WRJ Mid Atlantic Candle August, 2025 Issue

The Candle - August, 2025

Greetings!

President's Message
North Carolina Civil Rights Kallah - September 13 - 14
Mid-Atlantic District Innovations and Engagement Microgrants
WRJ YES Fund Honor Roll Achievements
Understanding Microaggressions - October 9 - Save the Date
More from the District and Beyond

President's Message

I have just started one of my least favorite annual events – purging my closets and drawers. Living in an older home built before large closets were incorporated into architectural plans, I have no choice but to change out my wardrobe according to the seasons. Normally, it takes almost nothing to distract me from this chore, but this year my progress was startingly interrupted. A very large tree, at least 3 feet in diameter, fell just beyond the wall of my bedroom where I was sorting clothes. The crash shook the house with an intensity I had never experienced before. But I was lucky. My family and I were safe, and there was no damage to my home or to that of my closest neighbor. The tree fell on another large tree, which caused it to uproot. That tree was in direct line to fall on my neighbor’s home. Besides the potential danger, there was a personal financial impact, both for debris removal and an inspection of all the trees on the perimeter of the woods that might have been damaged. I didn’t realize until the next day that others on my side of our street had also experienced damage in the aftermath of our latest storm. Thankfully, one neighbor was not home, but a downed tree destroyed half of her house. The cause? In part, it was the saturated ground coupled with the high winds that accompanied the repeated intense thunderstorms experienced in Virginia and many parts of the country. While summer storms and natural disasters have occurred throughout time, it seems that they are more frequent and more intense. A byproduct of global warming.

There was nothing more I could do after calling my husband, neighbor and the tree service I use, so it was back to the drudgery of my immediate task at hand. It was then I fully realized how the climate crisis was affecting me in small ways for the last several years. Signs so subtle, I paid them no mind. As I pulled out a bin of my heavy winter sweaters, I realized I had not worn any of them for at least the last two winters. It simply wasn’t cold enough. And while there were four distinct seasons when I moved to the mid-Atlantic region many years ago, I realized through this clothing purge, that I am only utilizing the parts of my wardrobe that take me from moderately cold weather right into the summer. The most temperate weather associated with spring and the bitter cold of past winter memories have been erased. At that moment a profound sadness overcame me. A sadness I cannot shake.

Is this a silly and self-indulgent reflection? Maybe! But it also changed me. As a Jewish woman, I have observed and participated in efforts to mitigate the climate crisis from afar. I know its effects have already brought destruction, devastation and death to many throughout the world and in North America. The long-term economic, displacement, food scarcity, sexual abuse and negative health, including reproductive health, effects have not been fully realized. People have suffered and some of it could have been avoided if everyone joined efforts to make demands and to join in opportunities to find improvements and solutions. Scientists say that although we may be closer than we think, there is still time to reverse global warming trends, but our current administration is reversing all the progress we have made. So, for me, my rather innocuous observations sent me a more dire message: that the climate crisis is knocking at my door. Now is the time to do something.

For the past few months, we have dangled our Inspiration for Innovation Grants program in front of you. There is still money available for sisterhoods and individual members to create a new program that meets our specified criteria. Could a climate change program or activity be just the thing to inspire you?

For more information on our Inspiration for Innovation Grants, please see the article below.

In Sisterhood,

Andrea

GREENSBORO FALL KALLAH

September 13th and 14th

WRJ Mid-Atlantic invites you to the Fall Kallah in Greensboro, NC, on September 13th and 14th. The weekend will be filled with enjoying time with your WRJ sisters, plus a Civil Rights/Social Justice focus that features a guided tour of the International Civil Rights Museum, location of the famous Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-in, and a social action project.

The cost of the event is $99. This includes the cost of dinner on Saturday, breakfast goodies for Sunday morning, and lunch on Sunday.

Click here to register for the event.

We will be staying at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Greensboro (304 N. Greene St.) selected for its proximity to both the museum and the Greene Street location of Temple Emanuel. The cost per night is $199. For those who plan to come down on Friday, our block of rooms includes the option of staying for two nights.

Click here to register for the hotel

The cost of museum admission, and security and support services at Temple Emanuel will be covered by a generous grant from WRJ.

Mid-Atlantic District Innovation & Engagement Grants

Do you have an innovative program that will have a meaningful impact? or,
Do you have a program that engages in the areas of sisterhood/community building, spirituality, or personal enrichment and growth? or,
Are you preparing a Social justice or advocacy program that includes WRJ resolutions and high-priority issues? or,
Are you preparing a program that will provide outreach to other groups?

The Mid-Atlantic Innovation and Engagement Grant is a rolling grant that will fund new social justice and engagement programs in an amount between $250-$750 and can be combined with other funding opportunities. Applications are being accepted now for Summer/Fall 2025 programs.

Click here for the application and criteria explanation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Marilyn Morrison at marilynmorrison1990@gmail.com or 703-989-7960.

YES Fund Honor Roll District Recognition

The WRJ YES Fund Honor Roll recognizes sisterhoods and women's groups that have made exceptional contributions to their YES Fund donations. All donations made by members of a sisterhood or women’s group are credited to the group’s honor roll status.

Three levels of honor—Chai Honor, Special Merit, and Honor—have been established. Roll of Honor is recognized at $5 per member, the Special Merit Honor Level is at $10 per member, and the Chai Honor Level is reached at $18 per member.

Mazel Tov to the sisterhoods and women's groups in our district that have achieved this recognition.

Women of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation - Chai Honor

Congregation Ner Shalom Sisterhood - Chai Honor

Women of Washington Hebrew Congregation - Special Merit

Temple Sinai Women of Reform Judaism - Honor Roll

Women of Temple Rodef Shalom - Honor Roll

Women of Temple Solel - Honor Roll

Women of Temple Beth Ami Sisterhood - Honor Roll

Ohef Sholom Temple Sisterhood - Honor Roll

Understanding Microaggressions – Words do matter!

Thursday, October 9, 7:30 PM

We’re hosting a dynamic, interactive workshop all about microaggressions—what they are, how they show up (especially in Jewish spaces), and what to do when they do. We’ll dig into real-life examples, share strategies to interrupt harm (even when we’re the ones who caused it), and create space for growth, reflection, and community. All are welcome—don’t miss this chance to learn and grow together!

EVERYONE CAN COUNT THEIR BLESSINGS

Now more than ever, the Mid-Atlantic District believes in the importance of helping others, especially women and their children. Your support to the MAD General Fund will provide youth camp scholarships, meeting registration subsidies to leaders within our district, innovation & engagement grants to sisterhoods, and support for Area Days events.

Click here for more information.

Outstanding opportunities you don’t want to miss!

Thursday, October 9; Understanding Microaggressions; 7:30 pm, details above