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- From the Region President
- February Program: It Happened in Italy by Elizabeth Bettina
- Save the Date for Virtual Spring Conference!
- From our Torah Fund Vice President
From Women's League:
- Shabbat Message
- Women's League Shabbat
- Health & Wellness: Talking to our kids about the US Capitol Crisis
- Upcoming On-Line Programs from WLCJ and Other Arms of Conservative/Masorti Judaism
- Programming Idea of the Week
- Social Justice Blurb of the Week
- Blessings for Receiving the COVID Vaccine
- Psalms, Pirket Avot & Kaddish
- Weekly Words of Torah from Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields
- Stay connected with WLCJ groups
- WLCJ is Hiring
- Masorti Women's Days of Study
- Upcoming events in other Regions
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From the Region President |
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This past Monday at our board meeting, I opened the meeting with “A Prayer for Our Country” from Siddur Sim Shalom. I had asked for and had been granted abundant forgiveness from all of my Canadian sisters present, having indicated that I was going to focus on the US for the D’Var Torah. Clearly, everyone present was well aware of what had occurred at the US Capitol the previous week. I have to say that I am so proud and so absolutely thrilled to be part of such a wonderful group of supportive, caring, strong, smart, and just fabulous women in our great dual country region!
I am not going to repeat that same prayer here, but I am going to ask for the same forgiveness as I am still focused, for obvious reasons, on the United States. Instead, I turned to one of my favorite books by Rabbi Naomi Levy. Some of you are familiar with this book, that I was referred to by Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields, Executive Director of Women’s League. I have used it many times to open a meeting or a program. I was actually looking for a new or different prayer ‘for our country’ to use here when I stumbled across something just a bit different. Although they will never hear me or read this column, I believe so many of our ‘leaders and advisors’ would benefit from Rabbi Levy’s words.
A Prayer for Tolerance
Teach us, God, to treasure the differences that distinguish one person from another. Fill us with the strength to overcome senseless fear and hatred.
Open our hearts to the radiance that shines forth from every human soul. Inspire us to shed our apathy; remind us that it is our obligation to be responsible for one another.
Open our ears to the cries of all who are in need of our assistance. Give us the courage to combat prejudice and intolerance wherever they exist.
Teach us to see each other through Your eyes, God. In Your eyes all people are equally loved, equally precious.
Bless us all, God, with compassion, with kindness, and with peace. Amen.
From Talking to God Copyright 2002 Alfred A Knopf, publisher.
I wish, above all else, good health for you and your loved ones, a peaceful transfer of power in the United States, and of course, a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat.
Joan Lowenstein
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With sadness, we inform you of the passing of Ilana Finkelstein, daughter of Gail Finkelstein, President of Temple Beth El Sisterhood in Rochester, New York. May her memory forever be for a blessing and may her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. |
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Presents
An evening with Elizabeth Bettina
Tuesday February 23, 2021 at 7:00 pm
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Elizabeth Bettina is the author of It Happened in Italy: Untold Stories of How the People of Italy Defied the Horrors of the Holocaust, a work that brings to light the little known history of how approximately 80% of Jews in Italy were saved during the Holocaust.
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Her book was the inspiration for the documentary, My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes, which was co-produced by Ms. Bettina and narrated by Golden Globe winning actress, Isabella Rossellini. The documentary was financed by a group led by Joseph Perella. The documentary opened in the Rome Film Festival and the Hamptons International Film Festival, October 2014. Ms. Bettina has had private audiences with both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis and her work has also been recognized by the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
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With a mission to learn about those who risked their lives to save others and to inspire people to take action, Ms. Bettina founded the Be the Difference-Never Again program. It is her core belief that each person, every action, large or small, can make a difference.
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As a public speaker, Ms. Bettina has been invited to lecture around the world, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights, the American Consulate in Florence, Holocaust Education Week in Toronto, various embassies, colleges, universities, and advocacy organizations. She is a graduate of Smith College in Massachusetts.
Ms. Bettina signs her books, “If you are not indifferent, things can be different.”
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Zoom information will be provided when you RSVP
Our programs are a benefit of your membership in your local affiliated Sisterhood/Women's Group or as an Individual Member of
Women's League for Conservative Judaism
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From our Torah Fund Vice President |
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Now that we are into the new year of 2021, I’d like to remind everyone that we have less than 6 months left in our B’Yachad Torah Fund Campaign. Although the past year has been extremely challenging in so many ways, we can still look back and find gratitude, just as Maya Zinkow, a fifth-year rabbinical student at JTS has written in the following article: https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-blessings-in-2020s-losses/
Let us celebrate our wonderful rabbinical and cantorial students by inviting them to speak at our Torah Fund virtual programs. Simply contact the Torah Fund Director, Lisa Paule (lipaul@jtsa.edu) for details.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN TORAH FUND:
which replaces the earlier online pages for the B’Yachad campaign.
Please remember that this is for US DONATIONS ONLY. Canadians should not use online platforms for any Torah Fund donations as the receipt issued cannot be used for tax purposes.
All Canadian donations are still to go through the individual sisterhood’s Torah Fund Chair.
There is now also an ONLINE E-CARD PLATFORM at
http://torahfundecards.jtsa.edu at a cost of $5.00 per recipient. Canadian donors cannot use the tax receipt issued for this either. This is a new vehicle intended to augment our fundraising in a digital format. Although sisterhoods will not receive credit for Torah Fund e-purchases, your e-card participation will enhance Torah Fund for us all.
2. Torah Fund B’YACHAD PINS have been mailed out to those Torah Fund Chairs who submitted their PIN ORDER FORM when originally requested. Others will be dispatched later this month.
3. Torah Fund Tribute Cards – Unfortunately the JTS in New York is still closed and they cannot access the cards in storage. We will have to be creative. I’ve encouraged those with excess cards to share them with those who are without. I’ve also encouraged Torah Fund Chairs to use up their older cards even if they don’t include the current information of all five seminaries. Those receiving the cards will still be most appreciative of your thoughtfulness.
4. Torah Fund Legacy Society (TFLS). Help ensure the future of our Conservative Jewish future by adding Torah Fund as a legacy gift through your estate. We've created a new flyer about the Legacy Society (see attached) which you can download from our Resources page www.jtsa.edu/torahfund
5. Update on new videos for Torah Fund virtual events. We plan to offer a video featuring Rabbi Bradley Artson of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, and a video from Zacharias Frankel College featuring students from the college. We're still encouraging sisterhoods to join together to do collective virtual programs, and we've been fulfilling requests for JTS student guest speakers and cantorial presenters. Rabbi Artson takes requests for Ziegler student speakers.
Please continue to make your donations to Torah Fund, whether online or by check and thank you to all the Sisterhood Torah Fund Chairs for continuing your work in promoting Torah Fund to your Sisterhood members.
I look forward to hearing about your successes and will be happy to virtually join your Torah Fund program to tell your members about our campaign, our special projects and the five seminaries around the world that we support. Feel free to contact me for all your Torah Fund questions. B’Yachad we can all work to achieve our goal.
Shabbat Shalom,
Marilyn Cohen
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Shabbat Message:
ESHET CHAYIL, A WOMAN OF VALOR
By Jenn Wood, Southern Region President
Have you ever really thought about the Woman of Valor in Proverbs 31:10-31? We talk about being one and honoring one. Books have been written, rabbis have debated, and many thoughts are out there. Only once in the Tanakh was a woman called this - Ruth, who we read about on Shavuot. Ruth, a woman who left her people and land, followed her mother-in-law and chose Judaism. Boaz, her husband, called her an Eshet Chayil. One teaching suggests King Solomon's mother wrote Proverbs 31 to tell him what he should look for in a wife, a woman like his many-times great grandmother, Ruth. I like this thought.
Perhaps it was written by Solomon for one specific woman, or Abraham wrote it to Sarah, or Solomon's mother wrote it. No one truly knows, but it has been sung for many years as a prelude to our Erev Shabbat meal. The book of Proverbs ends with this Woman of Valor. She is amazing! How did she accomplish everything listed? Perhaps because she gets up before the sun rises. I often wish for more time in my day but won't get up during the night to have it. I wonder if this were written today, what would this woman look like? Would she balance life with a partner, kids, and job while being an active member in her sisterhood fixing Kiddush and delivering honey at Rosh Hashanah while taking care of her elderly parents? Would she also take part in various positions on her synagogue board, chair committees, and raise money for a Jewish museum, Jewish Federation, and Jewish Community Center while delivering food to the poor? Is this the modern Eshet Chayil?
A friend and I discussed all of the above. My friend had made the decision that the Proverbs 31 woman is basically a slave while her husband sits at the gates. She is so against this poem that it isn't allowed in her house on Shabbat. It's not progressive and she doesn't want her children growing up thinking this is an ideal woman. While I respect her viewpoint and have found that it isn't completely uncommon among some women, I disagree. The woman of valor is strong, smart, loyal, wise, giving, respected, and loved. These are traits I want to display and want for my girls.
Southern Region has an award we give every three years at Conference. It's called the PGW award, named for Phyllis Grusin Weinstein. Phyllis, of blessed memory, lived to see her 100th birthday. She founded the Southern Region and her legacy in Atlanta and Birmingham is amazing. At the beginning of my presidency, I was able to talk to her when I visited Birmingham. She was kind, wise, and smart. She was respected, well-loved, and generous. A true Woman of Valor that I imagine set the tone of love and spirituality in her household. After really talking to her I remember thinking, I want to be her when I grow up. That year, she had been to the archives at the Bremen Museum (Southern Branch's materials are stored there). Can you believe at 97, she was still involved with the Region?
I challenge you to think about the Woman of Valor. Who embodies her and inspires you? Are the words in Proverbs 31 outdated or is it truly the traits she represents and the end result that matters - to have her children rise up and call her blessed?
Shabbat Shalom,
Jenn Wood
Southern Region President
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Women's League Shabbat - Friday January 15th |
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Women's League Shabbat is here! We invite you to embrace this year's theme, B'Yachad (together), during a time when it is so difficult to gather. Please use the links provided to come together virtually, socially-distanced, or however your community is currently gathering. Feel free to utilize our resources, including those for Rosh Chodesh, this coming Shabbat, January 15. Our hope is that you all manage to feel connected with your own community and the larger Women's League sisterhood through this meaningful programming. Shabbat Shalom!
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A Health and Wellness Message to Women's League Members Talking to Our Kids |
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Last week was a difficult week for the United States. While we watched events unfold in Washington DC that were difficult for us to see, these events were also watched around the world. They came at the start of a new year after the conclusion of what for most of us has been the most difficult year of our lives, regardless of our location.
If all of the events of the past year and the past week have been challenging for us as adults, they have also been challenging for our children and grandchildren. No matter how much parents, grandparents, teachers, and other trusted adults try to protect them from the hard things in life, children experience them along with us. And this is true even in “normal” years when we experience such things as the death of a beloved person, parents choosing to separate, or a job loss.
But there are some steps you can take to help your children during such times. The first step is to have a conversation with your child(ren). I know that sounds like a very hard thing to do but avoiding such conversations often makes children imagine that things are even worse. Their imaginations will surely conjure up things even more dire and you may have a harder time reassuring them. You want to have discussions that are age-appropriate. What you say to a kindergarten student and a high-school student are different and yes, you should speak to your teens too. They still need to talk. You may have to think about what to say or even practice a bit (in your head or in front of the mirror- it’s okay). Find a quiet time to speak with your child. Turn off the TV and put the cell phone away. Let them know that you are focused on them, though sometimes it may be easier for both of you if you do this while engaged in some simple task with them such as putting their things away in their room. You may wish to start by asking what they know or what they have heard. Then listen to them. And listen some more. When in doubt, listen again. Answer the questions they have in age-appropriate terms. There is often no need to answer questions they did not ask nor to go into unnecessary (gory) detail.
Particularly for younger children, you may need to keep the news off or watch when they are asleep or not in the room. Even for older children, it may be helpful to limit exposure to news sources (or social media) to help reduce anxiety. Reassurance is key - children need to know that you are there for them. Sometimes, the answer to their question may be “I don’t know” (“Why did that shooting happen” or “Why did that person say that bad thing”) and that is okay too. Also let them know they can always speak to you and that you will answer their questions.
Be a role model. Use respectful language, even when talking about events that upset you deeply. Children are paying as much attention to the things we do as to the things we tell them to do. And during these stressful times, be sure to take care of yourself as well. It is harder to care for others if we are not also caring for ourselves. You know your child(ren) best - please remember that there are mental health resources available and that during the pandemic many communities have made it easier to access them and to do so virtually. Do not be afraid to seek help for yourself or your child if needed.
Shabbat Shalom,
Mindy Steinholz, MD
WLCJ International Vice-President
Health and Wellness Chair
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WL Programs in January/February 2021 |
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WL Reads
Monday, January 18th
@ 7:00 PM EST
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Personal Conversations
Thursday, January 21st
@ 8:00 PM EST
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Paula Shoyer Program
Monday, January 25th
@ 2:30 PM EST
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Jews in Comedy, Part II
Monday, February 22nd
@ 3:00 PM EST
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Repro Shabbat - Friday, February 12th & Saturday February 13th
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Repro Shabbat is an opportunity for congregations, organizations, and communities to celebrate the critical importance of reproductive health access, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice, and to learn more about Judaism’s approach to these issues. For more details and to RSVP, click here.
For booklet version, click here. Additional information, click here.
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Programming Idea of the Week |
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Rahel Musleah was born in Calcutta, India, the seventh generation of a Calcutta Jewish family that traces its roots to 17th-century Baghdad. Through her multi-media song, story and slide programs, she shares her rare and intimate knowledge of this ancient community’s history, customs and melodies with audiences at synagogues, schools, libraries, women’s groups and cultural events.
Rahel is an award-winning journalist with hundreds of published articles to her credit as well as the author of several critically acclaimed books. She enriches the vibrant mosaic of Jewish diversity with her distinctive lyrical and literary voice.
To schedule programs and lectures, call 516-829-2358 or click here to email Rahel.
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Idea Submitted by
Suzanne Zorn, M.D.
Beth Meyer Synagogue, Raleigh, NC
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Article Written by Grace Schessler
WLCJ VP, Programming Team
gschessler@wlcj.org
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Social Justice Blurb of the Week |
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It’s finally happened. 2020 really is in our hindsight! It’s now our responsibility to ensure 2021 is a better year for everyone. We still need to be vigilant about wearing our masks and washing hands for the health and safety of everyone around us but relief is on the way. We can now look forward to resuming a more “normal” life in the foreseeable future.
While some aspects of 2020 may be on the way out, others left behind are still devastating our communities. Hunger and food insecurity are increasingly evident. We, the members of Women’s League, share a moral responsibility for helping stem the tide. We aren’t expected to do it alone, but in pooling our efforts we can move forward in making a meaningful improvement.
The Social Action team is presenting a new Tikkun Olam project: Project Stock The Shelves. There will be a monthly recommendation for contributions to local food pantries. We will recommend a suggestion each month. Each sisterhood will have established their means of collection and delivery. While you travel the aisles of your supermarket, be grateful that you are able to shop. Consider adding the monthly recommended item to your cart, knowing you will be helping another who is not so lucky. In all food donations, please be aware of the “use by” dates. While this doesn’t necessarily make the food bad, pantries cannot distribute if expired. Items do not need to be kosher, unless of course you are collecting for a kosher pantry.
To begin, we have January’s recommendation: canned soup and crackers. However, please keep an eye out for more information in an upcoming WL Weekly on how to proceed! See how easy it is to make a difference!
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Karen Block
Social Justice C0-Chair
kblock@wlcj.org
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Ardis Wexler
Social Justice Co-Chair
judgeardis@aol.com
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Torah Fund has a New Online Donation Page |
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This page replaces the earlier online pages for the B'Yachad campaign and the Creating New Spaces campaign. There is now just the one page for both campaigns, and users can select the campaign they wish to support. This is for U.S. donations; the page may accept other currencies but the receipt issued will be in accordance with U.S. laws. Please use this link going forward, for any reference to giving to Torah Fund. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions about this, please contact torahfund@jtsa.edu.
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Blessings for Receiving the COVID Vaccine |
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Prayers collected by Rabbi Lior Nevo.
To read more, click on the button below.
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Psalms, Pirkei Avot and Kaddish |
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Monday-Friday 12PM Noon ET; 11AM CT; 9AM PT; 10AM MT
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
Password: 875936
Dial by your location:
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York);
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose);
+1 647 558 0588 Canada;
+972 55 330 1762 Israel; +972 3 978 6688
Want to sing, teach, help with technology and more during Daily Psalm Study and Kaddish? Click here to SIGN UP.
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Parashat Vaera / Shabbat, January 16, 2021 - Plagues
Parashat Va-era begins the story of the plagues that struck the Egyptians. Was it right for all the Egyptians to be afflicted with plagues? Were all the Egyptians slave owners? What is your reaction when someone you do not get along with, or outright dislike, is afflicted? Do we have modern parallels today to the Egyptian plagues of Parashat Va-era?
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Stay Connected with WLCJ Groups |
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WLCJ American Mothers of Olim GoogleGroup |
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WLCJNet: The Sisterhood Without Walls |
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Interested? Contact Ellie Kremer,
Israel Committee Chair
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To join the WLCJNet, please send an email to Sherry Lynn Rubin at slrubin@wlcj.org.
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Women's League for Conservative Judaism is looking for a part time Staff Accountant, up to 20 hours per week, based out of our New York City office. Please submit your resume to
Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields
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WLCJ on Social Media Posting |
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Posting the WL Week on any Social Media? |
We would like to advise our WL members to refrain from posting exact Zoom links for our events on Social Media. It takes great care and hard work to provide these amazing programs specifically for our members. If you know of anyone who is not a member but would like to join a program, please refer them to join WLCJ, and take advantage of all we have to offer! |
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Region Masorti Women's Days in February/March 2021 |
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Thursday January 14th
@ 6:00 PM EST
Led by Sue Gurland and Reb Tuviah
Meeting ID: 854 3411 7747
Passcode: AEAC0Z
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Book discussion on The Borscht Belt:
Revisiting the Remains of
America's Jewish Vacationland
Tuesday, January 19th
@ &:00 PM EST
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To view flyer, click HERE
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Yoga for Torah Fund Event
Sunday, January 24th
@ 10:00 AM EST
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To view flyer, click HERE
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Free Program & Open to All!
8th Annual Open a Book...
Open Your Mind for 2020-21.
NOW until April 2020
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To view flyer, click HERE
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Atlanta Mah Jongg Madness
goes "Virtual"
Play at rotating tables using
tournament scoring to win Amazon
gift cards for one of 4 top prizes!
Sunday, February 14th
@ 11:00 AM EST
Cost is $20 to Register
To view flyer, click HERE
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Torah Fund Study Day
B'Yachad Together, Throughout the World
Sunday January 31st
@ 10:00 AM PST
Guest Speakers:
Debbi Kaner Goldich
Barbara Ezring
Moderator: Rabbi Wolintz-Fields
Panelists from all 5 Seminaries!
To view the flyer, click HERE
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The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism - January 2021 |
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Masorti Judaism Up Close and Personal in January/February 2021 |
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Masorti Europe is pleased to announce the next installment in our series on Masorti Judaism.
A new online course on the fundamentals of Masorti Judaism. Presented simultaneously in English, French, Spanish and Russian and will include Rabbis and speakers from across the European Movement and from around the World.
All sessions are FREE of charge. Book now to help with planning.
To book your place click on the button below.
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Session 6:
Tuesday, January 12 at 2PM ET
Major Trends in
Europe
What are the major developing trends impacting on the Jewish communities in Europe today and what should we be doing to prepare our communities for the future?
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Session 7: Tuesday, January 26 at
2PM ET
Major Trends in the
World
The American Jewish community is the largest diaspora community. T he social and cultural scene in America is frequently ahead of Europe by 10-15 years. What are the major developing trends impacting on the Jewish communities in America today and what are they doing to prepare for the future? Join us for a peek into our future!
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Session 8: Tuesday, February 9 at
2PM ET
The New Religious Communities
We are witnessing a rise of new forms of Jewish communal life which both challenge and offer hope to the existing Jewish establishment. What are these communities, what are they trying to achieve and how do they operate? This is an opportunity to meet some of the leaders of new communities and to get to know them first-hand.
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Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center - Mondays, February 8-22 @ 12:00 PM EST |
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Three-Part Mini-Series: "Touching and Not Touching" Teachings and Practices for Approaching Spiritual Experience
Join Rabbi Ami Silver and Rabbi Zac Kamenetz on a journey into the history of psychedelic therapy. Jewish spiritual practice, direct Divine encounter, and the transformative potential of these healing modalities.
Date: Mondays, February 8-22, 2021
Time: 9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST / 6:00 PM CET / 7:00 PM Israel
Cost:
- Opening Lecture Only: $10
- Mini-Series Only: $36
- Combined Opening Lecture + Mini-Series: $40
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American Friends of Neve Hanna |
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We are all still in the same boat, pretty much dealing with the same restrictions in every sphere of our lives. Nevertheless, the situation differs from country to country. In our last newsletter, around Rosh HaShana, we reported that NEVE HANNA experienced the first months of the pandemic as a kind of large family, since we retreated from almost any public life. We came out of the first lockdown strengthened as a community. Despite all the worries, the mental stress, the adjustments to a different reality and a daily life branded by the pandemic, children residing at NEVE HANNA and our daycare-center-children experienced joyful summer camp weeks. NEVE HANNA is proud of the success of our children, we have never had so many advancing to higher education. NEVE HANNA will be launching a very special new project: a library for the children to explore the wonderful world of reading...
To continue reading, here
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Grief to Activism. Live Your Best Life + More!
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Learn Hebrew at AJU
For more information on the Whizin Center for Continuing Education, please click here to REGISTER or READ MORE.
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Statement on Washington Riot;
A Forgotten Jewish Intellectual; Treasures from The Library; and More
For more information on JTS news and events, please click here to
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Become a Member/Renew Your Membership to Mercaz |
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The new membership year begins July 1, 2020. There are two ways you can become a supporter of Mercaz:
IN THE US
IN CANADA
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To purchase your
WLCJ Calendar Diary
2020-2021,
please click on the link below or
to download the order form,
email Razel Kessler
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We're continuing to collect fleece blankets and t-shirt shopping bags for The ARK as our Social Action Project for Convention 2020.
If you have any questions or have already completed fleece blankets and/or t-shirt shopping bags, please contact Edna Schrank eschrank@wlcj.org or 847-651-2231.
UPDATE: My last delivery to The ARK, on December 1, 2020, of our fleece blankets and t-shirt shopping bags was a special moment. In total WLCJ members and families created 122 fleece blankets, 216 t-shirt shopping bags, and donated 58 reusable premade bags...
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Women's League for Conservative Judaism |
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