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.