Canadian Hadassah-WIZO (CHW) members and the entire Jewish community are praying for Terry Schwarzfeld, 60, left, national president of the organization, who, along with her daughter-in-law, Luana Cotsman, was severely beaten Feb. 28 while vacationing in Barbados.
The pair was walking along an isolated stretch of beach at 4 p.m. when they were approached by a would-be robber. When they told him they had nothing to give him, he attacked them with a piece of wood.
Schwarzfeld, who is from Ottawa, was knocked unconscious by one or two blows to the back of her head. She was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in St. Michael, Barbados, and airlifted back to Canada March 4, where she is being treated at Ottawa Hospital.
As of earlier this week, she was still unconscious and in critical condition, and was being heavily sedated to reduce the swelling and internal bleeding in her brain.
Cotsman, from Guelph, Ont., was also knocked unconscious, but she regained consciousness while still on the beach and was treated in hospital overnight.
Lybron Sobers, assistant superintendent of the Royal Barbados Police Force, told The CJN that “several people have been questioned about the assault,” but as of The CJN’s deadline, no suspect had been arrested.
Peter Kent, minister of state of foreign affairs (Americas), called the attack an unfortunate, tragic incident, but he said that it is “an exception.
“We [continue to] advise Canadians to exercise security measures when travelling to tourist areas, and be as careful as they would in any large city,” he told The CJN.
In a press release, Alina Ianson, executive director of CHW in Montreal, said that the organization’s “leadership and staff are focused on Terry’s speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.”
She said that in the interim, according to CHW’s national constitution, Marla Dan, first vice-president, has assumed the role of acting national president of CHW.
Immediate past president Sandy Martin called Schwarzfeld, a past executive director of Ottawa’s Agudath Israel Synagogue who became Hadassah president in November, a visionary and a people person. “She is well-respected from coast to coast and in Israel. She is a positive person, and I have faith that God will be on her side.”
Toby Yan, an honorary national vice-president of CHW, said the whole community is shocked and upset about the incident. “Terry has a wide circle of friends who care about her, and about 30 women attended an [impromptu] prayer service when she arrived back in Ottawa.”
Sharon Sattin, a past national officer of CHW, said that Schwarzfeld is a dedicated leader “who has done so much, and still has so much potential. Because of her strength, I think she will come out of this.”
Canadian Jewish Congress co-president Rabbi Reuven Bulka, senior rabbi at Ottawa’s Congregation Machzikei Hadas, condemned the attack and said that “Terry is a cherished member of the Ottawa Jewish community and a life-long activist for human rights and human dignity for all.
“We pray for her speedy and complete recovery and extend our deepest support and best wishes to Terry’s family and our sisters at Hadassah-WIZO at this trying time. We call on Barbadian authorities to investigate this cowardly crime with all due speed and resources, and bring the perpetrator to justice.”
