CHAI LINES
The Newsletter of the International Northeast Region
Women's League for Conservative Judaism
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SISTERS JOURNEYING TOGETHER
Serving Conservative Jewish Women
in New York State, Ontario, and Quebec
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Refuah Shlema
Leona Eligburg
Baruch Dayan Haemet
to the Family of Dottie Goldberg
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From the Region President--Joan Lowenstein
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Is it me, or does this feel like something out of a science fiction movie? It is hard to believe how quickly this has all come about. Social distancing? Who ever heard of that? Well, now we have all heard of it and I hope you are all practicing it. I didn’t want to be a toilet paper hoarder, but I didn’t want to be without toilet paper either, so what to do? I decided to be a responsible consumer and buy the store limit of two packages. Now I will tell you that my favorite brand was sold out, but that did not stop me from buying two packages of what there was to be had! The strange dilemmas we face in this new world of ours. I hope we can soon look back on it all with a great sigh of relief knowing that we took all of the precautions we could to cause as little harm as possible to all of our loved ones near and far.
While we find ourselves confined to our own homes, WLCJ has once again thought of everything and provided for those of us who may need to say Mourners Kaddish or those who simply wish to “congregate” and pray together. Every day except Shabbat and Holidays (should the need extend into Passover) at 1:00 pm EDT, Women’s League will meet via Zoom and hold a Daily Virtual Minyan for Psalm Study and Kaddish Recitation. Although we may not be able to come together physically, we can come together virtually. The following is the Zoom and call in information. No need to pre-register. Just join in.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/630830287
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,630830287# US (New York)
+16699006833,,630830287# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 647 558 0588 Canada
+972 55 330 1762 Israel
+972 3 978 6688 Israel
Looking for something to do while you are stuck at home? Why not work on one of the Social Action projects for Convention? You can make a T-Shirt Shopping Bag or a Fleece Blanket to benefit The Ark, a wonderful Jewish organization in Chicago. You can find the instruction videos for these projects at the following links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBo-KPa6yI&feature=youtu.be
Do you still have questions about Convention? Our region has two Convention Madrichot, Linda Steinhorn and Marilyn Cohen and they can answer any questions you may have. You can contact Linda at
Oralin330@aol.com
or Marilyn at
MarilynCohen@bell.net
. If you can’t find the answers to your questions on the WLCJ website, why not contact one of them?
I wish for all of you not only a meaningful and peaceful Shabbat, but a very healthy, safe and secluded time as we all travel this strange new journey together (but separately!),
Joan
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Shabbat Message--Shabbat Parah - Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei
Creating New Spaces
By Carol Simon, Past International President,
Torah Fund Major Gifts Chair,
Sisterhood President Workshops, and
Convention Committee Co-Chair
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The cranes are gone, but the work is not nearly completed! The construction workers and painters are still on site. But we are happy to report that the Residence Hall is complete and our students were able to move in last fall. The Library and Performing Arts center will be completed this coming Fall, 2020.
This Shabbat message, had originally been scheduled to coincide with the celebration and dedication of this new, amazing space, for Opening Day festivities at JTS, on Sunday, March 22nd, but as they say, life got in the way! As many other events have been postponed these past weeks, the decision was made by the leadership at JTS to be responsible regarding the health of those that had planned to attend the dedication. Yet, the message and information about our special project is still relevant and something to be shared.
It has been exciting to watch the development as the “new” campus was created for the JTS community, for our students and for Women’s League as we have worked to raise funds for the Women’s League Study Space. Yes, another WLSS! We now have a big WLSS (the Women’s League Seminary Synagogue) and a little WLSS (the Women’s League Study Space).
“Creating New Spaces” is our newest Major Gifts Special Project for Torah Fund. “Spaces” is all about creating a physical space for our students at JTS, with a beautiful new study space. A place for everyone to congregate to network, socialize, study and build community. And, “Spaces” is all about creating a spiritual space at Ziegler for our students, as we support the Women’s League Institute on Gender Bias and Harassment under the guidance of Rabbi Cheryl Peretz, Associate Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.
The Torah Fund Cabinet and Major Gifts team took on the responsibility of “Spaces” because we all knew that Women’s League needed to continue our legacy of supporting our students in whatever way we can. Whether that means naming the program on gender bias and harassment at Ziegler or being a part of JTS as they were creating and reimagining a new campus, Women’s League needed to be a part of both of these initiatives.
This campaign is a bit different, than others that we have supported in the past, as “Spaces” is a goal oriented campaign. This means, that “Spaces” will end once we reach our goal of $200,000, which will be equally divided between JTS and Ziegler. We are hoping to reach this goal by convention! But, we need everyone’s help to do that…we need every member, every sisterhood and every region to accomplish this goal.
To ensure that this Torah Fund Special Project can be one that everyone can be a part of, all donations are welcome! There is no donation too small nor too large! And each donation will be recognized. Each region includes in their Shabbat newsletter, a list of donors once a month. At convention, in July, we will be recognizing our donors by including your name in a booklet.
Once it is safe again to travel, I encourage you to contact the Torah Fund office to set up a tour of the new campus at 3080 Broadway. Everyone is welcome..from near and far! Come see what we are a part of.
I also encourage each of you to be a part of our “Creating New Spaces” campaign! As we build for the future, as we touch our students in either that physical space or a spiritual space. As we read in Pirke Avot, “It is not your duty to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it”. I look to the leadership and members of WLCJ, to join those that have support “Spaces” so that we can look back, years from now, and know that we were there for our students.
Shabbat Shalom,
Carol Simon,
Torah Fund Major Gifts Chair
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On the Coronavirus (COVID - 19)
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March 12, 2020 / 16
Adar
5780
Shalom,
The spread of the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) has been the focus of much of our recent discussions and planning at Women’s League for Conservative Judaism.
We continue to receive many questions in regards to WLCJ Convention 2020. No decision has been made at this time to cancel or postpone our Convention. We are reexamining the situation on a daily basis. We have been in touch with our Convention Consultant on a daily basis, to provide guidance on this topic.
Please continue to register for Convention and Hotel, with the understanding that if Convention is postponed, your money will be applied to the future Convention. You may decide to wait to make airline reservations until the airline industry situation becomes more clear.
This information should be shared with everyone in your Region. If you have any questions, please contact Debbi Kaner Goldich,
dgoldich@wlcj.org
.
Until further notice, the staff of our Women’s League office has been working remotely and Women’s League has suspended all travel by consultants/trainers, leaders, Region Leadership, and staff, on behalf of Women’s League, to Sisterhoods and Region events.
It is important to consult with the guidelines set by the CDC, your local Government, Governor, Mayor, and other local authorities, when determining holding programs and activities.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding of the measures we are taking to help safeguard the health of our entire Women’s League community, which remains our highest priority.
Let us pray for all of us, living during this time of uncertainty. We keep in our thoughts and prayers all affected by the coronavirus outbreak, a global pandemic.
El Na Refah Na La
- Please God heal us all.
L’Shalom
,
Margie Miller
WLCJ President
Debbi Kaner Goldich
WLCJ Convention Chair
Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields
WLCJ Executive Director
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Daily Virtual Minyan via Zoom for Psalm Study and Kaddish Recitation
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As it has become the new reality that people are not physically allowed to gather in large groups, and many cannot attend Services to say Kaddish. We do not want you to be feel alone, and want our sisters throughout the world to know that although we may not physically be together, we can come together virtually.
WLCJ has created an avenue for our WLCJ Sisters, to read and study a Psalm every day, and say Kaddish.
Starting on Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 1 pm EDT, we will have a Zoom Meeting for us to come together, to read and study a Psalm and say Kaddish. We will do this every day, but on Shabbat, and holidays. (If this need continues into Passover.)
This is a situation of
Sha'at HaDichak
, a pressing time, where things are different, and so as
Mara D'atra
of WLCJ, I am saying that since we cannot all be part of a physical minyan of ten, ten coming together via zoom will be a minyan. Since we are in different time zones, we will not have a full Service, but rather read and study a chapter from the Book of Psalms, and then say Kaddish. The chapter will be on your screen, as well as Kaddish - we just need ten together on the zoom.
The following is the call in information for each day, starting Sunday, March 15, 2020, at 1 pm EDT, and will continue every day, but Shabbat, and the holy days of holidays - if we need to continue through Passover.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,630830287# US (New York)
+16699006833,,630830287# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 647 558 0588 Canada
+972 55 330 1762 Israel
+972 3 978 6688 Israel
One does not have to pre-register, just call in.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Margie Miller
WLCJ President
Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields
WLCJ Executive Director
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CONVENTION REGISTRATION
Come to Convention 2020 Sunday, July 12 - Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg in Schaumburg, Illinois
Check out the different packages being offered / get the early bird rate!
Go to the Women's League website - WLCJ.ORG - and Login to the member's area. Click Login at upper right of screen (or click
HERE
) and enter your email address and password where directed.
Need your password or help with login? Contact Razel rkessler@wlcj.org or 212-870-1263
*Special message for WLCJ Board of Directors at the end of this newsletter.
From Illene Rubin, Convention 2020 Program Vice Chair
Our Convention 2020 Team has put together an incredible variety of events and activities for our gathering in July. Program Vice Chair Illene Rubin is certain that Sisters Journeying Together will be an experience you will NOT want to miss.
Introducing Another Convention Speaker
Carol Ruderman, Executive Director of SHALVA
With over 20 years as a leader in nonprofit organizations, Carol has been Executive Director of SHALVA since January 2014. She leads the agency’s clinical and administrative staff in fulfilling SHALVA’s mission and oversees all programs, services, and fundraising efforts.
Carol is an active member of partner coalitions, serving on the steering committees for JCARES and the Partnership for a Safer Lake County. She is committed to making sure women facing domestic abuse get the help, support, and resources they need.
Carol holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and received a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Chatham College.
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Two New Pre-Convention Workshops For You
Convention starts NOW! Eat, Drink, Pray.
Thursday, May 7th 8:00 - 9:00PM Eastern Time
Study the the who, what, where, when and why of
Birkat HaMazon.
Rabbi Helene Kornsgold, Director of Congregational Education
Temple Israel, Charlotte, NC
Study the the who, what, where, when and why of
Birkat HaMazon.
Convention Starts NOW!
How to lead
Birkat HaMazon
.
Thursday, May 14th 8:00 - 9:00PM Eastern Time
The women who participate will be invited to lead Birkat HaMazon at the convention and will share a shehecheyanu moment there.
Eryka Velazquez, cantorial intern at South Huntington Jewish Center in Long Island.
Eryka Velazquez utilizes the power of prayer and song to connect present-day Jews with ancient Jewish traditions. She is a passionate singer, and music has always played a major role in her life. Currently in her fifth year of studies at the H. L. Miller Cantorial School and the Davidson School of Education, Eryka deepens her knowledge of Jewish education every day. In her future positions of leadership, she looks forward to blending the beautiful Jewish traditions of our past with contemporary practices of Judaism. Eryka most recently spent a second summer at Camp Ramah Wisconsin as a Yahadut teacher, Shira staff and B'nai Mitzvah Program Director.
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Convention Social Action Project update
If you would like to purchase a no-sew blanket kit to create a warm blanket or donate a kit to enable THE ARK to assist those in need please
Click HERE
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Calling all Sisterhood Presidents, both new and experienced!
Our Sisterhood Presidents' Zoom calls will help you navigate a path through the world of Women’s League.
Our Zoom calls are designed for you to discover the essence of Convention and why so many of us are so excited to be spending three days with like-minded Jewish women from all over North America. Just think…you have the chance to meet other Sisterhood Presidents from the comfort of your home before Convention, so you will have new friends waiting for you when you get to Chicago. This is also YOUR opportunity to let us know what tools you feel you need so that you can return to your sisterhoods feeling energized and confident. We aim to please!
Click
here
for recording of the first session held Wednesday, January 8, 2020,
Convention Starts NOW - I Did Not Know That!
Recording of March 5th session soon to be posted on our website
Convention Starts NOW! We have a website?
Registration is now open for the following Sisterhood Presidents' Zoom Call:
Convention Starts NOW! You Found It Where?
Wed., April 22, 8pm Eastern
Register HERE
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Mishnah Berakhot,
Chapter Seven
with Rabbi Gesa S. Ederberg
Sunday, April 19, 2020, at 1 p.m., EST
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Register for this session here!
Gesa Ederberg’s status as the first woman rabbi to serve in Berlin since the Holocaust has helped her reinvigorate the German community that once represented the cutting edge of liberal Judaism. Born a Lutheran, Ederberg first visited Israel at age thirteen and slowly fell in love with Judaism. She studied religion in Germany and Israel before converting to Judaism at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in 1995. After returning to Berlin, she taught Hebrew school and organized an alternative minyan at the prestigious Oranienburger Strasse Synagogue, slowly taking on more of a leadership role in the community that has been the center of Berlin’s liberal Jewish community for 150 years. Ederberg then entered rabbinical school at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, earning her ordination in 2003, and in 2007, she returned to the Oranienburger Strasse Synagogue as their new rabbi. Working to create local networks for liberal rabbis, she was a founding member of the General Rabbinic Conference of the Central Council of Jews in Germany and, in 2006, she helped found the European Rabbinical Assembly of Masorti/Conservative Rabbis. As of 2016, she continues to serve as their executive vice president and treasurer.
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Weekly Words of Torah goes PC
(Parashah
and
Chesed
) -
Parashat Vayakhel/Pekudei - Shabbat HaChodesh (Shabb
at 3/21/2020)
Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields
Executive Director
This Shabbat, called
Shabbat HaChodesh
, we read the double portion of
Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei,
and conclude the book of Exodus,
Sefer Shemot
. In
Parashat Vayakhe
l, Moses continues teaching about the rules of Shabbat and the building of the
Mishkan,
the Tabernacle. The actual work of building of the
Mishkan,
is described, as well as the ark, the table, the menorah, the altar of incense, the anointing oil the altar of burnt offering and more. Contributions are needed for the work to begin. The people respond so positively that Moses has to refuse some of the donations. Work begins on the
Mishkan
.
In
Parsahat Pekudei,
Moses reports how the donations were given for the
Mishkan,
the Tabernacle, and how they were used. Moses sets up the
Mishkan,
and establishes the priests in it.
Sefer Shemot,
the book of Exodus, concludes with a description of the cloud that covers the
Mishkan
by day and the fire that burns by night, establishing God's presence in the Tabernacle.
Parashat Vayakhel
means gather or assemble. Moses assembled the children of Israel and reminded them of the commandment to observe the Shabbat as a day of rest. During these uncertain times, during the coronavirus pandemic, we can not gather in large groups as we usually do. Therefore, now more than ever, an act of
Chesed
we can do this week of
Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei,
is to call our fellow sisterhood members and check in to see how they are.
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We gratefully acklowledge the following donations toward future Masorti Women's Study Days
Judy Cagan Berger
Karen Block
Ellen Kaner Bresnick
Barbara Cruciata
Jimmy Givens
Debbi Kaner Goldich
Har Shalom Potomac, MD
Hillcrest Jewish Center Flushing, NY
Dawn Prober Kasper
Julia Loeb
Edna Schrank
Kevin Spitz
Marsha Strongin
Shelley Szwalbenest
Jerold Waxman
Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields
March Sisterhood Showcase: Memories Roadshow Program
Temple Beth Sholom, Sarasota FL
This program is an opportunity to bring together women not only from the synagogue but from neighboring churches and even mosques. It breaks down barriers and enables sharing at a meaningful level. It helps all participants to see how much we share; how much we have in common. And it's a lot of fun!
How it works:
Each person should bring one article of memorabilia that is important to her. It does not have to be a religious article. We had an amazing variety of items presented.
Each person will be allowed to speak for 1 -2 minutes and describe what she brought and what it means to her. An emcee makes sure that no single group dominates and everyone is given a chance to speak.
We started our event with a very appropriate welcome from our Sisterhood President, followed by a short D'var Torah (it's copied below for reference). Then, the two Program Co-VP's presented their items so that people could get a flavor for what to do.
We made sure to advertise the program well in advance. We made the program free with no need to RSVP (our total costs were under $40 - well under $1 per person).
For outreach, it is best to have one contact at each outside house of worship. She will publicize the program to her co-congregants and act as a conduit. We had one woman at each of the two churches which participated and one woman at our local mosque, although they did not participate.
For full article click
HERE
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Women's League Calendar Diary 2020-2021 Order Now
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Your opportunity to enjoy recent Zoom Programs
Personal Conversation:
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Neshama, with Rabbi Jaymee Alpert
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Tefillin with Anne Lapidus Lerner
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Mishnah with Rabbi Chaya Rowen Brown
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How To Put On Tefillin with Janet Kirschner
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We are pleased to share with you
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We are pleased to share with you the following information on a publication jointly published by the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute at Brandeis University and Indiana University Press.
For subscription information click
HERE.
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From the Region Torah Fund Chair--
Marilyn Cohen
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I returned on Tuesday night to Toronto from our winter stay in Florida and am now in a 14 day self-quarantine. This is truly an unprecedented and emotionally difficult time for all of us. I hope you are all following your leaders’ directions and staying away from crowds and practicing social distancing and hand washing regularly, If we all follow these procedures, it has been proven we
can
beat it!
As Torah Fund VP, I’m aware that many of our sisterhoods have planned their Torah Fund events in the Spring and may very well have to cancel or postpone them. I’ve sent all Torah Fund Chairs an email with some great ideas on how to possibly still raise the much-needed funds for our students at our seminaries.
Mazal Tov to Temple Beth Tzedec Sisterhood in Williamsville (formerly Amherst) who has exceeded its Torah Fund Goal! I just got off the phone with Torah Fund Chair Linda Steinhorn, who told me they do not have an actual event but PERSONALLY CONTACT (by phone or face-to-face
Y
) all former donors to Torah Fund, to get their pledge for the year. They do this in August so that by their first program in September they can hand out all the Torah Fund Pins in time for Yom Tov. Then in November they mail the rest of the congregation a solicitation letter in a Torah Fund shell, explaining it’s purpose & ask for donations, which they generously receive. Linda (
oralin330@aol.com
) will be glad to discuss details with any sisterhood who would like to do a similar campaign.
And now that they have reached their goal, any future Torah Fund donations
if designated by the donor
can go to our ‘Special Project’ – CREATING NEW SPACES.
Y
Of course at this time, we cannot have any face-to-face contact but we
can
call our donors to ask how they are doing in general – especially if they are shut in or elderly or alone.
Creating New Spaces is a project that benefits
both JTS and Ziegler. It supports the new Crossroads Campaign at JTS, dedicating a Women’s League study space in the new JTS Undergraduate Residence Hall. Official opening was going to be this month but has been postponed to the Fall. Goal is $100,000.
At Ziegler, donations will help support a special Rabbinic Studies training course addressing issues of gender bias and harassment, to be named
Women’s League Institute On Gender Bias and Harassment
. Goal is $100,000. Once the combined goal of $200,000 is reached, this campaign ends.
All checks to Creating New Spaces need to be separate from the general campaign donation.
This is not a bookkeeping issue it’s a legal issue.
Creating Spaces checks must be made out to Torah Fund in US or Jewish Theological Society in Canada BUT on the Memo line, please write "Spaces."
A special thank you to these women from our Region who have donated to the Spaces Campaign so far:
Marla Allentoff, Marilyn Cohen, Deborah Krusch, Cheryl Patt, Jean Weisberg.
Note: All special projects are fundraising initiatives over and above the annual Torah Fund campaign. Individuals and sisterhoods may donate any amount to the projects.
If you have any Torah Fund or Special Projects Campaign questions,
please do not hesitate to contact me
.
Marilyn Cohen
416-518-1860
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