Elgin Hadassah to show ‘Labors of Love’ documentary on founder Henrietta Szold

Elgin Hadassah is hosting a special screening of the 2025 documentary “Labors of Love: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Szold” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 19. Actress Tovah Feldshuh narrates the film.

A visionary leader and one of history’s most influential American Jewish women, Henrietta Szold (1860-1945) left an indelible mark on the 20th century.

Following a trip to Palestine in 1909, she founded Hadassah in 1912, creating a vital link between American women and communities in Palestine. Through this organization, she established the region’s modern healthcare system, built on a mandate to treat Arabs and Jews equally. Later, she spearheaded Youth Aliyah, an operation that rescued 11,000 Jewish children from Nazi Europe.

This 79-minute documentary, directed and produced by Peabody Award-winner, Abby Ginzberg, brings long-overdue recognition to Szold, offering a thought-provoking look at a woman who reshaped history through compassion and an unwavering belief in the power of humanity. Ginzberg is the grandchild of Rabbi Louis Ginzberg, a renowned Talmudic scholar who employed Szold to assist on Ginzberg’s manuscripts, notably his multivolume opus, “The Legends of the Jews.”

During this event, Elgin Hadassah will be recognizing the Keepers of the Gate donors.

Tickets are $18. Attendees must register in advance via events.hadassah.org/ElginLove; no walk-ins accepted. For security reasons, the location of the movie showing will be provided only to those who register and pay their admission fee by the deadline of July 16. Questions? Contact Hadassah at (847) 205-1900 or midwest@hadassah.org.

Consider making a donation to help support the Hadassah Medical Organization. Your support make it possible for Hadassah to help save lives and bring hope.