{"id":4300,"date":"2005-05-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1970-01-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=4300"},"modified":"2017-06-27T15:43:29","modified_gmt":"2017-06-27T22:43:29","slug":"taran-honored-for-making-a-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=4300","title":{"rendered":"Taran honored for making a difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

“If you want to get something done, ask a busy person,” goes the conventional wisdom. “If you want to get something done, get Sissy involved with it,” say friends of Sissy Taran<\/a>.<\/p>\n

They weren’t kidding.<\/p>\n

The Montecito resident, along with husband Bernie<\/a> and daughters Francine and Nadine, recently returned from Israel, where she helped dedicate the Center for Emergency Medicine at Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Kerem.<\/p>\n

The Tarans were part of the largest donor mission in the history of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, and were among nearly 700 donors from across the United States who gave $50 million to build the state-of the-art emergency center.<\/p>\n

Taran, who serves as vice president of membership for the 460-member Hadassah group in Santa Barbara, said the trip was amazing, particularly given the recent announcement that the Hadassah Medical Organization was nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.<\/p>\n

“(The hospital) is called an island of peace for both Jews and Palestinians … because it does take care of so many people,” Taran said.<\/p>\n

“I’ve just been on such a high. I’ve been lucky that I’ve been fortunate enough that my husband and I can help make the world a better place. That’s our belief.”<\/p>\n

Taran was also recently honored as the “Queen of Hearts” by Hadassah Southern California. She sits on the organization’s cabinet and has received commendations from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; and Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn; as well as lawmakers, state officials and the Los Angeles Police Department.<\/p>\n

The honorary dinner, held in Woodland Hills, was a benefit for the pediatric hemato-oncology departments of the Ein Kerem hospital.<\/p>\n

“I just found something that I could become passionate about,” Taran said. “I kind of found my spirituality through Hadassah.”<\/p>\n

Taran is also a board member of Congregation B’nai B’rith<\/a>, a member of CALM (Child Abuse and Listening Mediation) Auxiliary, and is involved with the Anti-Defamation League and the Coalition Against Gun Violence.<\/p>\n

The Tarans also work with children from Cleveland and Franklin schools as part of the Fighting Back Mentor Program and tutor for the Read Right now Program.<\/p>\n

And somehow she fits in time to baby-sit her grandson, Ethan, and “finds time for bridge and the mahjong, the important things in life, ” she laughed.<\/p>\n

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on May 5, 2005.<\/a><\/h6>\n

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