Barbara Sofer
As the Israel Director of Public Relations for Hadassah, she has witnessed and documented the daily effort to create an island of peace and sanity within Jerusalem's biggest medical center. Because of the prominence of Hadassah Hospital in the news, she has worked with top-tier media, including Sixty Minutes and Nightline in formulating programs that show Israel in a positive light. She contributed to the Emmy winning CNBC program Jerusalem ER.
Sofer appeared on Good Morning America's new Seven Wonders of the World series as an expert on the spiritual uniqueness of Jerusalem and likes to think of herself as a "magida," an itinerant teller of the stories of Israel, past and present. She has served as a scholar-in-residence and visiting lecture in a variety of venues, including synagogues, churches, regional conferences of Hadassah, national conventions, for Jewish communities and at schools. She is also a committed member of the Shira Hadasha, an egalitarian-Orthodox community and an informal spokesperson for Orthodox feminism.
Her prizes include many Rockower awards for Jewish journalism, the Sidney Taylor Award for the best Jewish children's book, and the 2008 Eliav-Sartawi Award for creating understanding through Middle Eastern journalism. Sofer is married to scientist/writer Gerald Schroeder. They have five children.
Lost and found: Tefillin return after two years - opinion
Period between Passover, Shavuot a time of education and contemplation - opinion
Israel's 'Ten Days of Deliverance' were more difficult this year - opinion
Independence Day 2025: 77+1 reasons I love Israel - opinion
Ahead of Israel's Independence Day, Barbara Sofer presents her annual list of things she loves about the Jewish state.
Shuki's message: A Druze soldier’s story and a Passover journey - opinion
I want to thank him, not only for his devoted military service but also for inspiring me to take these moments of appreciation, room by room.
The sounds of young Zionism: Listening to the International Jewish Teen Choir - opinion
Given the current situation, I find it remarkable that in 2025, thousands of Jewish teens are devoting so much time, energy, and talent to singing Jewish songs, says the writer.
Revisiting Israel's North for the first time since war began - opinion
A warm feeling of recognition, admiration, and relief comes over me as I enter Israel’s third-largest city. Storms will thunder and roar greatly, but the anemones will always bloom.
Kfar Maccabiah Hotel: A look at the 'ultimate Zionist hotel' - review
You won’t find a jazzy, up-to-the-minute hotel here. The decorative style is retro, and the wooden furniture could use a touch-up, but what’s missing in sleek design is compensated for in space.
Staying resilient: Not letting the enemy enjoy our suffering - opinion
We have to stop cooperating with the enemy’s psychological warfare, full of deception and cruelty. Let’s remember, our suffering and deaths are their joy.
Are American Jewish doctors being targeted by post-Oct. 7 antisemitism? - opinion
There’s work to do, and we need to do it together with our brethren in the Diaspora. Hadassah, AJMA, and other organizations are protesting Israel’s exclusion.
Behind the textiles at Hadassah’s Chagall-adorned synagogue - opinion
Aviva Green was tasked 45 years ago to create the parochet that complements Marc Chagall’s stained-glass windows in the synagogue at Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Stumbling stones: Part three of the saga Adler family
Over 20 years ago, Jerusalem Post columnist Barbara Sofer began writing about the Adler family and inadvertently helped fill in the holes made by fleeing Germany. Now, that saga continues.
A rose or a comet? Remembering Sgt. Rose Lubin - opinion
The one-year marking of Rose’s death is among so many since the beginning of Operation Swords of Iron.
