In lieu of a physical AGM, Hadassah will be holding their 2020 AGM as a Zoom conference on Tuesday evening 22nd December at 7.30pm. Hadassah invites you to the scheduled Zoom meeting.

For the details needed to join the Zoom meeting, email president_newzealand@hadassah.org.

The agenda for the meeting is below:

·       Welcome

·       Apologies

·       Minutes from 2019 Annual General Meeting

·       2019/20 Financial Report

·       President’s Report

·       Election of Officers

o   Shirley Fiddell has tended her resignation as secretary but will continue as a committee member. The following nominees have been nominated:

o   President     Jenny Leiman

o   Treasurer    Fiona Ross

o   Secretary     Lisa Dorushkin

o   Committee members are Shirley Fiddell, Mary Lou Stiassny, Elaine Silverman

General Business

·       Special General Meeting

o   As per guidance from the IRD re requirements for HINZ to apply for approval for Overseas Tax Donee Status the rules with changes have been attached to this email.

o   In the opinion of the executive these changes are relatively minor and have been approved in principle by the legal department of Hadassah in New York.

President’s Report – Hadassah International New Zealand

2019 – 2020.

This has not been a typical year for anyone.

I am fortunate however to report some good news from HINZ.

During the Covid period our committee decided to make and sell good quality cotton masks and were given permission to market them through the Greys Ave Deli. This helped keep our Hadassah presence visible whilst providing a practical and appropriate means of keeping our community healthy and safe. Through that initiative we raised $255. We are grateful to the staff of the Deli for their help but we truly hope that there will not be a need to mobilise our production line again.

Unfortunately due to the lockdown we couldn’t send a Valda Knight scholarship recipient to Israel this year. We do have sufficient funds and will advertise for applicants when the covid situation allows.

A few days before Rosh Hashana we were delighted to hear from Tanaz Siganporia that the Lady Marion Davis Hospitals Trust had met again and had agreed to fund the 3 bed admittance hall at Hadassah Mount Scopus at a cost of US$ 150,000  (NZ$ 225,225 equivalent) payable over a period of 3 years. We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Perpetual Guardian and thank them for their continued support of the HMO.

Over the last few months, I have been in close contact with the Principal Policy Advisor in Policy and Strategy, at the Inland Revenue. We have had a number of phone calls and emails with regards to our request for Overseas Donee status. He has asked many questions and with help from Hadassah head office I have gathered a lot of evidence for our cause.  I am optimistic with all our statistics and information he will have enough to confidently present our case to the minister.

I am sending this President’s report together with the 2019/20 Financial Report to our members. If you have any questions please contact me either at the Zoom AGM or prior.

I wish our members and supporters continued good health until they find that elusive anti-Covid vaccination.

Jennifer Leiman

President Hadassah International New Zealand, Auckland branch.