Jofa Weekly, 3/21/24: Four Ways to Heal

Women's Shushan Purim Megillah Reading in Jerusalem last Purim.

In This Edition:

Weekly Message
Recent and Upcoming Events and Programs
Women's Voices
Spotlighted Israel Resources
Divrei Torah by Women on Parshat Vayikra

Weekly Message:

Four Ways to Heal

Friends,

In her very thoughtful, timely blog post, "Purim Offers 4 Ways to Heal the Wounds of War – When the Time is Right," Erica Brown offers a beautiful and constructive message to take with us into what has been feeling like a very challenging time in which to celebrate Purim this year:

She writes about Megillat Esther, "Mordechai, in chapter nine, mandated the way the war was to be remembered. He recorded the events and then declared ritual observances. Each mitzvah of Purim corresponds and addresses a different challenge of war and offers four prescriptions to neutralize hate’s traumatizing effects. Hearing the scroll, having a festive meal, bestowing gifts to friends, and giving charity, all respond to, commemorate, and heal the wounds of war, both then and now. Mordechai, in an act of leadership genius, understood what was needed in the moment and in perpetuity."

At a time when "the pressing danger has actually intensified Purim’s relevance," she offers helpful perspective on how this protracted and painful war has helped her - and can help us - gain new understanding of the significance of the holiday's mitzvot. It is a worthwhile read over the next few days.

Below you will find information on recent and upcoming events, and as always, women's voices and perspectives on the situation in Israel, and on the weekly parsha, Vayikra. We also continue to offer new suggestions each week of organizations to support and ways to help Am Yisrael.

Wishing everyone a meaningful Chag Purim that is enhanced and deepened with newfound understanding, purpose, and connection.

Shabbat Shalom and Purim Sameach.

Jofa in the News:

Executive Director Daphne Lazar Price's

Interview with Abigail Pogrebin

on Jewish Broadcasting Service

Jofa's Executive Director, Daphne Lazar Price, appeared on the Jewish Broadcasting Service's "In the Spotlight" with Abigail Pogrebin, discussing Daphne's recent trip to Israel, on the joint Jofa/Maharat solidarity mission. If you missed the program this week, you can stream the recording here, or find a replay on your local JBS channel.

Tefillot for Ta'anit Esther

In case you missed it this morning, you can still participate in the tefillot recited for Ta'anit Esther, for the safe return of the hostages and the IDF. Here is the 12-minute recording and here are the accompanying slides including the tefillot and the hostages. May this be the last day when we need to pray for their safe return.

International Women's Month Program

with Bonot Alternativa Founder, Moran Zer Katzenstein

*BEING RESCEHDULED*

Due to unfortunate and unforeseeable technical issues, we are rescheduling the International Women's Month program that was originally scheduled for today, with Moran Zer Katzenstein. We will share the new details with all program registrants, and across our usual channels. We greatly appreciate everyone's patience.

Megillah Reading Listings and Resources

Purim This Weekend, March 23-24

A Shushan Purim women's megillah reading in Jerusalem last year.

Purim is this weekend -- Saturday night/Motzei Shabbat and Sunday, March 23-24!

*Please list your women's or partnership megillah readings here, so we can share the listings with others who may want to join!*

In case you're still preparing, we also have several resources that may come in handy for planning a women's or partnership megillah reading and learning the leyning, including:

(We appreciate your patience as we update our Android leyning app for next Purim; please use our web-based recordings if needed in the meantime.)

Purim Mental Health Resources

The Blue Dove Foundation offers several Purim related resources, covering a range of topics such as mental health mishloach manot, creating inclusive Purim festivities, self-care routines for Purim, reflections, paths to joy, and more. They are all free for download in the website's holidays section.

Jewish Abortion Access Coalition Pledge

and

Gathering This Tuesday, March 26, Washington, DC

Join Jofa, National Council of Jewish Women, the Religious Action Center, Women of Reform Judaism, and fellow Jewish Abortion Access Coalition colleagues this Tuesday, March 26, at 9AM, as the Supreme Court hears a consequential case on medication abortion.

We will unite with the broader reproductive health, rights, and justice community to loudly and proudly proclaim our support for abortion access. Our Jewish voices are needed now more than ever.

Where: RSVP here to receive the meeting location. We will meet for a brief program and walk over to the Supreme Court together.

Let NCJW know if you plan to join us and please help spread the word, so we can have a strong Jewish showing.

If you have not yet signed the “Not On Our Watch Pledge," please take a moment to sign it.

Shabbaton Shivyoni

Next Weekend, March 29-31

Join Shalshelet Shivyoni, the student-led intercollegiate community dedicated to halacha and inclusion, for its second annual shabbaton!

Gather at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Connecticut for a Shabbat of egalitarian and partnership minyan tefillah, thoughtful shiurim, and a vibrant community of college students from across the United States.

Jofa's Executive Director, Daphne Lazar Price, is a featured speaker, along with Hadar faculty, Rabbi Miriam-Simma Walfish and Rabbi Micha'el Rosenberg.

See graphic above; scan the QR code, or visit ShalsheletShivyoni.org to find out more and sign up.

Zoom Discussion Recording and Transcript of

Amalek in Our Time:

A Pre-Purim Panel and Exploration

Be sure to read Rav Herzl Hefter's blog post, "Hamas is evil, but don’t be too quick to equate it with Amalek ." He writes, "When rabbis call for indiscriminate killing and war crimes, I cannot remain silent, for the Torah demands mercy and kindness, even when we are at war."

This past Sunday, Jofa, Hadar, and Beit Midrash Har'el partnered to present Amalek in Our Time: A Pre-Purim Panel and Exploration. Here we share the panel recording and transcript for those who missed it.

Women's Voices

Here we share women's voices, ideas, thoughts, and reflections, on what they are processing and feeling right now, and how they are finding understanding, strength, hope, courage, and resilience, during this time. We hope that these writings provide you with new perspectives, and inspire you to write and share your own insights:

Finding Joy and Light Through Giving and Connection

As we approach Purim with mixed feelings, we are seeking out ways to help our brothers and sisters in Israel - and ourselves - find some form of joy amidst such pain. We can look to the story and mitzvot of Purim to renew our sense of purpose and interconnection to help each other endure, and our faith that the Jewish people will survive and prevail.

Please check our Supporting Israel: Ways to Help Now page, where we continue adding ways to keep connected and engaged with what is happening in Israel and what we can do - including raising the voices and stories of how girls and women are impacted, how they are responding, and ways we can support them.

The page includes resources for fighting antisemitism; advocating; staying informed; keeping attention on the hostages; finding comfort in rituals; ways to contribute; talking to kids about Israel; reaching out; mental health; community gatherings, tefilot, and more.

We will also keep spotlighting additional resources in this weekly email and our social feeds, and adding them to the page. We hope that each week you'll find things that speak to you, help you stay connected, take action -- in Israel, around the world, and in your own home and community.

Spotlighted Israel Resources

We continue highlighting resources and organizations each week that you can turn to for information, support, or to contribute toward direct needs on the ground in Israel. Please see our Supporting Israel page for our continually growing list.

The Israel Center on Addiction and Mental Health is a national center spearheading systemic policies for reducing addiction and its damages. Following October 7 and throughout the war, ICA’s team has been working around the clock to provide necessary responses in all of its fields. The center provides therapy sessions, training in schools, training for educational teams in the south, training and guidance of mental health professionals and medical teams, and clinical intervention for families. The goal is to provide teachers with tools to support children affected by the current war, as well as classroom interventions to avoid/lower the chances of substance abuse among students because of the war.

HIAS Israel assists olim, works with civil society organizations and governmental bodies to improve the refugee asylum system, and represents asylum seekers through legal proceedings. HIAS’ emergency approach provides support for basic needs for vulnerable displaced families in Israel who by virtue of their status in Israel are not eligible for support from the state. For over 70 years, HIAS Israel has aided newcomers and refugees through providing services and creating safe spaces of welcome. Within 24 hours of the brutal October 7 attacks, HIAS activated its Emergency Response team to provide lifesaving support to the displaced, and provided critical security information to asylum seekers and displaced families. HIAS will continue focusing on providing basic needs, cash assistance, mental health support, and legal protections to the hundreds of thousands of displaced displaced.

Lev LaLev has been providing care and support to orphaned and disadvantaged children across Israel since 1962, by welcoming them into a loving family that protects, empowers, and nurtures them. Lev Lalev works hard to create an environment where its children not only heal from their past, but grow into young adults with deep confidence, self-worth, and inner strength. Lev LaLev serves religious girls ages 7-21 from impoverished, unstable, or otherwise at-risk homes. Some of their parents have passed away or suffer from physical or mental illness. Some girls have suffered from neglect or abuse, or have been deprived of adequate food, clothing, or shelter. Often, the children are rescued from the streets. Others come directly from school because it is unsafe for them to return home. Many arrive at Lev Lalev with only the clothing on their backs. While the reasons children come to Lev LaLev are varied, they have one thing in common: They need a family, a warm and nurturing atmosphere to heal and grow, to overcome trauma, and learn the life skills they need for productive and fulfilling lives.

Divrei Torah by Women on Parshat Vayikra

Jews around the world are reading and studying Parshat Vayikra this week. Here are a few divrei Torah by women on this week's parsha:

Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach

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