Female Presidents of a Jewish Organization Reflect on Inclusivity
Photo by Moyo Studio/Getty Images
As many in the United States celebrate the nation’s first female vice president, we have been lifted by a spirit of diversity, democracy and inclusiveness. Those same sentiments recently emerged within the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, an organization that, for nearly a century, has been supporting communities locally, nationally, and worldwide. I recently interviewed eight former female presidents — Donna Feldman, Susan Firestone, Betsy Gaberman, Suze Goldman, Sue Kline, Ronda Parish, Ann Pava and Diane Troderman — who led the organization at various times between 1987-2019. These interviews culminated in a major community-wide virtual program, in which each president was in the spotlight for a few minutes to discuss her accomplishments.