User:DascyllusM/Hadassa Samuel

Hadassa Samuel (June 1897 - May 1986 ) was the chairwoman of Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO) in Israel from 1941, and the chairwoman of worldwide WIZO between 1949-1950. She also served as the chairwomen of the Council of Women's Organizations in Israel between 1936-1946.

Early life
Hadassa Samuel was born in 1897 in Jaffa, and grew up in Mazkeret Batya. Her father Yehuda Gur, was a linguistic and a Hebrew teacher, and published the Gur Dictionary. Her mother, Rachel, was volunteering and rasing their 5 children. Hadassa's parents house was used as a meeting place for teachers and writers, and only Hebrew was spoken there, a rare thing at that time.

She was active in Maccabi and in social help organizations during World War I.

In 1918 she met Edwin Samuel, the son of Herbert Samuel, who later in 1920 was appointed as the High Commissioner of Palestine. Edwin rented an apartment from Hadassa's parents, where the two met and fell in love.