Shamsi Hekmat

Shamsi Hekmat or Šamsi Morādpur Hekmat (1917 – July 2, 1997) was an Iranian woman who pioneered reforms in women's status in Iran. She founded the first Iranian Jewish women's organization (Sāzmān-e bānovān-e Yahud-e Irān) in 1947. She migrated to the United States and established the Iranian Jewish Women's Organization of Southern California to help poor families and students.

Biography Hekmat was born in Tehran in 1917. After her studies at the American School, she did her graduation from the Sage College in Tehran. She founded the Hekmat International School (1950–79) in Tehran, was its principal and owner. In 1947, Hekmat's student Parvin Hakim, who founded the Bashgah-e khaharan, had requested Hekmat to establish a Jewish women's organization to create awareness among Jewish women in specified disciplines. As a result, along with nine others, Hekmat founded the Jewish Ladies' Organization of Iran (Sāzmān-e bānovān-e Yahud-e Irān; 1947–79). In the US she established the Iranian Jewish Women's Organization of Southern California which provided financial assistance to poor people and students. Her other notable activities are related to: Starting of the "Persian Friends Chapter of the City of Hope" in 1981 as a fund raising movement to help the City of Hope Medical Center; creating the "Haifa Group" of the Beverly Hills Chapter of Hadassah in 1982. For these contributions, in 1989, she was awarded the Honorary Life President of Hadassah.