Elise Feldscher

Elise Feldscher
Calabasas, CA

Career and Family
I grew up in Memphis and went to the University of Texas, where I studied childhood development and business. I met my husband, Steve, while I was working for a regional brokerage firm and he was a law student. In 1982 we moved to Houston, where we both worked for Merrill Lynch. Two years later we again moved, this time to Dallas. I became a member of the Sabra Group and met women who would become my family. When I made my daughters, Alexis and Erica, life members, too, we became a four-generation family.

How did you get involved with Hadassah?
When I moved to Houston in 1982 with my family, my cousin encouraged me to connect with a chapter that had recently formed in Houston. Upon moving to Dallas two years later, I joined the Sabra Group. In 1990, I became much more active in my Hadassah group, taking on various roles from records administrator, membership chair, treasurer and, ultimately, president. We participated with Federation for Meals on Wheels during the holidays. We planned and raised money for the Hadassah Medical Organization's Mother and Child Pavilion, we held game days and programs varying from holiday cooking to Holocaust remembrance. We even published and sold our "Sabra Cookbook" that I still use today, especially some of the Passover recipes.
 
In 1993 we moved to LA, and one of the first calls I made was to Hadassah. I really did get a true California welcome from the Atdim Group and the women made me feel warm, safe and welcomed. I currently serve on the Hadassah Southern California Board as vice president of fundraising-major gifts, as well as a member of the Executive Committee.
 
What is it about Hadassah that resonates with you?
For over 30 years Hadassah has been the constant in my life. Having served in many capacities on my group’s board, I was up to the challenge when asked to take on the co-chair position for various fundraising luncheons and silent auctions for the Northern Area of Hadassah Southern California as well as the 2008 National Convention Boutique. One of the major highlights of my Hadassah career was serving as co-chair of Hadassah Southern California’s Women’s Wellness Day in 2014 where over 250 women of all ages learned about women’s heart health risks, breast cancer -- the BRCA1 & 2 gene, melanoma and so much more. Little did I know then that my personal life would be impacted by several of these diseases.
 
Share something you would like people to know about you.
In 2012, I was fortunate to fulfill a lifelong dream and attend our Centennial Convention in Israel and tour the country with many of my “sisters.” It was not only an incredible experience but an eye opener, and I couldn’t wait to go back. In 2015, HSC President Sandi Sadikoff encouraged me to go on the Southern California Hadassah Mission, the timing was perfect and I -- with just the littlest of nudges -- I convinced Steve to go with me. Both of us felt that this experience is one we will never forget. (Not just the teargas incident as we were walking into Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus). The lifelong friendships and sisterhood I have made in each of the cities where I’ve lived, the Hadassah staff members I’ve been fortunate enough to work with, the conferences and the conventions I’ve attended have filled me with great love for Hadassah, our mission, and our research in service to humanity.