In
ternational Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich, and Empower Conservative Jewish Women
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January 24, 2020 Volume 4, Issue 3
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FROM THE REGION PRESIDENT--JOAN LOWENSTEIN
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Over winter break this past December, my daughter attended USY International Convention with hundreds of other Jewish teenagers from across North America. The convention took place in Ontario, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. This was her second time attending International Convention, but I was no less nervous about sending her cross country on her own! Luckily this year she did have travel companions, which made it a bit easier for me to put her on the plane. They took off very early on a Sunday morning out of Syracuse for an event filled week.
Along with daily prayers, learning, study and annual election of the International Executive Board, some of the programs and events that took place during Convention were: Shacharit in the Dark; Musical Shacharit; the Tikun Olam Coin Challenge, and an Israeli Shuk Night. A program I found inspiring was USY Talks (think "TED" Talks); there were to session, both by led by USYers. The first was a presentation on our relationship with God, and the second was about the presenter's own mental health journey. I was able to watch both of these presentations via video that was posted on the USY Facebook page.
There was also sightseeing. The USYers visited Hollywood Boulevard and the Stars Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Venice Beach, and The Grove. Some of them were lucky enough to have the opportunity to decorate floats for the Rose Bowl Parade! All in all, it was a great week of learning, lots of ruach and camaraderie with USY friends old and new.
Do you know where you can find a similar experience? At Women's League Convention in Schaumberg, Illinois, July 12-15, 2020! We are Sisters Journeying Together! I will never forget my first Women's League Convention and how it brought me back to that feeling I had when I was in USY. For more information about convention and some of the presenters go to
http://convention.wlcj.org/
. I hope to see you in July!
Wishing you a very meaningful and peaceful Shabbat,
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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Do you know that INR has its own website and Facebook page?
Go to our Facebook page and like us. Click here to see our page.
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FROM WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR
CONSERVATIVE
JUDAISM
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Women's League for Conservative Judaism
is extremely pleased to present the following
slate for the 2020-2023 term
President
Debbi Kaner Goldich
, MidAtlantic Region
Vice Presidents
Debbie Battan
, North Atlantic Region
Sandy Blumenthal
, MidAtlantic Region
Donna Finkelstein
, MidAtlantic Region
Brenda Katz
, Pacific Southwest Region
Julia Loeb
, Seaboard Region
Regina Newman
, Southern Region
Ilene Rothman
, Garden State Region
Grace Schlessler
, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island Region
Edna Schrank
, Central Great Lakes Region
Dana Sirkin
, North By Northwest Region
Mindy Steinholz
, MetroNorth Region
Marsha Strongin
, IntraContinental Region
Recording Secretary
Deb Bruce
, North Atlantic Region
Financial Secretary
Sue Bengele
, Florida Region
Treasurer
Rochelle Hirt
, MidAtlantic Region
Nominating Committee
Ellen Bresnick
, Seaboard Region
Sandy Eliaser
, North By Northwest Region
Agnes Emert
, Pacific Southwest Region
Debbi Green
, Central Great Lakes Region
Myra Promisel
, Seaboard Region
Randy Schwartz
, IntraContinental Region
Carol Simon
, Florida Region
Rusty Zackheim
, International Northeast Region
Mazal tov
to all of our nominees!
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Women's League Shabbat Message
Happy Birthday WLCJ!
By Cindy Ginsburg, President
IntraContinental Region (ICR)
This week in Jewish History marks the formation of what is now known as Women's League for Conservative Judaism. On January 21, 1918, Conservative synagogue sisterhoods joined together to form the Women's League of the United Synagogue. The founding president of the League was Mathilde Roth Schechter. One hundred women, many the wives of prominent rabbis and scholars affiliated with the Jewish Theological Seminary, set forth a mission to "perpetuate traditional Judaism in their homes, synagogues and communities, a task for American Jewish women."
I became involved in Women's League for Conservative Judaism in 1999 when our family returned to St. Louis, Missouri. My husband retired from the Army and after spending 22 years moving around the globe, we were finally able to put down permanent roots. Looking back on the past 21 years, I think about what WLCJ has meant to me. Taking a retrospective look, I think of what I would not have been exposed to if not for WLCJ. Many things come to mind and this listing is definitely not all-inclusive!
I would not have been enriched in Jewish observance. Without WLCJ, I wouldn't be able to lead Birkat Hamazon, feel comfortable leading Kiddush and Hamotzi in public, or chanting the Torah Aliyah Blessings. I would not have had an adult Bat Mitzvah. I would not have met so many wonderful women across the country. Women that have held me in their thoughts and prayers while going through various health issues, who I learn and pray with and who I now call friends. I would not have been able to travel to different congregations throughout North America. I feel certain I never would have visited Winnipeg, MB, Canada!! I would not have been able to attend professional leadership or self-development training. I wouldn't be able to initiate zoom meetings or hold conference calls. I would not have had the opportunity to conduct board meetings, learn parliamentary procedures or see how an international organization works from the inside.
I wouldn't have had the opportunity to visit the Jewish Theological Seminary, see first hand the Women's League's contributions to the school or have viewed the priceless rare book collection. I wouldn't have been exposed to the many Jewish authors and read their non-fiction and fiction works. My home library has grown! I never would have been exposed to the United Nations or the numerous public policy Resolutions that affect the health and welfare of all women.
In addition to all of the benefits I have had by belonging to WLCJ, the ripple effect extends to my entire family. I feel that because of my involvement, my children have seen the importance of Judaism in their lives. I see their interest in Judaism, tzedekah and Israel grow. My husband is involved in several Jewish organizations to include Jewish War Veterans.I am proud of the woman that I have become due to my involvement with WLCJ. Happy Birthday WLCJ! I look forward with anticipation, to what the next 20 years hold for me as I continue to learn and grow with my fellow Women's League sisters.
Shabbat Shalom
Shalom friends,
For the first time at Women's League Convention the Leadership sessions will take place before the Convention officially starts. This will allow all delegates to participate in Convention and not miss personal enrichment and educational sessions because they are in required sessions.
All Sisterhood Presidents should plan to arrive and be ready to start their session at 1PM on Sunday, July 12.
There will be separate registration available to enable those delegates to check in to Convention. Hopefully the hotel rooms will also be ready at 1PM.
Sisters Journeying Together,
Debbi
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Convention Starts NOW! Two Exclusive Workshops for Members!
Get a taste of Convention 2020!
This January, Women's League will offer two exclusive workshops for our members on the subject of tefillin. Then, join us for a Shehecheyanu Moment at Shacharit,
Monday, July 13, 2020
when many of our women will wrap tefillin together for the first time at a WLCJ Convention!
On
Thursday, January 30, at 8:00 p.m., Eastern time,
via Zoom, join us for "How Do You Put on Tefillin?" with Janet Kirschner. How do we wrap ourselves in tefillin? Janet will give us step-by-step instructions and we'll wrap together.
Call-in details will be sent upon registering.
Janet Coleman Kirschner
is the Treasurer of Women's League for Conservative Judaism. She sits on the WLCJ Board of Directors, the Finance Committee, and the Torah Fund Cabinet. Janet has served as a Vice President of Women's League. She is a Past President of Women's League's Southern NJ Branch, now the Mid-Atlantic Region. She was a co-founder of the Women's League Reads online book club.
She is a retired Certified Public Accountant and Financial Executive with over 30 years of experience in public accounting and corporate financial positions.
Janet is a member of Congregation Beth El, Voorhees, NJ and Temple Sinai, Cinnaminson, NJ. She is a regular attendee at morning
minyan
where she wraps her father's (
z'l
) Tefillin.
She loves to read and travel.
Janet and her husband Phil live in Moorestown, NJ. They have two children, Jonathan and Jennifer.
Where to obtain tefillin? Start shopping at your Sisterhood Judaica Shop. Order from Judaica House, judaicahouse.net, (201) 801-9001, 478 Cedar Lane, Teaneck, NJ or from Hecht's GotJudaica.com, gotjudaica.com, (718) 258-9696, 1265 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11230.
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NEW!! Convention 2020 Social Justice Projects
Check out two of our upcoming
Convention 2020 Social Justice projects
with The Ark Chicago here and here in these new videos by WLCJ's Rachel Ferber and Edna Schrank, and don't forget to share with your friends on Facebook!
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 Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann is the founder of Mishkan, Chicago, an independent, post-denominational spiritual community in Chicago. She was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, and graduated with Honors in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Stanford University, and was ordained by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. She is one of the founding rabbis of Jewish Emergent Network, a network of 7 national path-breaking communities reimagining Judaism for the next generation.
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Come to Convention 2020 in Schaumburg, Illinois!
Sunday, July 12 - Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg
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Mishnah Berakhot with Rabbi Chaya Rowen Baker
Rabbi Chaya Rowen Baker
was ordained in 2007 by the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem. Born to an Orthodox father and a Reform mother, she grew up within the Masorti Movement in Israel. She holds a BA from the Hebrew University in Jewish History and Archaeology, and an MA from the Schechter Institute in Jewish Studies. Rabbi Rowen-Baker was the 2007 Tanenbaum Fellow of Congregation Beth-Tzedec in Toronto and a RIKMA fellow for leadership development. Since her ordination, Rabbi Rowen Baker has been serving as the rabbi of Kehillat Ramot-Zion in French Hill, Jerusalem, a Masorti congregation home to many Israelis in search of a meaningful connection to Jewish tradition in a rapidly changing world. Much of Rabbi Rowen-Baker's work is done outside the synagogue space, with those not accustomed to synagogue life, so as to make accessible a vibrant Jewish approach and practice which is part of all walks of life. In 2015, she was the first Masorti rabbi - and the first female rabbi - ever to be invited to teach Torah at the Israeli President's residence.
Rabbi Rowen Baker lives in French Hill, Jerusalem with her husband, Etai, their four children, Adaya, Keshet, Clil, and Yagel, and their dog Hummus.
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Weekly Words of Torah goes PC (Parashah and Chesed) -
Parashat Vaera (Shabbat 1/25/2020)
Parashat Vaera
begins with Moses returning to Egypt, and his brother Aaron joining him as he talks to the people of Israel and to Pharaoh. Pharaoh does not believe in the power of the Israelite God, and Pharaoh challenges Moses to prove God's might. Moses turns his staff into a snake, which eats the snake of Pharaoh's magicians. Moses and Aaron say to Pharaoh, "Let my people go." They visit Pharaoh repeatedly with this message, and each time, Pharaoh says, "No." The first seven plagues afflict Egypt for every "no" answer. These seven plagues were, blood, frogs, lice, insect swarms, cattle disease, boils and hail. A Chesed idea related to Parsahat Vaera is to organize a Blood Drive in your sisterhood and community.
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NEXT WL READS - Thursday March 12 at 8:15 PM EST
The Third Daughter by Talia Carner
WL READS is pleased to announce that our next featured book and author is The Third Daughter, by Talia Carner. (HarperCollins, September 2019). Available in softcover and e-reader editions.
The author is known for exploring social-justice issues through novels told in the voices of strong women.
WL READS will interview Ms. Carner on Thursday March 12 at 8:15 PM EST.
In The Third Daughter, Ms. Carner has expanded one of Sholem Aleichem's short stories,
The Man From Buenos Aires
(part of
Tevye The Dairyman and The Railroad Stories).
Her novel depicts, with historical accuracy, the shameful Jewish-run prostitution cartel which, from the 1870s through the 1930s, trafficked young women taken from Russia and Poland to South America's commercial centers, where men greatly outnumbered women.
The title character's impoverished and naïve parents had trusted a suave stranger who promised a good Jewish marriage and comfortable life in "America" for their daughter. The awful fate that awaits the teen is tempered by occasional kindnesses and her own resourcefulness, as she plans for her escape along with rescue of other women. Also brought into the novel is another, more benevolent historical figure, the German-Jewish baron Maurice (Moritz) de Hirsch, who established safe havens for European Jews in rural areas of South America.
Learn more about the novel in this review:
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Will you be in Israel This Winter?
Join Masorti Women for Masorti Women's Study Day!
You are cordially invited to
The 20th Regional Masorti Women's Study Day
We Women Explore Attitudes to Ourselves and Others: Texts, Literature, Music, Spirituality
3 high-level, multi-themed day-long events focusing on Jewish Women and Gender Studies. Conducted in four languages: Hebrew, English, Spanish and Russian.
Northern Region:
Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at Kibbutz Hanaton (15:45-20:45)
Central Region:
Tuesday, Feb.11, 2020 at Kehilat Hod V'Hadar, Kfar Saba (15:45-20:45)
Southern Region:
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 at Kehilat Eshel Avraham, Beersheva (16:30-20:55)
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FROM THE REGION TORAH FUND VICE PRESIDENT--MARILYN COHEN
As you all know, The Schechter Institutes of Jewish Study is one of FIVE educational institutions of higher learning, that Torah Fund supports. I am excited to share with you the latest achievements at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary.
In a festive ceremony filled with music, Torah and song, the
Schechter Rabbinical Seminary
ordained its rabbis, marking 30 years of ordaining Conservative/Masorti rabbis in Israel. The moving ceremony was held December 12, 2019 at Kehillat Moreshet Avraham in Jerusalem. Following three years of training, these three new rabbis, David Arias, Yos Baruch Fromer and Matan Stein, join the leadership of the Masorti Movement, bringing the number of rabbis ordained by the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary to 101!
Creating New Spaces
A Torah Fund Campaign Special Project
NOTE: All Special Projects are fundraising initiatives
over & above the annual Torah Fund campaign.
Both Individuals or sisterhoods may donate
any amount to this project.
Help support the JTS Crossroads Campaign by building a
study space at the new Undergraduate Residence Hall, to be named:
Women's League Study Space.
JTS opens its new campus in the spring of 2020, and
Women's League will be part of this great project, as we have been aproud presence at JTS since 1918!
Help support a special course of training at the Ziegler School of
Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, concerning issues of gender bias and harassment, to be named:
Women's League Institute on Gender Bias & Harassment.
Ziegler is developing a ground-breaking educational program for
its students, to increase their awareness for gender bias and harassment issues.
Women's League is proud to support this program!
On July 1, "Creating New Spaces" or "Spaces," the new
Special Project of the Torah Fund Campaign was launched. Our
"Creating New Spaces" campaign supports the physical and professional needs of our students in exciting new ways!
For more details regarding Creating New Spaces,
please
click here.
WHY GIVE TO OUR "CREATING NEW SPACES"
SPECIAL CAMPAIGN?
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, tens of thousands of Jewish children discover the joy of being Jewish at day schools, summer camps, congregational schools, JCCs, and other educational settings.
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, over a hundred thousand Jewish students find vibrant Hillels on their college campuses.
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, tens of thousands of people in hospitals and hospices find comfort and healing from skillful chaplains who combine the best techniques in pastoral care with the Jewish tradition of
bikkur holim.
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, over a thousand Jewish organizations across both the US & Canada - synagogues, federations, JCCs, schools, camps, and more - engage North American Jews in support of the land and people of Israel.
Invest in the Jewish communities of tomorrow by giving to the "SPACES" Special Project Campaign today. Thank you.
Marilyn Cohen
INR Torah Fund VP
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FROM USCJ AND MERCAZ
Vote MERCAZ | Slate 6
The election for the World Zionist Congress opens today.
It's time to cast your ballot
in the World Zionist Congress Elections
Vote
MERCAZ ...
For Pluralism
For Democratic Values
For Equality
For Funding of Conservative/Masorti Programs
For Our Seat at the Table!
Don't stand on the sidelines.
Make sure your voice is heard.
This is the
ONLY election where American Jews can
formally voice their concerns and views. Let's make
sure that our vision of Israel as a thriving and
pluralistic homeland for all Jews is secure.
and follow the instructions.
Did you #VoteMERCAZ? Thank you!
Let everyone
know
they should too
by sharing on
social media ...
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TO ALL CANADIAN MEMBERS OF INR & WOMEN'S LEAGUE:
Did you know we are in the last phases of a crucial membership campaign? We have until FEBRUARY 27, 2020 to become a member of MERCAZ-CANADA because only those who are already members will be eligible to vote in the upcoming Canadian Zionist Federation election in the Spring.
We are grateful to those who have already included
MERCAZ
membership in their annual dues payments this year, so this message is written to encourage all of you who have not yet joined, to become part of
MERCAZ-CANADA
, our Masorti/Conservative Movement's party to the World Zionist Congress. You know, that Congress started by Theodore Herzl in Basel Switzerland 122 years ago - the Congress that laid the foundations for the modern State of Israel.
Through MERCAZ-CANADA and its affiliation with MERCAZ OLAMI (worldwide), we Canadian Masorti/Conservative Jews have a voice in the national institutions of the Jewish People: The World Zionist Organization(WZO), The Jewish Agency for Israel(JAFI) and Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael (The Jewish National Fund).
The stronger our MERCAZ-CANADA membership list, the more delegates we have proportionally to the other members of the Zionist Federation of Canada and the larger our percentage of leadership in the Congress. This impacts our ability as Conservative Jews to appoint leaders to the boards of the national institutions and allows us to influence the agenda, priorities and budgetary allocations.
Currently, the budgetary allocations amount to approximately four million USD, and we benefit as part of other projects and programs as well. In Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia and South America, funds support schools and education, youth movements, rabbis, life-cycle events, Jewish ritual, learning and conversions, synagogues, holiday celebrations, summer camps, young adult programming, Israel experiences and building relationships with local leadership to combat anti-Semitism. In Israel. funds also support the Tali school system, rabbis working in more than 80 Masorti communities, our Israeli youth movement (NOAM), young adult engagement (MAROM), the Conservative Yeshiva and more. In Canada, we benefit not only from these funds, but from our work with shlichim, shinshinim, educational programs, communal Israel activities, scholarships to Israel, gap year programs, MASA, Onward Israel and more.
Through MERCAZ-CANADA, we also advocate for religious Jewish pluralism in Israel with regard to marriage, conversion, the Kotel Agreement and public funding of communal institutions and rabbis. We support programs and initiatives to build bridges between the Diaspora and Israel while maintaining our value of klal Yisrael - the unity of the Jewish People. (Rabbi Wernick,of Beth Tzedec for example, is a member on the Committee for the Unity of the Jewish People.)
That's why
MERCAZ-CANADA
is so important. Adult membership is only $18, or $9 if you are between 18-25 years old. It takes less than five minutes to join and can be done
online
. It's easy.
We sincerely encourage you to join
MERCAZ-CANADA
by February 27 and in so doing, you will help increase our voice, our representation and our impact on the global conversations of the Jewish People.
With warmest wishes and deepest appreciation.
Marilyn Cohen - Past Executive Director of MERCAZ-CANADA & current Board member
Marion Mayman - Past President of MERCAZ-CANADA & current Board member as well as
our representative on JAFI (Jewish A
gency for Israel)
Fran Caine - MERCAZ-CANADA Board member
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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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Register for Convention Starts Now! How Do You Put on Tefillin? with Janet Kirschner here!
