The Candle-September 2024


President's Message

Board Meeting Reminder

Take Action for Our Democracy

Save the Date

News from the District and Beyond

Hello Carol,


President's Message

Being a woman, being Jewish, and being a good citizen of our country and of the world is exhausting. More than once, mentors have told me to pick my battles and concentrate on those issues where I believe I can have the greatest impact. While that advice is normally difficult for me to follow, it is easy at the moment we find ourselves in. Democracy and getting out the vote. If we don’t elect leaders who are open to our values, human rights, equity, truth, and separation of church and state, the path to restoring reproductive rights; economic opportunity, mitigating climate change; halting gun violence, and a host of other issues becomes more difficult. 


According to Barbara Jordon “The stakes … are too high for government to be a spectator sport.”


The women of the Mid-Atlantic District have stepped up as players. Thank you to the women who attended our virtual postcard writing parties and those who told me that they were doing their in-person gatherings with friends, their women’s groups, sisterhoods, and their congregations, and to those who have ordered their postcards from the RAC to do on their own. Have no doubt. Although your efforts may seem small in relation to the enormity of our mission, please know that there is now data to confirm that postcard writing and phone banking, do make a positive impact. Collectively, our individual voices rise together in a harmonious shout.


Thank goodness even though the election is just weeks away, there are still ways for you to be involved. Some of those ways will be detailed in the article below. Not only do we have the opportunity to remind citizens of their civic duty to vote, we can appeal to those who are driven by issues such as reproductive rights and climate change and urge them to vote for candidates and ballot initiatives that support their ideals.


WRJ Mid-Atlantic women are a force to be reckoned with. Let’s keep up the momentum. Is there a better way to start the New Year?


Shana Tovah to all,

Andrea Stillman

Attention all MAD Board members!


A MAD Board meeting has been called for Monday, September 23 at 7:30 PM. We would like to believe that all the meetings we hold are important, but attendance for this meeting, like budget approval, is extremely important. This is a Special General Board Meeting to discuss the proposed merger of the Mid-Atlantic and Atlantic Districts. Voting will follow our discussion.  Our general meetings are open to all but only Board members can vote. As a reminder, the Board of Directors includes the Executive Committee, all District Past Presidents, Committee Chairs, Presidential Appointees, WRJ Board Members residing in the district, and a President or a leader of each WRJ-affiliated sisterhood or women’s group in good standing, or her duly appointed representative. 

Register here!

Take Action for Our Democracy 


There are only a few weeks to add your voice to the thousands of WRJ individuals encouraging their fellow citizens to get out and vote. Here’s how you can help:

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 7pm ET - Colorado Reproductive Freedom Phone Bank

Tuesday, September 24 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT - CALLING VIRGINIA Climate Change Phone Bank

Thursday, September 26 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT - CALLING VIRGINIA Climate Change Phone Bank

Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 6pm ET - RAC-FL Reproductive Freedom Phone Bank 

Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 4:45pm ET - RAC-CA Repro Phone Bank to AZ Voters

Tuesday, October 1 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT - LAST SHIFT OF 5784! CALLING VIRGINIA Climate Change Phone Bank

Tuesday, October 8 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT - DAYS OF AWE: CALLING PENNSYLVANIA Climate Change Phone Bank

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 6pm ET - Pennsylvania Get Out The Vote Phonebank

Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 5:45pm ET - RAC-CA Reproductive Freedom Phone Bank to Nevada

Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 6pm ET - RAC-FL Reproductive Freedom Phone Bank

Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 9pm ET – Dayenu’s CHUTZPAH Campaign: Days of Awe: Calling Arizona (WRJ is co-hosting this phone bank!)

Tuesday, October 15 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT - SUKKOT THE VOTE! CALLING GEORGIA  Climate Change Phone Bank

Tuesday, October 22 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT - SUKKOT THE VOTE! CALLING LOUISIANA Climate Change Phone Bank

Tuesday, October 29 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT - CALLING NORTH CAROLINA Climate Change Phone Bank

Wednesday, October 30 @ 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm EDT - CALLING NEVADA (SPOOKY THEME!) Climate Change Phone Bank

Sunday, November 3 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST - WEEKEND CALLING! Climate Change Phone Bank

Monday, November 4 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST - EREV ELECTION DAY CALLING Climate Change Phone Bank


Outstanding opportunities you don’t want to miss!


Reform Movement Program:

Sunday, September 29, 1:00-2:00 PM - In Memory and In Hope - A Global Reform Movement Commemoration of October 7th. Register here.


Mid-Atlantic District Programs


Tuesday, October 29, 7:30 PM; "The Importance of Happiness during Challenging Times” video and discussion. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMocuurqTgsHdBzhzg5rQaCAwzLsSZF6g4D

Tuesday, November 19, 7:30 PM; An Introduction to WRJ Ethics and Conflict Resolution Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAoduGhqzgsEtCEqBPXApw5g6lk8un9kpmd

Saturday, December 21; 5:00 PM; MAD Women Present: A Chanukah Havdalah 

Saturday, March 22 – 24; North Carolina Civil Rights Kallah

Friday, April 4-7 – WRJ Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference – Washington, DC

Saturday, May 3-4; Cambridge, Maryland Civil Rights Kallah

News from the District and Beyond ...

West Virginia Women’s Health Clinic Opens in Maryland, with a Bonus for Local Jewish Community


Betsey Hurwitz Schwab


On September 13, 2022, West Virginia began enforcing its total ban on abortion, which prohibited abortion at all stages of pregnancy, except in the case of a "nonmedically viable fetus," ectopic pregnancy, or medical emergency. 


The Women's Health Center of West Virginia in Charleston had been providing abortion services to the women of West Virginia for some 40 years. The clinic Executive Director (ED), Katie Quinonez, was not willing to give up, so she began looking for another location where abortion services could be provided. She looked in several locations but found that the Cumberland, MD area was a good location - it was only minutes from the West Virginia border, it was in a blue state (although in a red area of the state), it was only a short distance from Pennsylvania, and there were major roads into the area making travel from other states easy. When she was shown a building just south of Cumberland, with a back door view over the Potomac River into West Virginia, she knew she had found her location. 


Then, in March 2023, West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors. At that point, it was imperative to open a location where abortions, gender affirming care for minors, and all other women's health services could be provided in a non-judgmental, caring environment.


Fortuitously, following the Dobbs decision, several community members in far Western Maryland had come together to form a local group, the Mountain Maryland Alliance for Reproductive Freedom. Members of this group, myself included, proved instrumental in assisting with finding a location for the clinic and connecting Katie and her staff with Cumberland community members who would provide services, moral support, and financial support to the clinic.


In August 2023, my husband received an email from a Jewish nurse practitioner stating she was relocating to Cumberland for a position with "a new health center in the area," and that she wanted to connect with the local Jewish community. I knew immediately that she would be working at the Women's Health Center and confirmed that with the ED. Rachel Kashy arrived in September 2023 and began work immediately. She provides medication abortions and gender affirming hormone therapy, as well as routine women's health care. She has joined our congregation (B'er Chayim) and has already led services. We have become good friends and talk regularly.It was basheret (meant to be)! We are proud to have the clinic in our community and are delighted to have Rachel as a member of our congregation.


The full range of women's health care is so important! Our community is in Appalachia, so even though we have a hospital here, we still lack specialists in many areas. In addition, it is generally a conservative area. So, for me, the establishment of the clinic in our area is a testament to local women being able to have a voice and exert power. The clinic, what it stands for, and the services it provides are so important to me that I have made a significant financial contribution to help the clinic get up and running.


As a P.S., we have just found out that the chosen doctor has received his Maryland license, enabling him to perform surgical abortions beginning July 1!

Betsey Hurwitz-Schwab is an at-large member of WRJ North America, an individual member of the Mid-Atlantic District and WRJ representative to the Commission on Social Justice.

Attention All Sisterhood and Women's Group Leaders!


The women in your sisterhoods and women’s groups are entitled to receive information from the WRJ Mid-Atlantic District. We also encourage you to share information with friends, relatives, and others in your community who may be interested. WRJ has individual membership available.


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To join the WRJ information and discussion platform: https://women-of-reform-judaism.mn.co/share/pAJY0qVOyO0pdp0p?utm_source=manual


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WRJ Mid-Atlantic District

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