Chai Lines
International Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich and Empower
Conservative Jewish Women
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December 7, 2018 Volume 3, Issue 13
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FROM
THE INTERNATIONAL NORTHEAST REGION
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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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FROM THE REGION PRESIDENT--JOAN LOWENSTEIN
I like to think of myself as an optimist. My glass is half full. Additionally, I try to be grateful. Although Thanksgiving (be it Canadian or American) has passed, I believe we should find things to be thankful for all year long.
It happens that I recently observed the first Yahrzeit for my mother who passed away on the 25
th of Kislev, the first day of Hanukkah. I surely could see this as a reason to be angry and sad this time of year. However, the lights of the Menorah remind me of her and of what a wonderful mother and woman she was. I am grateful for all of the years I had with her, the tools she gave me and the lessons she taught me. I know that this is what she would want for me.
On Hanukkah there is much to be grateful for, not the least of which was the oil meant for one day lasting for eight. We may not see miracles such as this any longer, but if you look for the positive in any situation, you may just be surprised by what you find.
So call me the eternal optimist. I will take it as a compliment! I am grateful for my family and our health and I am also grateful for all of you, our INR family. I wish for you a very happy Hannukah and may the light of the candles shine bright for you all.
B'Shalom,
Joan
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FROM THE EDITOR
In Thorton Wilder's play
Our Town, a character says she received a piece of mail addressed as
Jane Crofut
The Crofut Farm
Grover's Corners
Sutton County
New Hampshire
United States of America
Continent of North America
Western Hemisphere
the Earth
the Solar System
the Universe
the Mind of God
Like this address, the candles of our menorahs seem to grow until the candlelight of nine candles seems to encompass all that is around. On the first night with the first candle we realize our individuality, and as the number of candles and the light from those candles increase, we realize we are part of an ever-growing universe; we realize that there is more to our lives than our selves.
May this holiday and every day remind us of our uniqueness and interdependence upon our
mishpocha.
Lois Silverman
New Hartford
Oneida County
New York
USA
North America
Western Hemisphere
the Earth; the Solar System
the Universe
the Mind of God
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FROM WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR
CONSERVATIVE
JUDAISM
Networking to engage,
enrich and empower
Conservative Jewish Women
Shabbat Message
By Sue Taffet,
WLCJ Vice President
I am a Conservative Jewish Women
and belong to an egalitarian synagogue community in Rockville, Maryland. As a member of Women's League for Conservative Judaism, I serve with great pride and honor as an International Vice President. I have been following the "Women of the Wall" on Facebook for some time now. Having been to the Western Wall in Israel back in 2000, it is a significantly sacred place for me.
As Women of the Wall, the central mission is to attain social and legal recognition of the right, as women, to wear prayer shawls, pray, and read from the Torah, collectively and aloud, at the Western Wall. They work to further the mission through social advocacy, education, and empowerment. "Women of the Wall is a multi-denominational feminist organization based in Israel whose goal is to secure the rights of women to pray at the Western Wall, also called the Kotel, in a fashion that includes singing, reading aloud from the Torah and wearing religious garments...we are fighting for gender equality at the western Wall and for the right to practice our faith as we wish...working to achieve equality, pluralism and tolerance."
Watching these women trying to pray at the wall and being harassed in an abhorrent manner is so frustrating and painful. We all need to be treated with respect. We all need to be free to pray as we see fit for ourselves. We should not have to deal with loud and constant whistle blowing, shouts, horn blowing, shoving, and being spit on as we try to pray. Yes, there are many political issues there in Israel at the Wal
l, but the government has set down policies and then ignored them. So, when I saw the Women of the Wall tallit, and that it could be purchased, I was motivated to join with the women in Israel and purchase one, and thus support them in several ways.
I had taken on the obligation to wear a tallit, and have worn a very special (for me) tallit since my last day of radiation treatment for breast cancer over 15 years ago. It carried a pink ribbon to represent my survivorship. I felt it was time for a new direction. I may not be able to be there in Israel in person to support my sisters, but when I wrap the "Women of the Wall" tallit around my body, I am totally there in support of them. It was a very special way to begin the New Year, as I wore the new tallit for the first time on Rosh Hashanah. It comes with a reminder of who we are, and it is our responsibility to pass on the word and educate others (men and women) of the need these women have for our support.
Please visit the Women of the Wall website to learn about them and help in any way possible. As I celebrate my birthday in February this year, I appreciate that another year has passed; this year, I am celebrating and supporting other women in their path for equality. Wishing you all a joyous and free Shabbat.
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WLCJ would like to extend its gratitude to all who donated on Giving Tuesday. Thanks to you,
Masorti Days of Study
and other Women's League initiatives will thrive well beyond 2019.
If you missed Giving Tuesday, don't worry! Women's League accepts donations throughout the year, and
ALL contributions are welcome.
The following
#GivingTuesday
contributions to Women's League and Masorti will ensure an even brighter future:
The 1918 Society
Mary Sanders
Masorti WL Days of Study in Israel
Ellen Bresnick
Jeanette Brownstein
Nancy Goldberg
Judith Hellerstein
Judi Kenter
Janet Kirschner
Margie Miller
Barbara Wachter Needle
Penelope Neely
Cheryl Patt
Mary Sanders
Carol Simon
Jill Tomar
Sandy Blumenthal
Karin Cohen
Rebecca Goldwasser
Myra Promisel
Renee Ravich
Cathy Swerdlow
Agnes Emert
Barbara Ezring
Rachel Ferber
Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields
Vicki Granek
Mona Hass
Fran Hildebrandt
Razel Kessler
Linda Klempner
Harriet Klein
Vivian Leber
Joan Lowenstein
Barbara Safer
Grace Schessler
Dana Sirkin
Shelley Szwalbenest
Sue Taffet
Marsha Wasserman
Karen Winer
Lauren Wishnew
Jennifer Wood
Iris Zackheim
Alisa Abrams
Gloria Adelson
Gaye Altman
Heddy Belman
Judy Berger
Nancy Berkowitz
Debbie Bettan
Karen Block
Debbie Bruce
Cindy Ginsburg
Debbi Goldich
Vivienne Felberman Ivry
Martha Katz-Hyman
Rabbi Lilly Kaufman
Esta Lichtenstein
Barbara Rosenau
Edna Schrank
Lorraine Snow
Mimi Pollack
Judy Weinberg
Marilyn Wind
Gilda Zucker
BQLI Region
Anise Parnes
WWOT - Weekly Words of Torah:Parashat Miketz
To inspire, guide, engage, enrich, and empower Conservative Jewish Women
By Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, Executive Director, Women's League For Conservative Judaism
This Shabbat is a very exciting Shabbat, since it is not only Chanukah, but it is also Rosh Chodesh, the new month of Tevet. Therefore, there will be three
Sifrei Torah
- one for the usual Torah Reading from the book of
Genesis
,
Parashat Miketz
; one Torah for the portion of Chanukah is read from
Parashat Naso
in the book of
Numbers
, which describes the offerings/valuable gifts brought by the tribal chiefs to the
Mishkan
or Tabernacle, the moveable temple used while the children of Israel travelled in the desert; and then a third Torah will be used to read the section of the Torah from
Parashat Pinchas
, also in the book of
Numbers
, which describes the sacrifices brought to the Temple on Rosh Chodesh.
As described in the introduction to
Parashat Miketz
, in the
Etz Hayim Humash
, this Torah reading is usually read the week of Chanukah, which is just coincidental - but, of course, connections can be made. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, thrown into prison, and eventually became known as a great interpreter of dreams. As a result of his dream interpretation expertise, he was called to Pharaoh's palace to interpret the Pharoah's dreams of the lean cows conquering the well-fed cows. Joseph did not remain a prisoner for long, and eventually made his way to being Pharaoh's right hand man. The cows in the dream may have been small and skinny, but they triumphed over the bigger cows. Similarly, in the Chanukah story, the Maccabees were small in number, but triumphed and won. The flask of oil seemed to be only enough for one day, yet it lasted for eight days.
In both
Parashat Miketz
and the Chanukah story, what might have seemed dismal, at first, worked out and ended in victory. If life gives you lemons, make lemonade! It is inevitable in life to hit some bumps in the road, but, if we all can keep the story of Joseph and the story of the victory of the Maccabees in mind, let us see to it that light will triumph over the darkness. May all your days and nights of Chanukah be filled with much light, and all the days and nights afterwards as well, be filled with more light than dark.
Chag Chanukah Sameach!
Personal Conversation:
#MeToo and the Jews with Rabbi Elana Kanter
Sunday, December 16, 2018, at 8:00 p.m., Eastern time.
Join
Rabbi Elana Kanter
for a very brief text study on Jewish insights into the #MeToo moment. The text study will be followed by a discussion of how sexism continues to impact our lives as Jewish Women, as well as an initiative started by Rabbi Kanter to address it.
Prof. Alice Shalvi in New York City
Prof. Alice Shalvi, founder of the Women's Rights movement in Israel and winner of the Israel Prize for her contribution to Israeli Society will be launching her memoir
Never A Native
on
Tuesday, December 18, at 7:00 p.m.
at the Marlene Mayerson JCC in New York City. Shalvi has been the mentor and primary lecturer at Masorti Women's Days of Study from the time of its inception nearly 20 years ago.
Distance Workshops
The next WL Distance Workshop,
"Effective Communication: Using Multiple Platforms" is
Wednesday, December 19
, at 8:30 p.m., Eastern time.
Participation is limited to members of Women's League
only
Announcing the Next Women's League Reads Book!
We are pleased to announce
Women's League Reads
' winter book and author,
Odessa, Odessa
by Barbara Artson
. Women's League Reads will hold an author interview
Thursday, January 17 at 8:30 p.m., Eastern time.
Membership in Women's League Reads is open only to members in good standing of Women's League-affiliated sisterhoods or to individual members who have paid dues directly to Women's League.
You may subscribe to by contacting Lois Silverman, Internet Services Chair, at lsilverman@wlcj.org, with your e-mail address, sisterhood name/town/state, or individual member information, and thereby join the online group for book news and discussions.
READ MORE
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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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