For the women in Hadassahs 2025 list of the Zionists who were seen, October 7th was a call to act

When Emily Austin was 16 years old, a Holocaust training trip to Poland changed her life. The child of the secular Israeli immigrants to New York, Austin, grew up in Brooklyn and decided early on that it was important for her identity to be a Jew. But after the Poland trip, Jewish pride and the fight against anti -Semitism were the focus of her life.

“It was a turning point” Over 3 million followers on Instagram. “It was so traumatizing and I promised myself not to allow it again.”

After October 7, 2023, Austin, already a passionate public lawyer for Israel, went to South Israel to see the destruction caused by Hamas first -hand and meet with victims and survivors. Austin documented her experiences in videos and pictures, which she shared with her millions of followers.

Although she was in a pronouncing sponsoring and anti-Semitic threats and vitriol inheritance for her pro-Israeli activism, she recently said:

Hadassah, the Zionist organization of the women of America, called Austin based on his list of 2025 “”18 American Zionist women who should know. “”

The annual list in the third year includes a diverse group of activists, non -profit managers, politicians, entertainers, business innovators, educators and writers. Each is deeply involved in working for Zionism and commenting for Israel in the United States and around the world.

“Some of the women they may know – but all them all they all should Knowing, ”said Diana Diner, the curator of the list and Hadassahs Israel and Zionism educator.

Diner, who created the list last year, added: “You may not see the same or don't sound, but you are united to show the world what it means to be 2025 Zionist.”

This year's list contains:

• Anila Ali, a Muslim women's rights activist born in Pakistan and co -founder of the American Muslim & Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council.
• Bellamy Bellucci, a dancer, model and Israel lawyer born in South Africa, who is known for her unique identity as a black transgender-Jewish woman, uses social media to promote inclusivity.
• Patricia Heaton, an actress (“Each Loves Raymond”) and Fromme Catholic, who brings Christians together to support Jews and Israel by the coalition on October 7, the group, which she co-founded after the Hamas attack in 2023.
• Caroline d'Amore, a TV personality that is the Italian-American founder and CEO of Pizza Girl. Although she is not Jewish herself, she has visited Israel several times since October 7th and approved to combat anti -Semitism and to promote dialogue.
• Mazi Pilip, a former paratrooper born in Ethiopia, who fought against anti -Semitism, a focus of her winning political campaign for a seat in the district of Nassau, New York, legislator.

“What most people don't understand is to be a Muslim, to be a Zionist,” said Ali, 57.

At an event of 2024, which organized together with Hadassah, in which Sheryl Sandberg's film “Screams Before Silence”, a documentary about the documentary committed on October 7, spoke to an interreligious audience about the weapons of sexual violence against Israeli women and girls.

“The truth is more powerful than anything,” she said. “I feel honored and proud to be Zionist.”

Another woman on this year's list, Yocheved Kim Ruttenberg, grew up as a religious Jew, but also distances from Jewish compliance over time.

Then her brother joined the IDF. When the attack took place on October 7, everything dropped, quickly collected 17,000 US dollars for essential supplies for soldiers and arrived in Israel with 23 Duffel bags with objects such as headlights, socks and underwear.

“I just thought:” I have to go to Israel, “said Ruttenberg, 24.” Even my mother said: “If you don't go, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

Her two -week trip lasted 18 months and finally made Aliyah, who immigrated to Israel.

Ruttenberg recognized the need to help all other volunteers who arrived in Israel during the war in Israel (and), and founded the sword of Iron Israel Volunteer Corp., an online hub that has mobilized 40,000 worldwide since October 7th.

“I press myself every day that I am so happy to do this work to strengthen the state of Israel,” she said. “I hope it inspires people to take measures.”

Allison Korman was a long -time manager of the DC abortion fund when the attack on October 7 changed her professional life. Suddenly she found herself in isolation when colleagues published one-sided anti-Israel messages on the social media accounts of her organization. As the only Jewish and pro-Israeli voice in the DC abbreviation fund, quickly became corman, and it resigned within a few weeks.

Anila Ali, a Muslim women's rights activist born in Pakistan, says she is proud to be Zionist. (With the kind permission of Hadassah)

But she was not ready to leave the work of the public health of women. In June 2024, Korman started the Red Tent Fund, an integrative space that is rooted in Jewish values ​​and serves people with all the backgrounds that need access to reproduction supply.

“They are Jewish values ​​at work: we try to make the whole world better,” said Korman, 46.

Among the other remarkable women on this year are Galia Amram, a lawyer and Jewish non -profit guide; Suzanne Patt Benvenisti, a manager of Hadassah, who started the Yellow Nail campaign of the organization to support the Israeli hostages in Gaza. Stephanie Bone, a Zionist, Jewish educator and municipal leader of the sixth generation; Hilary Hawn, a community lawyer, educator and writer based in California; Michal Ilai, the senior Israel educator in Austin's Jewish Federation, Shalom Austin; Shoshana Keats Jaskoll, an American-Israeli writer and activist, the co-founder Chochmat Nashim (the wisdom of women)what fights religious extremism and marginalization of women; Esther Panitch, a lawyer and member of the House of Representatives of Georgia, who sponsored a draft law in which the legislature passed the definition of anti-Semitism by the international Holocaust memory Alliance; Deborah Villanueva, a psychiatric specialist, educator and Zionist activist; Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath, an award-winning Jewish author and senior educator on the Jewish educational project; and Elena Yacov, the managing director of the Milstein Family Foundation and a force in Jewish philanthropy.

“We assume our responsibility to enable those who stand up for Israel,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, Hadassah's national president. “Hadassah has promoted and encouraged Zionist ideals for more than 100 years, and the vision of our founder Henrietta Szold lives on through us.”