Valda Knight Memorial Scholarship

Click here to download Application Form

1. Pre-amble

1.1 The Valda Knight Memorial Scholarship has been established in Memory of Valda Knight who was President of Hadassah International in New Zealand from 1996 until her untimely death in 2007. In those 11 years Valda lead a small Hadassah committee in New Zealand, placing this country strongly in the world net work of Hadassah.
Valda Knight earned the huge respect of Hadassah workers in the United States of America and many other countries. She also became very highly regarded by staff at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. She made a difference. A nursing station in the magnificent new building currently under construction at Hadassah in Jerusalem is to be named after her. This scholarship has also been established in her memory.

1.2 The underlying purpose of the scholarship is to provide a New Zealand Health sector worker with a rare opportunity for professional development and growth, personal enrichment and a chance to do some comparative study at one of the world’s leading research and teaching hospitals. A special programme will be set up for each recipient of the award. The central feature of the programme will be a period of time at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem where in addition to pursuing your own interests, awardees will be able to spend some time there discovering how a team of world leaders in their field advance medicine without borders in a troubled part of the world.

The programme will also provide an opportunity for the recipient to see something of the life, the history, the scenery and the institutions of Israel.

2. The award.

2.1 The award is annual. It provides an opportunity for a New Zealander (1) to spend a period of 2-3 weeks in Israel. The length of the stay is negotiable and will vary according to the interests of the successful applicant.

The award provides for a return economy class air fare from New Zealand to Israel.
It also gives the grantee a sum of $NZ1500 towards living expenses in Israel. This may vary a little according to the length of the visit.

Assistance will be given in arranging a programme at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem and some other general assistance will be provided in arranging a programme of visits in Israel.
2.2 The Scholarship will be administered by a special sub committee of Hadassah International in New Zealand. This Committee will be known as the Hadassah Scholarship Grants Committee (HSGC)

3. Who is eligible to apply?

3.1 Any New Zealander who has worked in the Health Sector for a minimum of 5 years and who is currently employed (2) in the Health Sector may apply for the scholarship.

The Grants Committee takes a wide interpretation of this employment. It includes all those involved in the dispensing of health care and includes those who write or report about it. Applicants must also have been involved in health sector work for at least 5 years.

4. Awardees obligations.

4.1 The award is primarily designed to enrich the health/medical experience of the successful applicant.

4.2 On returning to New Zealand applicants will be required to furnish a short report on their experiences to the Grants committee.

The awardee will be expected to write an article for the New Zealand Jewish Chronicle and/or be available to the Chronicle for an interview. Writing for other media outlets remains the choice of the awardee.

The awardee will be asked to speak about his/her experiences at a local meeting of Hadassah International in New Zealand and may also be invited to speak to other groups both within and outside the Jewish Community.

The Grants Committee hopes that scholarship awardees will address a meeting of their own association on their return to New Zealand.

5. The application process.

Applications should be completed on the official application form which can be downloaded from Hadassah’s Website www.hadassah.co.nz or by writing to The Secretary of Hadassah in New Zealand wandahirsh@orcon.net.nz.

Applications close on March the 25th each year. Interviewing of short listed applicants may be necessary. Any such interviews will be conducted by members of the Grants Committee.

The successful applicant will be advised within 6 weeks of this and will be expected to take up the scholarship within 9 months of that advice.

Five hard copies of your application should be mailed to:
The Secretary
Hadassah International New Zealand Inc
P O Box 87 349
Meadowbank, Auckland 1072

Notes for all applicants

New Zealander: means any person with citizenship or residency in this country. Evidence of either must be provided. (photocopies not originals)
Employed in the health sector means anyone who is currently employed .75 (point 75) or more in a recognized branch of the health sector. Evidence of this employment must be appended to each application.
At least five years in the health sector: means that applicants will need to give details of their health sector employment.
Applicants must include one character reference and the name of a referee in support of their application.
Questions about the scholarship can, in the first instance be directed to:
The Secretary, Hadassah International NZ Inc. phone 9-521-5714

Notes for the successful applicant:

The successful applicant will be expected to work with the Grants committee in making their travel arrangements to Israel.
Close communication with the Grants committee will be necessary so that the Hadassah Sector of the visit to Israel can be arranged to meet the applicant’s special interests. This will also be essential in helping with other visits in Israel. Hadassah in New Zealand has established essential contacts in Israel to help with both aspects of the programme. A little time will be necessary after the successful applicant has been advised and has accepted the scholarship, in order to put arrangements in place at Hadassah Hospital in particular and in Israel in general.

A final reminder:

The closing date for this annual award is: March the 25th
(details at item 5 above)
We look forward to receiving your application.