Naomi Chazan Elected as 
Chair of HEMDAT

On the retirement of Professor Zvi Sobel as Chair of HEMDAT, the Board elected Professor Naomi Chazan as the new Chair of Hemdat at it meeting on October 23rd 2003.

Professor Chazan is one of Israel outstanding leaders in the struggle for women's rights, civil rights, religious freedom, pluralism and peace.
Brief background information on Naomi Chazan:

Born in Jerusalem -- daughter of the late Abe Harmon, President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Israel Ambassador to the United States. B.A. and M.A. from Columbia University in New York, and Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Professor of Political Sciences--Expert on Africa and Director of the Truman Institute for Peace Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Member of the 13th 14th and 15th Israel Knesset representing Meretz, where she served as Deputy Speaker, Chairman of the Committee on Women's Rights and Member of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee and many other civil rights and social welfare committees. She is the sponsor of legislation on Civil Marriage and freedom to choose Reform or Conservative marriage.
• Member of the Reform/Reconstructionist Congregation Mevakshai Derech in Jerusalem
• Member of the Executive Committee of Meretz