Chai Lines
International Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich and Empower
Conservative Jewish Women
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September 5, 2019 Volume 3, Issue 29
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FROM THE REGION PRESIDENT--JOAN LOWENSTEIN
EMBRACING THE STRANGER
Recently at a synagogue board meeting, I had the opportunity to hear our Rabbi, Yehoshua Zehavi give a
d'var torah referencing
Parashat Eikev--Deuteronomy 10:18-19:
but upholds the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and befriends the stranger, providing him with food and clothing,--You too must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Rabbi Zehavi said that we should embrace everyone who comes through the synagogue door. He asked us "how does the Synagogue feel like a home for anyone who enters?" Then he asked "how can we do this during these difficult times of increased security?"
It happened that we were discussing the security measures we take at our synagogue on Shabbat and the necessary steps the Shabbat greeter must take when welcoming those attending services. What if you do not recognize the person approaching? What measures should you take to ensure the security of the synagogue while at the same time being warm and welcoming? While it is the unfortunate reality that every synagogue and Jewish institution alike has had to face this reality of late, it does not negate us of our responsibility to embrace the stranger.
This is true on every level be it Shabbat services, High Holy Day Services, or a Sisterhood program. It is our obligation to ensure that all are made to feel valued and wanted. In this way "strangers" become sisters. How do you safeguard and protect yourselves while still being warm and welcoming? I hope that you all embrace the stranger and that your synagogues feel like home.
Wishing you all a meaningful and peaceful, Shabbat!
L'Shalom
Joan
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MORE GOOD NEWS WANTED
Toot your own horn.
Tell us what is going on in your Sisterhood.
Tell us what is successful in your Sisterhood.
Email Lois Silverman, Chai Line editor, at
and she'll share your news.
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FROM WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR
CONSERVATIVE
JUDAISM
Networking to engage,enrich and empower
Conservative Jewish Women
Shabbat Message: "Hineini"
by Sandy Blumenthal
WLCJ Financial Secretary
In August, I found myself beginning e-mails with, "I can't believe that the summer is almost over!" This phrase took on a more urgent tone as the weeks progressed. Labor Day weekend, for me, has always marked a time for change. As a child, it signaled the time to return to school and studies. As an adult, it meant a time to change gears - from more laid-back to more serious; from status quo to opportunity. Summer is the time to reflect, heal, and enjoy. August is the transition. What worked? What do I want to try differently? August allows us to go from a mindset of "I just want to stay in this place" to "I'm ready to begin again."
It happens every year, like a ritual. There is a cleaning up of the year just passed and a spiritual preparation for what is just ahead. How fitting that this year's Labor Day Weekend marked the start of Elul, the time that we, as Jews, prepare for and celebrate the High Holidays. We reflect, make amends, plan, and visualize the next step in our lives. There is a clean page on which to write the next part of our story. We pray for the opportunity to attempt to fulfill our vision for ourselves and our community.
Sisterhoods begin planning over the summer. There is serious discussion and reflection of what worked, what needs to be improved, and how can we evolve to better fulfill our mission. There is a new sense of energy and an eagerness to come together for a common cause. August is behind us and the page for the next chapter is blank and offers a myriad of opportunity. Hineini - Here I am.
CONVENTION 2020 IS COMING!
The Rise of Anti-Semitism in North America with David Bernstein, President and CEO
of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)
Tuesday, September 3, 2019 8:00 p.m., Eastern time
Join David Bernstein, President and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), for an exclusive virtual discussion on the Rise of Anti-Semitism in North America on Tuesday, September 3, at 8:00 p.m., Eastern time. The meeting will be held via Zoom videoconferencing. WLCJ members have the opportunity to submit questions for Mr. Bernstein beforehand when they register. Call-in information will be sent upon registering.
David Bernstein
is President and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). Since his arrival, David has taken JCPA in new directions, providing added support to the JCRC network and a greater focus in its national advocacy work.
Prior to his appointment, David served as a consultant dedicated to assisting organizations and communities in strengthening their Israel education, engagement and advocacy work. He is also founder of CultureSolutions LLC, which works with non-profits on strategic planning and culture change efforts.
David served as Executive Director of The David Project from August 2010 - September 2014. Under his leadership, David transformed the organization, focusing on the need for expanding relationships with campus opinion leaders, intensifying efforts at particular campuses and utilizing a more nuanced approach for discussions about Israel.
David also spent 13 years at the American Jewish Committee, where he began as director of the Washington regional office and served in management roles overseeing regional offices and national and local programming and advocacy.
Women's League for Conservative Judaism is 1 of 17 National agencies which belong to JCPA.
Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)
is the national hub of the community relations network, representing 125 local Jewish community relations councils and 17 national Jewish agencies, including the four main denominations of American Judaism. Together we and our network advocate for a just and pluralistic American society, human rights around the world, and Israel's quest for peace and security.
Personal Conversation with WLCJ and Sharsheret
When Life Gets Interrupted: Offering Support to Someone Facing Illness - Tuesday, September 24, 2019, at 7:30 p.m., Eastern time. Register here!
Join Women's League and Sharsheret for a Personal Conversation on how to offer support to a loved one facing illness on Tuesday, September 24, at 7:30 p.m., Eastern time. Call-in information will be sent upon registering.
 Melissa K. Rosen, Sharsheret's Director of National Outreach, has a master's degree in Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University and has been working in the non-profit sector for 30 years. Her professional experience includes informal education, advocacy, and community outreach. Melissa's work has allowed her to facilitate unique and lasting connections among organizations in the diverse American Jewish community.
Melissa oversees outreach efforts throughout the country, amplifying Sharsheret's reach and connecting as many as possible to the support and resources of Sharsheret. Herself a breast cancer survivor, she is passionate about the Jewish community and cancer support and advocacy.
Please join us in this exclusive Zoom session planned for Tuesday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m., Eastern time. Call-in information will be sent upon registering.
Divrei Nashim: Words of Our Women -
Chesed
UPDATED for 2019!
Our downloadable Divrei Nashim has been updated to reflect the new 2019 theme, Chesed or loving-kindness. Thanks to our Women's League members who contributed new chapters to this ongoing series! Download the 2019 edition here!
September Sisterhood Program Showcase
Event: Annual Vodka Latkes Event
From: Congregation Beth Judea Sisterhood in Long Grove, IL
1st Annual Vodkas & Latkes and MURDER
Concept: While guests were having a nosh (other than latkes), they were informed of several different high-end Kosher Vodkas one at a time. There was also a spread of different types of latkes for guests to try. After the main vodka sampling was done, someone was be "murdered," and a game of Clue began.
Items served:
Flavored latkes:
Original
Yucca
Avocado Salsa
Brussel Sprout
Butternut Squash/Sweet Potato
Assortment of vegetables, fruit, chips, and other fun snack items (this is not meant to be dinner)
Regular (well) vodka with mixers
Assorted beer and wine
Lemonade or tea, pop, and water
The tables were decorated with different clue items from the real game and from items listed in the cards that we used (see below). Our event was co-sponsored by Sisterhood and Men's Club.
Cost:
$18 for a single
$30 for a couple
The MURDER theme took the form of a game of Clue. Instead of each person playing a character, tables worked together to solve the mystery with the items Murderer, Weapon, and Location.
In the actual game of Clue, Mr. Boddy is apparently the victim of foul play and is found in one of the rooms. The object of the game is to discover who committed the murder, where it took place, and what weapon was used. The answer lies in an envelope, which contains 3 cards. One card tells the answer to each of the questions. The players are dealt the remaining cards. By asking questions of other players to find out which cards are in their hands, they attempt to find the missing cards that must be hidden in the envelope.
The Victim (Mr. Boddy in the actual game) was our current Congregation President, who agreed to attend the event as our "dead body." He was thrilled to be a part of the evening. We recommend including someone from the board when possible, if they can attend the event. When we wanted to start the game, we snuck him out of the room, and one of us ran into the room screaming that the President was just found dead!
In our game, three cards (one Murderer, one Weapon, and one Location) were set aside (these are the answer that the teams are looking for). Each table (team) was provided with game cards (one Murderer, one Weapon, and at least one Location) and several clue facts sheets to take notes on. Because there were 6 Murder and Weapon cards but 9 Location cards, some teams got 2 Location cards. To start the game, one person at each table rolls the dice, and the table with the highest number starts. The rules of the game are like the classic Clue rules. Starting with the table with the highest number rolled, each table (team) asks the team clockwise to it for 3 cards (one each, Murderer, Weapon, Location). If they have any of the cards requested, then one of those cards is shown to the team that asked. If they do not have the card, then the next clockwise team is to show one of the three cards if they have one, and this process proceeds til the asking team is shown one card. After seeing the card, they can make a guess of the Murderer, Weapon, and Location that were pulled before the game began. If they guess and are wrong, their team is eliminated, and the cards are distributed to other teams. If they are right, they win, and the game is over. Teams are encouraged to take notes when people ask for cards.
We bought enough chocolate gelt and mini vodka bottles to provide them as mini trophies to the winning team. The game takes up enough time that you probably only need to play it once, however, it could be played more times.
We also encourage you to share your unique programs with us so that we can Showcase your Sisterhood Program. Please send your program outlines, flyers and photos to Marsha Strongin at marsha@strongin.net. Together we will engage, enrich and empower our Sisterhood members.
Mishnah Berakhot Updates!
 Rabbi Pamela Barmash, Ph.D., has served on the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly since 2003 and on the Joint Beit Din of the Conservative Movement since 2008. She is co-chair of the new Disabilities Inclusion Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly. She served as the rabbi at Temple Shaare Tefilah, Norwood, Massachusetts, for eight years, and she taught at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem for many summers. She received her B.A. from Yale, rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and Ph.D. from Harvard. Rabbi Barmash is professor of Hebrew Bible at Washington University in St. Louis and has served as director of Jewish, Islamic and Near Eastern Studies there. She has been a fellow at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. In her rabbinic writing, she wants to inspire more Jews to observe more mitzvot, and she is the author of teshuvot (rabbinic papers) on contemporary issues in Judaism. In her academic scholarship, she addresses issues of law and justice in her book Homicide in the Biblical World and shows how Jews have transformed the story of the Exodus and the celebration of Passover to meet changing needs and concerns in Exodus in the Jewish Experience: Echoes and Reverberations.
No previous study will be needed to join the Zoom calls, just prior registration. Call-in information will be sent upon registering - Please refrain from joining the call until a half hour before the session.
This program is open to registered Women's League members only.
Mishnah Berakhot, Chapter Four: Livin' on a Prayer with Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields will be on Thursday, November 21, 2019, 8:00 p.m., EST - Register for this session here!
Just Announced! THREE new sessions have been added to Listen, Pray, Think: A Journey through Mishnah Berakhot!
Videos of all previous sessions are available under the Members Only section of our website.
Weekly Words of Torah Goes PC (
Parashah and
Chesed) -
Parashat Shoftim 5779
P
arashat Shoftim
is a review of more laws. Judges are appointed. In addition, we read about laws against worshipping idols, laws concerning the high court, king, priests, and Levites, as well as criminal laws and the laws of warfare. There are a few
C
hesed
ideas for Parashat Shoftim. The Torah states, Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof, Justice, justice you shall pursue." (Deuteronomy 16:20) The word for charity, tzedakah, comes from the same root as tzedek, justice. Set up a Torah Fund tzedakah box in your laundry room, and whatever spare change you find in anyone's pockets, put into the tzedakah box. Parashat Shoftim instructs that, when one conquers a land, the trees should not be destroyed, because our environment is sacred. "When in your war against a city you have to besiege it for a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down..." (Deuteronomy 20:19-20) These verses are the foundation for the concept of concern for the environment. Although we may use fruit trees, and other items in our environment, we are still commanded to preserve the environment as well. An additional
C
hesed
idea for this week, is to consider using less disposable items. For example, use glass cups, instead of paper cups, review your recycling plan in your home, and also at sisterhood events.
Thank You for Your Contributions!
The following have donated recently to Women's League and its many initiatives.
Donate here, or send checks to Women's League made out to "Women's League for Conservative Judaism."
Please indicate the name of the program you are donating to in the memo line of the check (i.e. "Masorti").
All contributions are welcome.
Masorti WL Days of Study
Joshua, Gutoff, Watertown, MA
This donation was made in Evelyn Seelig's honor.
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FROM THE TORAH FUND V.P. -- MARILYN COHEN
"
Atid" (future) was the theme for the Torah Fund campaign that just ended on June 30, 2019. The design of the
Atid pin proved to be very popular and helped increase donations. The Torah Fund office is processing all the donations they received before June 30, from the 13 Regions, for the 5779 campaign. Thank you to all our donors in the International Northeast Region (INR).
The new theme of the 2019-2020 Torah Fund Campaign is Chesed, symbolizing the heart of kindness. The word can also be translated as "lovingkindness," to convey the deep love that motivates Jewish acts of kindness, done without thought of reward. Rabbinic tradition makes chesed one of the three central pillars of Jewish life, as Shimon HaTzaddik taught. "The world rests on three things: on Torah, on service of God, and on deeds of kindness." (Pirkei Avot 1:2)
Al haTorah, V'al Ha'Avodah, v'al G'milut Chasadim.
The 5780 Torah Fund pin depicts a heart surrounded by three circles, each one larger than the next. This symbolizes the heart of kindness in ever-widening realms of generosity: from family, to community, to the larger world. Or from North America, to Israel, to the entire world. Or from Sisterhood, to Region, to our international Women's League for Conservative Judaism.
Suggestions to Torah Fund and other event planning officers:
- Know your synagogue's deadlines for submitting TF materials/articles.
- Include a picture of the Chesed pin in your materials.
- Have tzedakah boxes at all meetings, especially your opening event.
- Have a display board with all Torah Fund cards on it at each meeting.
- Donate the remaining 5779 pins to a nursing home... or use them in a craft project.
- Check dates of Region events before setting your dates, to avoid conflicts.
- Put a Torah Fund program/event on your 5780 calendar.
- Invite the Region President and me to attend!
I am looking forward to another great year working with so many wonderful volunteers who are dedicated to Torah Fund. Please feel free to contact me at any time.
Marilyn Cohen, Torah Fund VP
International Northeast Region
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FROM OUR NEIGHBORING REGION
A PROGRAM WORTH ATTENDING OR DUPLICATING
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away...
Join the Mid-Atlantic Region and other WLCJ women on a never-to-be-forgotten road trip: a gallery educator-led visit to the Museum of Jewish Heritage's Auschwitz exhibit during Chol HaMoed Sukkot, on October 17. Tour will begin at 1:30 pm and will last 90 minutes.
This exhibition brings together 700 original objects and 400 photographs from dozens of institutions and museums around the world - including artifacts and materials from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum which have never been seen in North America.
"Auschwitz did not start with the gas chambers. Hatred does not happen overnight; it builds up slowly among people. It does so with words and thoughts, with small everyday acts, with prejudices," said Luis Ferreiro, Director of Musealia, (the company helping organize the exhibit and transport items).
"When we had the vision to create the exhibition, we conceived its narrative as an opportunity to better understand how such a place could come to exist, and as warning of where hatred can take us to."
Only 30 tickets are available for us and our surrounding Regions. Price is $25 per person and reservations accepted in the order received.
Please mail your payment to:
Ariana Burrows 406 Shoemaker Road Elkins Park, PA 19027
Lori Snow
President, Mid-Atlantic Region
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NEED HELP?
HELP IS AVAILABLE ON THE WLCJ WEBSITE.
Programs, membership ideas, education material, and more available at wlcj.org
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