Chai Lines
International Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich and Empower
Conservative Jewish Women 
September 28, 2018                                                          Volume 3, Issue 9   
SAVE THE DATE FOR INR CONFERENCE 2019 save

INR SPRING CONFERENCE 
June 2 & 3, 2019 
at Beth David, Toronto 
FROM THE REGION PRESIDENT--JOAN LOWENSTEIN

I am so looking forward to an event at my local Sisterhood this week. The event is called "Sisters in the Sukkah," and it is a purely social event. There are no speakers, no fashion show, or craft projects. There are no movies, education, or meetings. This is a time for the women in our Sisterhood and congregation to schmooze, visit with old friends, make some new friends, and get to know each other while sampling treats and beverages of the season.
 
This offers a perfect opportunity for some of our "seasoned" members to reach out and interact with new members. All too often we find ourselves in our comfort zone, visiting with our established groups. If we want to grow and have our Sisterhoods succeed, we need to engage new members and reach out to some of those we haven't seen in a while. We can accomplish this through an event such as this.
 
Another way to ensure that everyone feels welcome at any program or event is to assign each of our board members to sit at different tables with different groups of women.
 
As I have mentioned before, the best way to grow and succeed in our mission is to make everyone feel wanted, needed and valued. And yes, I learned some of these things at Leadership Institute!
 
Here's hoping that we all start the year out with great programs and events with old and new friends alike!
 
Chag Sameach,
Joan
 
FROM THE EDITOR, LOIS SILVERMAN education 
 
I am always affected by children. As a grandmother, I see a smiling child and I smile. I see a crying child and I want to soothe the child.  
 
Thus it is hard for me to watch news of children being separated from their parents for whatever reason, children having little to eat, children dying from natural disasters and by the lawlessness aggravated by guns and by the devaluation of life.
 
So I repost this prayer for our children by Ina J. Hughs, first published in 1990.     
Shabbat Shalom  
LOIS 
 
 
A Prayer for Responsibility toward Children
 
We pray for children
who sneak popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbook,
who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for those
who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never "counted potatoes",
who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfulls of dandelions,
who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.

And we pray for those
who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who can't find any bread to steal,
who don't have rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
whose monsters are real.

We pray for children
who spend their allowence before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery stores and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed, and never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church or temple and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at,
and whose smiles can make us cry.

We pray for those
whose nightmares come in the daytime,
who will eat anything,
who haven't ever seen a dentist,
who aren't spoiled by anybody,
who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
who live and move, but have no being.

We pray for children who want to be carried,
and for those who must,
for those we never give up on
and for those who don't get a second chance.

For those we smother...and for those who will grab
the hand of anybody kind enough to offer it.
--Ina J. Hughs, Children 1990  

FROM WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR

CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM WLCJ fromWL
 
Networking to engage,
enrich and empower
Conservative Jewish Women
 
 
Shabbat Message: "Fourteen Months Later..."
By Margie Miller, WLCJ President 
 
Do you remember the song from "A Chorus Line" when those auditioning kept repeating in their own words, about how much they wanted the job? The song is called "I Hope I Get It."  Singer after singer kept repeating, "I really need this job.  Please, God, I need this job. I've got to get this job!"
 
I have been the WLCJ president for 14 months. To my delight, every day I paraphrase that song and sing to myself, "I love this job, oh, God, I love this job!"
 
I am not a morning person, but, at least twice a week, I wake up at 4:30 a.m. and drive into Manhattan in order to avoid traffic. I begin my first three hours, before any staff arrives, answering e-mails, writing these Shabbat messages, planning out my sisterhood visits, and organizing my never-ending "to do list." I watch the sun rise from my eighth floor office window. I watch the Barnard College and American flags waving high above the building just south of mine. There is a beautiful stillness overlooking so many roof tops. In this bustling city, I sit here with a serenity and joyfulness that comes with absolutely loving what I do every day.
 
That is what I wish for you this Shabb at and this New Year. Find your passion. Find your happy place. Choose to do something that makes a difference. Not just for others, but for yourself as well. The last fourteen months have flown by. As we get older, time seems to speed up. Don't waste a moment of it. You'll know when you "get there." You'll be able to sing to yourself, "Oh, God...I love what I do and how blessed am I."
 
Shabbat Shalom,
Margie Miller, WLCJ President
 
 
Join Torah Fund on a Discovery Trip to
Buenos Aires, Argentina!
February 25 - March 6, 2019
(Optional Extension through March 7)
 
Torah Fund is pleased to announce a very exciting opportunity -
 
 
For more information, contact Randy Schwartz at 
rschwartz@wlcj.org, or call 204-896-3151 or 204-791-5789. ITC, the tour company, is taking care of all the details for this trip. For any further information, you may call the ITC office at 800-247-7235 and speak to Yafa.
 
Q: What are the dates of the trip?
 
A: February 25 - March 6, 2019, with an optional extension through March 7.
 
Q: Is a minimum donation to Torah Fund required?
 
A: The trip is open to all Associate Patrons and above. If you are already a Benefactor or Guardian, all you will need to do is increase your level of giving to the Associate Patron level for this year. The total donation of $600 to Torah Fund is required to be eligible for this trip. It is required that 50% of your pledge is due by December 31, 2018.
 
Q: What is the registration deadline?
 
A: October 15, 2018
 
Q: When is full payment due?
 
A: November 26, 2018
 
Q: How do I sign up?
 
 
 
 
A Personal Conversation with Sharsheret
 provide a forum to address everyday issues through discussions about o bstacles and opportunities, using conference calls and/or easy to access webinars.
 
"What's Jewish About Breast and Ovarian Cancer? A Personal Conversation with Sharsheret about Risk Factors for Jewish Women"
 
Tuesday, October 9, 2018, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, presented by Sharsheret
 
On Tuesday, October 9, 2018, at 8:00 p.m. EDT, Personal Conversations will present a panel discussion on Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risks for Jewish Women,  The presentation highlights the work of Sharsheret staff members, Melissa K. Rosen, Director of National Outreach,  and Peggy Cottrell, MS, LCGC, Genetics Program Coordinator.
 
Ms. Cottrell is a graduate of the Sarah Lawrence College Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program. She has worked as a cancer genetic counselor at several hospitals in the New York Metropolitan area. At Sharsheret, she consults with women and families and answers individual questions about their family histories, BRCA mutations, and personal risks of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and contributes to the development and implementation of Sharsheret's hereditary cancer resources and programs.
 
Ms. Rosen has a master's degree in Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University and has been working in the non-profit sector for over 25 years. Her professional experience includes informal education, advocacy and community outreach. Melissa oversees outreach efforts throughout the country, connecting  many to the support and resources of Sharsheret. Herself a breast cancer survivor, she is passionate about the Jewish community and cancer support and advocacy.
 
Their program will focus on the importance of understanding the increased genetic risk of Jewish women and what to do about it. In addition, a video about two cancer survivors will be aired. This will specifically address the impact of BRCA gene evaluation for establishing familial risk factors.
 
 
Read Peggy Cottrell's bio here.
Read Melissa K. Rosen's bio here.

Daytime Learning at JTS and a Discount for WL Members!
Starting October 31, Women's League members have a chance to learn at
Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS)  in New York City! Two exclusive daytime classes,
"Reading, Re-reading, Mis-reading?: A Journey through Biblical Commentary" with Dr. Alan Cooper and
"Judaism's Hidden Books: The Apocrypha" with Dr. David Kraemer, will be offered to adult learners at JTS' NYC campus for seven weeks this fall. We are honored to present this unique program in partnership. 
Women's League members receive a discount if they register before October 17!
 
 
Classes are offered on the JTS campus in New York City seven Wednesdays: October 31; November 7, 14, 28; December 5, 12, 19
Cost:
$185 for one course
$360 for both courses
$335 for Women's League members before October 17
Advance registration is required. Register here. 
 
 
Reading, Re-reading, Mis-reading?: A Journey through Biblical Commentary
Dr. Alan Cooper, Elaine Ravich Professor of Jewish Studies, JTS
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Because the Torah text can be quite enigmatic, we are often faced with questions of interpretation and meaning.  Spanning centuries and continents, a rich tradition of commentary emerged to guide readers.  This course will introduce you to the fascinating world of traditional Jewish biblical interpretation from rabbinic midrash to the thirteenth century.  We will consider the emergence of literalism in the Muslim East (Saadiah), Spain (Ibn Ezra), and France (Rashi, Rashbam); philosophical and mystical interpreters (Rambam, Ramban); and the rise of more eclectic commentary traditions (Bahya b. Asher and beyond). The course will center around Rashi's commentary on the Torah-the cornerstone of the traditional Jewish curriculum of biblical study-along with its sources and reception.   

Judaism's Hidden Books: The Apocrypha
Dr. David Kraemer, Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian and Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, JTS
1:30-3:00 p.m.
This course will introduce you to the rich and diverse writings produced by Jews in the late Second Temple period (530 BCE to 70 CE) that were not preserved in the Hebrew Bible, yet were included in the Latin and Greek Old Testaments. What can this set of texts -which includes historical, apocalyptic, and wisdom literature-teach us about the development of Judaism?  In addition to conveying some familiarity with these writings and an appreciation of their historical-cultural context, a central goal of the course will be to consider the diversity of Jewish belief and practice that characterized the period. We will also explore the parallels and divergences of late Second Temple Judaisms with both rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity.
 
If All the Seas Were Ink Is Our WL Reads Pick!
The current Women's League Reads book club pick is  If All the Seas Were Ink , by Ilana Kurshan. The memoir has won the Jewish Book Council's prestigious 2018 Sam i Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and other awards, and we are honored to host a live author interview on 
Sunday, October 7, 2018, at 1:30 p.m.
 
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.
 
WL Reads is a member-only benefit program that 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.
 
Ms. Kurshan fought her way back from a deep malaise that enveloped her upon the failure of a brief marriage, soon after she had made  Aliyah. To find her way, first, she ran through the Jerusalem streets, then she plunged into  Daf Yomi, "the world's largest book club."
 
In this memoir, she candidly, and with warmth, takes the reader on her journey through her battles with an eating disorder, misogyny, and that depressive period. She finds structure and meaning through the "daily page" of Talmud, as it is read worldwide over a seven-year span. In those pages, she finds gems of wisdom to illuminate her path upwards from gloom to light. The reader is gently guided to see the sages' stories and lessons along with her as being quite relevant to modern life. She also works in relevant poetry and prose from the greats of English Literature that mirrors Talmudic truths, along with her insights about how best to live life deliberately as a fully-realized woman, one day at a time. Her efforts are rewarded - at last, she establishes a rounded, fulfilling life and loving family.
 
Ms. Kurshan, a graduate of Harvard University and Cambridge University, has translated books of Jewish interest and worked as a publishers' agent internationally. She is the Book Reviews Editor for  Lilith Magazine, and writes for many other publications.
 
Learn more about how you can join Women's League Reads, and listen to previous author conversations  here.
 
It's Not Too Late to Give to Women's League!
 
We are still accepting donations through our 
1918 Society campaigns - how will your
sisterhood be involved?
 
The 1918 Society honors the Women's League Centennial and its founding in 1918 by Mathilde Schechter. Help us ensure a successful future! 
Minimum gift: $1,918.
 
The $100 for 100 Years campaign accepts a minimum gift of $100.
 
Donors will receive a Women's League kippah as a thank you. Women's League will also participate in
#GivingTuesday this November - follow us on
Facebook and
Twitter for more information.
Click here to give today - we're almost there!
 
 
 
FROM THE TORAH FUND VICE PRESIDENT
MARILYN COHEN

Dear Chaveirot,

Introducing the Torah Fund Pin for 2018-2018

Marilyn

 
Check out the New Torah Fund Guide and all the other materials to run a great campaign!
NEED HELP? help
HELP IS AVAILABLE ON THE WLCJ WEBSITE.

Programs, membership ideas, education material, and more available at wlcj.org

 
INR OF WLCJ | ltsilverman@gmail.com  | Website Click here