a high, honoring the first recipient of the YHI Volunteer of the Year Award, Gennie Freen, immediate past Young Hadassah Holland Chair. An innovative marketing genius, Gennie worked tirelessly to establish YH Holland as one of the most active YHI units in terms of events and fundraising during his term from 2006 to 2008. Emphasizing the importance of volunteerism, Amos Attali, Past YHI Chair and presenter of this award, noted, “Donors are the fuel that runs the Hadassah Medical Organization, but its volunteers are the engine.”
Summing up the impact of the Berlin experience and YHI’s mandate for the future, Liz comments:
“Throughout the Weekend, we engaged in interactive dialogue, heightening our sense of awareness of the world around us, how we represent ourselves, and how we empower ourselves to be advocates for Hadassah in our communities.
“My goal as Chair over the past year has been to expand the reach of Young Hadassah through new chapters and rebranding our image. With new volunteers, we’re ready to tackle our mandate to raise $100,000 for the Department of Pediatrics at Mount Scopus over the next 12 months.”
With a culturally multifaceted and historically intriguing city as the added attraction, Young Hadassah International (YHI) hosted Weekend in Berlin 2009, bringing together dynamic, young professionals from 10 countries in support of 
