July 7, 2020 | Special
CHAI LINES
The Newsletter of the International Northeast Region
Women's League for Conservative Judaism
SISTERS JOURNEYING TOGETHER
Serving Conservative Jewish Women
in New York State, Ontario, and Quebec
LIKE OUR PAGE ON FACEBOOK
From Our Region President
Joan Lowenstein
Dear Friends,

It is not too late! You can still be one of the 900+ women making history at this Sunday's Convention 2020! We will journey together and enjoy programs and lectures from a wide range of presenters from across the globe. It is FREE and there is something for everyone. Come for just part of Convention or stay for the whole day, it's up to you. See below for the Convention schedule. Click here to register!

Are you unfamiliar with Zoom? Not to worry! We have just the thing for you. Tonight, July 7, 2020 at 8:00 pm or tomorrow, July 8, 2020 at 2:00 pm you can learn how to Zoom. See below for information to register for the Zoom Basics workshops! Not sure how to sign on to the workshops? Email Renee Ravich! rravich@wlcj.org.
Looking forward to "seeing" you ALL on Sunday at Convention!

Joan
HOW TO / ZOOM BASICS:
2 FREE SESSIONS

Tuesday, July 7th at 8:00pm ET or Wednesday, July 8 at 2:00pm ET 
Have you registered for Convention but are unsure how to use Zoom? Don’t know the difference between a Chat and Q & A? How do I raise my hand? How do I turn off the video? Where is the rename button?

If you are unfamiliar with Zoom and would like to learn more, please join us for an introductory lesson. Zoom 5.0 must be downloaded on your computer, tablet or phone before you log in.

Register for one of these classes.  Questions before the workshop?  Go to  zoom.us  and watch a tutorial or email Renee Ravich at  rravich@wlcj.org .
Click to Register and Choose   HERE
From Women's League for Conservative Judaism
The Women's League Virtual Convention
July 12, 2020 10:30 AM - 6:00 PM EDT
 
Although we are not going to “Journey” to Schaumburg, Illinois,
our 2020 Virtual Convention is journeying to you!
 
WHEN:
SUNDAY, JULY 12, 2020 10:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. EST   
 
WHERE:  
In front of your computer, iPad, phone or laptop.
 
WHY:
The business of Women’s League must go on and
you do NOT want to miss a day of fabulous programming.
 
Be a part of our first-ever virtual installation ceremony.
Gowns optional, tissues mandatory!
Witness the transition to our new administration.
 
Mazal Tov to Margie Miller and Debbi Kaner Goldich,
their officers and boards.
 
The day will be free of charge, but your generous support of the
Virtual Ad Journal  will be greatly appreciated.
 
The Virtual Ad Journal will be featured during the convention on July 12 and continue on the Women's League website until the next convention.
 
Please consider recognizing our Incoming and Outgoing Executive Committee members and Jewels in the Crown award winning sisterhoods or anyone you wish to recognize, with an ad in the Virtual Journal. Your ad will honor them and will convey to them that their dedication to the Women’s League mission is truly appreciated.
 
 
 Debbi Kaner Goldich, Convention Chair   DGoldich@wlcj.org
 
Questions? Contact Razel Kessler, Administrator   rkessler@wlcj.org
Convention Schedule    
 
10:00am Convention Opening

10:30 - 10:40am Tefillin - Shehecheyanu Moment

10:40 - 11:30am Healing Service, Psalms Study, In Memoriam
Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro and
Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields
 
Featuring Zoomria - The WLCJ Choir:
Marilyn Cohen, International Northeast Region
Barbara Ezring, Seaboard and Southern
Toby Holtzman, Seaboard
Razel Kessler, MetroNorth Region
Debbie Lempert, Central Great Lakes Region
Lauren Rudin, Mid-Atlantic Region
Dana Sirkin, North by Northwest Region
Adele Weinstein, International Northeast Region
Gilda Zucker, Intracontinental Region
 
Conducted by: Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro and
Cantor Leon Sher, Congregation Beth El, Voorhees, NJ

11:30am - 12:00pm Chatting in Zoomburg Meeting Rooms

12:00 - 1:00pm Social Justice Panel
Social Justice: Torah, DNA or Both?
Rabbi Cheryl Peretz
Assoc. Dean, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies;
Sara Bresnick Tennen
Exec Dir, DC Volunteer Lawyers Project;
Dr. Marc Swatez / Rebecca Joy Fletcher,
The ARK, Chicago

1:00 - 1:30pm Chatting in Zoomburg Meeting Room

1:30 - 2:45pm WLCJ Plenary Session
Rules of Convention
Bylaws Vote
ELECTIONS
State of the League
Torah Fund: Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson,
Chancellor Arnold Eisen, and
Chancellor-elect Shuly Rubin Schwartz
Jewels in the Crown Awards

2:45 - 3:00pm Zoom Meeting Room - Virtual Journal

3:00 - 4:00pm Sisterhood Workshops
Presidents: Toby Maser, Carol Simon, Meryl Balaban,
and Cory Schneider
This day will be spent in such an inspiring, happy
Convention. You will enjoy a smooth journey as a
Sisterhood President.
 
Torah Fund: Randy Schwartz, Barbara Ezring, Lisa
Paule, Jeanette Brownstein, and Donna Burkat
All you need to know to create a successful Torah Fund
campaign in your Sisterhood.
 
Membership: Sandy Blumenthal, Sue Bengele, and
Regina Newman
Membership Express: Journey with us on the road to what it
is and what it can be.
 
Advocacy: Ardis Wexler, Marlene Oslick, and
Karen Cuker
Advocating for Women’s League Resolutions.
 
Engagement/Programming: Grace Schessler and
Karen Seltzer
Programming for today’s Sisterhoods: A look at relevant and
accessible ideas.
 
Communications: Deb Bruce, Rachel Ferber, and
Sheila Kaufman
Tools to engage and inform your community.

4:00 - 4:30pm C ocktails with Margie and Debbi

4:30 - 6:00pm Installation Ceremony and Celebratory Concert
NEW!! Convention 2020 NEW!!
Sisters Journeying Together
Virtual Ad Journal  
Procedures for Canadian Donors


We have developed the following procedures to facilitate the placement and payment of virtual journal ads from Canadian donors .  

Go to the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism website at wlcj.org . Click the Donate tab in the upper right-hand corner (on pink strip).
Enter your donation amount in US dollars. Decide which journal category you are selecting. For the selected category, convert the amount expressed in Canadian dollars to US dollars based on the current conversion rate, which you can google. For example, if you chose the Supporter category for $180, at today’s conversion rate of .75, the US dollar amount you would pay is $134. Therefore, you should enter $134 where it says Donation amount.
Click continue.
Enter the information requested for email, name, address and phone.
Select email or other.
DO NOT select a fund.
DO NOT enter occasion.
This next step is very important: You must write Virtual Journal Ad in the details box. You should also indicate which journal category you chose and the conversion rate. Finally, you can include the text of your ad.
Enter your credit card information. We are unable to process Canadian checks. The only form of payment is VISA or MasterCard.
Check not a robot.
Click Process Donation

Questions? Please contact Razel Kessler at rkessler@wlcj.org or Sarah Stern at media@wlcj.org .

Thank you so much for your Virtual Ad. We sincerely appreciate your support of Convention 2020 and Women’s League for Conservative Judaism by taking a Virtual Ad. We look forward to seeing you on July 12, 2020.

Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields,  Executive Director
Weekly Words of Torah - Torah Study Together -
Parashat Pinchas (Shabbat 7/11/2020) - Zeal  

For the past year, as a way to connect our 5780 (2019-2020) Torah Fund campaign, Chesed, with study of Torah, our Weekly Words of Torah (WWOT) went PC - Parashah and Chesed: each week, WWOT was a summary of the weekly Torah Portion, or Parashat HaShavuah , and Chesed ideas relating to some topics in the Parashah were proposed. The Torah Fund theme for 5781 (2020-2021) is B’Yachad, which means, “Together.” Our WWOT will now present ideas, thoughts and topics, to encourage people to together study and discuss the Weekly Torah Portion. 
 
Topic to discuss together in Parsahat Pinchas : Zeal 
    Pinchas tried to maintain peace, which resulted in his zealous act of actually killing two people. As a result of his zealous act of slaying Zimri and Cozbi, Pinchas received the “Lord’s Covenant of Peace,” or the “Pact of Friendship.” Pinchas was reworded for risking his life for God’s honor and because of his actions to reestablish peace between God and Israel. 
  • Is zealous behavior a good thing ? 
  • Should zealous behavior be rewarded ? 
  • Have you shown any zealous behavior in your lifetime?
  • What are you zealous for ?
Virtual Psalm Study & Kaddish Sunday - Friday 1:00PM EDT
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.  
Since Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 1 pm EDT, we have offered a Virtual Minyan 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.
 
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 at 1 pm ET, and will continue every day, but Shabbat, and the holy days of holidays
 
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
Password: 875936
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 

Find your local number:  https://zoom.us/u/abkdqsxzJq
 
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 
Save The Date  - Jewish Women in Film Session #7 The 1970's
Monday, July 27, 2020 3:00-4:00 p.m. EDT, followed by Q & A

Explore the decade of Jewish women "coming of age" in the film industry.

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 890 8155 6104
Password: 514845
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,89081556104# US (New York)
+13017158592,,89081556104# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location
       +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
       +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
       +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
       +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
       +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
       +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
       +1 647 558 0588 Canada
       +1 778 907 2071 Canada
       +1 204 272 7920 Canada
       +1 438 809 7799 Canada
       +1 587 328 1099 Canada
       +1 647 374 4685 Canada
       +972 3 978 6688 Israel
       +972 55 330 1762 Israel
Meeting ID: 890 8155 6104
Find your local number:  https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcfwSA6Qdz  
Link here to read the New York Times Book Review of The Yellow Bird Sings: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/books/review/what-we-carry-maya-shanbhag-lang.html
To learn more about Jennifer, visit her website at  http://jennifer-rosner.com/
The Yellow Bird Sings is available at  https://bookshop.org/books/the-yellow-bird-sings/9781250179760  or wherever you buy books.
 
Zoom information will be provided when you RSVP
To RSVP contact Adele Weinstein at adelew@rogers.com