Chai Lines
International Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich and Empower
Conservative Jewish Women
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November 16, 2018 Volume 3, Issue 12
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO OUR MEMBERS AND FAMILIES OBSERVING THE HOLIDAY
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DID YOU KNOW ABOUT INR'S WEBSITE?
INR has a website which contains information about our region including:
- A history of our region
- A listing of our region personnel
- A listing with contact information about region sisterhoods
- An archive of our newsletter, Chai Lines
- Links to Women's League's website and those of other organizations in the Conservative Movement
- AND much more.
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SAVE THE DATE FOR INR CONFERENCE 2019
INR SPRING CONFERENCE
June 2 & 3, 2019
at Beth David, Toronto
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GUEST EDITORIAL--
Debbie Zimmerman,
Mid-Atlantic Region Vice President
A Cantor, 40 sisterhood members, and a bus driver walked into a bar...and the bartender said...
"YIPPEE CHAI YAY!!"
On Sunday, October 28, 2018, forty Sisterhood members from WLCJ Mid-Atlantic Region Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill, New Jersey embarked on an experience of a lifetime. They boarded a bus, led by Cantor Jen Cohen, who has roots in the country music industry, and headed to the airport for their final destination...Nashville, TN! They all hoped for a fun time with good friends. What they did not know was that they would soon make friends across states, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Their lives would forever be touched by the experiences they were about to endure. I was lucky to be part of this group of women aged 35-75!
 Upon landing in Nashville, we headed directly to the West End Synagogue to meet our "sisters" in the WLCJ Southern Region. We were met with smiles by Cantor Sarah Levine, originally of our Temple Beth Sholom mishpochah, and shared brunch with their sisterhood members to learn about Jewish life in Nashville. We made friends, compared sisterhood notes, sang the Birkhat HaMazon and felt welcomed by their southern hospitality. After lunch, we headed to the Country Music Hall of Fame and enjoyed a private tour of the famous RCA Studio B, where Elvis Presley recorded more than 200 songs. We felt his presence as we listened to the Nashville sound. After checking into the hotel, we all headed to dinner on our own and explored the downtown Nashville scene.
Day two was filled with a private bus tour of interesting Nashville sites, essential shopping, and an invigorating visit to the famous Blue Bird Café, where Cantor Cohen got her start in the country music industry. The original owner of the café spoke to us about its amazing history and how it grew from a small bar into a premier singer/songwriter venue where such stars as Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, and Blake Shelton all performed as unknown musicians. What a thrill it was for us to see Cantor Cohen's headshot on the wall along with many esteemed performers. An even bigger thrill was when she performed a mix of country and Hebrew songs on stage as we watched in awe.
With the happy comes the sad. Our trip departed one day after the tragic massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Many of us attended the memorial service held in Nashville and prayed and cried alongside residents of the community. People from across the United States coming together for a common cause and healing service was an experience many of us will not soon forget.
Perhaps the most moving experience was a visit to Thistle Farms, a nonprofit with a mission is to heal, empower, and employ women survivors of trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. They do this by providing safe and supportive housing, the opportunity for economic independence, and a strong community of advocates and partners. We volunteered alongside the residents and participants of this program as we labeled products made there for sale, assembled boxes, and even helped make the candles and lip balm that are so popular in their store. In that room, we were all equal. Our color, our religion, or our pocketbooks had no bearing on the fun we had as we talked, sang, and laughed together on that sunny day in Nashville.
Sure, we did other typical Nashville activities. We saw Boz Scaggs at the Ryman auditorium, went to a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, followed by a backstage tour, visited the Belle Meade Plantation where we had an exclusive wine, chocolate, and cheese pairing, and also visited the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art. But, it is the words I took away from the Thistle Farms mission statement that struck me as the most important lesson learned on this trip. It is a mantra to carry forward in our sisterhoods, our synagogues, and our lives. "We believe that, in the end, love is the most powerful force for change in the world."
Shabbat Shalom,
Debbie Zimmerman
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FROM WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR
CONSERVATIVE
JUDAISM
Networking to engage,
enrich and empower
Conservative Jewish Women
An essential element of the mission of Women's League is to reinforce bonds with Israel and Jews worldwide by nurturing a real sense of
ahavat Zion
(love of Israel). As part of this initiative, Conservative/Masorti women are cordially invited to participate in four
Days of Study,
sponsored by Women's League and the Schechter Institutes
. Women's League members who joined past Days of Study report that their experiences helped enrich their own communities and Sisterhoods.
Women's League is proud to be an official participating organization on Giving Tuesday! This November 27, Giving Tuesday celebrates generosity and making a difference worldwide.
Additionally, you can log on to the Members Only section of our website to download tips, social media materials, and a printable "unselfie" sign so you can join us in raising awareness. Post your #unselfie on
Facebook
and
Twitter
, tag Women's League, and use the hashtag
#GivingTuesday
to let your followers know about the many exciting programs we have planned for 2019!
Read the official Giving Tuesday social media guidebook here! and stay tuned for more updates on how you can help give!
W
e are pleased to announce the Winter's featured book and author:
Odessa, Odessa, by Barbara Artson
I
n the first half of January
, 2019 (date to be announced),
Women's League Personnel Chair
Ellen Bresnick will interview the author.
Ellen, a retired English teacher, had helped to launch and manage WL READS in its first years, together with Janet Kirschner.
The novel paints the saga of three generations of a Jewish family, with colorful characters and plot surprises. The story begins with two brothers from Odessa who emigrate during the pogroms in the years before WWI. One brother is a devout rabbi with a family in tumult as they adjust to life in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and the other is a rebel--banished by his father--and a fierce Zionist who becomes a force in British-ruled Palestine. The generations and family members are torn apart by clashing loyalties, assimilation and social change. Their authentic voices will ring true to the reader's ears and heart.
The author is a retired psychoanalyst who lives in San Francisco. She holds a doctorate degree in psychology and B.A. and M.A. degrees in English Literature, and has many published essays, reviews and journal articles to her credit. In Odessa, Odessa, a strong first-generation American daughter who is bold, smart and prospers in the garment business is modeled after Dr. Artson's own mother.
Many of you know Barbara's distinguished son, Rabbi Bradley S. Artson, who is Dean and Vice President of Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.
The novel is in paperback format. Berkeley, CA: She Writes Press, 2018.
Prices for e-reader and print editions are about $10 to under $20.
Some reviews of Odessa, Odessa:
"Artson's novel speaks to the human spirit, and to its resilience and courage under oppression...a story from 100 years ago, Odessa, Odessa is a haunting reminder of the struggles endured by refugees-even in the twenty-first century."
-Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun, chair of the Network of Spiritual Progressive, and author of Revolutionary
"A vivid historical novel written by a seasoned writer who takes us through the highs and lows-tragedy and triumphs-of an unforgettable three-generation immigrant Jewish family in the throes of their journey from Russia to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles. We are offered a rich cast of characters that keeps us engaged until the unexpected, tearful, but optimistic and poignant ending."
-Dr. Linda Tucker, Bestselling Author of At a Crossroads, Finding the Right Psychotherapist
Enjoy your reading adventures!
Vivian Leber
Books Chair, Women's League Reads Chair
WL READS is a member-benefit program of Women's League. To join and take part in our private online discussion group, or to manage your membership, please contact Lois at LSilverman@wlcj.org, WLCJ Internet Services Chair, identifying yourself and your sisterhood or WLCJ membership number. For other comments and questions that would not be of interest to the entire group, begin a new email to Vivian at vleber@wlcj.org (if you "Reply" to the group email, you reach hundreds of members.)
Distance Workshops
Women's League provides customized training on a variety of topics via our
Distance Workshops. There is no charge but pre-registration is necessary. We recommend that you register before the day of the workshop, preferably 2-3 weeks prior.
The next WL Distance Workshop,
"Working Well Together: Sisterhood/Synagogue and Sisterhood/Region" is Thursday, November 15, at 8:30 p.m., Eastern time.
Participation is limited to members of Women's League only. READ MORE
Special Offer for Groups -
Vilna
The new play
VILNA by Ira Fuchs will have a five-week Off-Broadway production in
March-April 2019, coinciding with the Yom HaShoah commemoration period.
VILNA
chronicles the actual people and events that took place in the Eastern European city of Vilna during its degradation in the Interwar years and complete destruction in World War Two. The Jewish population lived and thrived in Vilna for over five centuries and accounted for half its population. It was the most economically developed and culturally rich city in Eastern Europe. For more information please see VILNA's web site at
VILNA
will be performed at the Theatre at St. Clement's, located at 423 West 46th Street in New York City. The play will have eight performances a week from March 14 through April 14. There will be an evening performance five days a week with the exception of Sundays and Tuesdays. The starting times for evening performances will be 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.
There will be Wednesday and Saturday matinees starting at 2 p.m. on March 16, 20, 23, 27, and 30 and April 3, 6, 10, and 13. There will be Sunday matinees starting at 3 p.m. on March 17, 24, and April 7 and 14.
Women's League members who express interest in attending a performance as a group - and receiving a special
15% discount on tickets - can contact Erica Slutsky at
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FROM THE TORAH FUND VICE PRESIDENT
MARILYN COHEN
Marilyn Cohen,
International Northeast Region Torah Fund Vice-President
PLEASE NOTE: All Torah Fund donations must be received by the Torah Fund office by DECEMBER 13th in order to receive a 2018 tax receipt.
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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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