Greetings!
Women of Rodef Sholom provides you the opportunity for community. Come feel connected and meet some wonderful women. We want to get to know you!
Let's have some fun this summer -- There's a lot to do!
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It's time to renew your Membership for the 2019-2020 year
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You can do it ON-LINE. It's easy!
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7/2 and 7/16 1-3 pm Rodef Sholom Social Hall
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Monthly open Mahj play is usually the first & third Tuesday of every month.
Bring your sets, your cards and your Mahj friends. Let's have fun!
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7/17 7:15-8:15 JCC Library
(3rd Wed. of the month)
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Schedule:
July 17th
-
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Books for this summer will be discussed and calendared at the July meeting.
To RSVP
CLICK HERE
or Call Alice Miller with questions: 415-381-6792
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WRJ Pacific District Area Day
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WRJ Pacific District Northern California Area Day:
July 27-28, 2019
Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills
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Area Day is a great way to learn about Sisterhood, meet women from other Bay Area Reform Congregation Sisterhoods and hear more about leadership. We encourage participation and will pay for your attendance. If interested please contact
wrs@rodefsholom.org
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WRS Annual POOL PARTY
Sunday, August 25 from 11:30 - 3:30
WRS pool party and pot luck is always such a fun event
Bring a towel, and join us this year!
(you don't even need to swim -- come for the company and great pot luck!)
Join the party at:
501 San Pedro Cove, San Rafael
Community Room and Cabana of Toni Golbus' pool
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Please bring item to share according to your last name initial:
A-F Desserts
G-L Salads/Sides
M-S Main dish
T-Z Hor d'oeuvres
When you come through the gate take a right and then a quick left into the parking lot. The pool cabana will be straight ahead.
If lost on the day of event, Toni can be reached at
415-816-1089
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Honey for Sale
Rosh Hashana is Sept. 30th
It feels early to order,
FREE SHIPPING is available through August 5th
!
- Cost $13 per jar
- If ordered by Sept 4, Honey is guaranteed to arrive by Rosh Hashana
- ORT Honey is True Source Honey and can be tracked from hive to table
- Later orders will include a $5 per jar shipping fee, so order early!
Cards and postage are expensive! For only a little bit more cost, your family and friends will receive a beautiful jar of honey with your New Year's greetings!
All proceeds support WRS Tikkun Olam fund
Free shipping will be offered
through August 5th.
Delivery in time for Rosh Hashana is guaranteed for orders placed
through September 4th
and we will continue to accept orders through the High Holidays.
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Save the Date in September
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WRS OPENING EVENT
September 15th 3-5 pm
Rodef Sholom Social Hall
Our speaker:
Representative of Planned Parenthood Northern CA
This will be a unique opportunity to hear the latest information about reproductive rights and upcoming key legislative bills. The fight for reproductive rights and justice is one of the most current issues of our day.
There will also be an opportunity to hear about what the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) is doing about reproductive rights and justice and how the WRS Tikkun Olam dollars went to support Planned Parenthood.
A relevant topic, as WRJ is launching a “Reproductive Justice Campaign”, in partnership with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC); this campaign will provide training, education and resources to mobilize the Reform community.
This will be a free event to all "paid up" members for 2019-2020
$18 for prospective members/guests
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Join us for an afternoon of important information, refreshments and Sisterhood!
On-line registration coming soon
For more information contact
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The San Francisco Pride Parade
was on Sunday, June 30th
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Some members of Women of Rodef Sholom marched with Planned Parenthood and some with the Union for Reform Judaism. Either way, activism is always appreciated.
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WANT TO GET INVOLVED
BUT DON'T KNOW HOW?
The Women of Rodef Sholom’s Programming and Membership Committees are seeking new volunteers. Volunteering time, energy and passion to these committees is rewarding work! It is also a great way to meet new people, contribute to interesting projects, and give back to our wonderful organization.
The next WRS Programming Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 6 from 5:30-7:00 pm at the JCC Library.
The Programming Team is responsible for organizing a wide range of WRS events: Pool party, Opening event, Sisterhood Shabbat, Women’s Seder and Retreat. If you are in joining a dynamic, fun group, please join the Programming Team.
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Come shop and support the Women of Rodef Sholom
Summer Hours:
7/1-7/14 closed
However, we will open for those in need of Judaica. Please, call 415 640 7868 or 415 314 9822 and we'll help you.
7/15-9/4 11:30-2pm Mon-Friday
Or by appointment, call Ingrid: 415-640-7868
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Beautiful wedding gifts are available
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If you're interested in volunteering to work in the Gift Shop, please contact Ingrid Tolson by clicking the link below.
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Message from our NEW President
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Dear beautiful Women of Rodef Sholom and friends,
Summer is a time of transition: the days get longer, school is out, and we look toward a new Jewish year and the High Holidays. Summer of 2019 has also been a transition for me personally: I am honored to be serving as the new President of the Women of Rodef Sholom, my youngest two children graduated from high school, and, by the end of Rosh Hashanah, I will officially be an empty-nester. Some might say that last one is a bittersweet transition, but I am thrilled to see my last fledglings fly on their own. They are ready and so am I!
I am honored to be following a long line of amazing past WRS Presidents. Unfortunately for us, but what an adventure for her, our Immediate Past President, Lucy Schneidman, has moved with her family to London in the UK. Thankfully, she has agreed to stay involved and maintain our website:
wrs-sisterhood.org
I welcome working closely with the dedicated and passionate clergy and staff of Congregation Rodef Sholom, and I am thrilled to introduce the rest of our creative and excited 2019-2020 newly elected WRS Board members:
Angela Giacomini First Vice President
Angela Giacomini and Laura Giacomini Programming
Fanny Stein and Judy Frumpkin Membership
Cynthia Boyd Treasurer
Joanne Schwarz Corresponding Secretary
I am already enjoying working with this group, as well as the terrific Women of Rodef Sholom Directors. Our many Directors handle everything from our most spiritual tasks, such as reaching out to our members in times of need and in times of
simcha
(celebration), to critical practical items like keeping track of our membership. These enthusiastic volunteers tackle our most visible activities, like publicity, social media outreach, and running our valued Gift Shop located in the Osher Jewish Community Center.
As an all-volunteer organization, I thank each and every woman who has stepped into one of our leadership roles. We do still have several critical vacancies:
Fundraising
and
Recording Secretary
. I invite anyone with experience or not, Jewish or exploring, already actively involved in the WRS, or looking to make new friendships, to join this fantastic team. Through education, spirituality, social events, and performing
tikkun olam
(repairing the world), one of my personal callings, we form connections to each other, to ourselves and to the world.
I love that I have found within WRS a group of equally passionate women devoted to
tikkun olam
. In May, I was lucky enough to join two of our past WRS Presidents in Washington, D.C. to learn how to better fight for social justice at the Women of Reform Judaism’s (WRJ) Social Justice Conference. WRS is a proud affiliate of the WRJ. I encourage any interested women to join a group of us at the
WRJ Northern California Area Day
hosted by Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills the last weekend in July. At Area Day, we will hear lively speakers, get to know other Northern California WRJ affiliate members, and participate in
tikkun olam
by providing sheets and pillows for the homeless in one of the most costly areas of the world.
This past Sunday, my husband, son, and I marched with our very own Rabbi Elana and the Union of Reform Judaism in the San Francisco Pride Parade in love and honor of our LGBTQ+ family and friends. I adore that our community participates in this event that is like none I have ever seen – one where every single person of the thousands as far as the eye can see is smiling because she/he/they want to be there. It is one of my favorite times and places on planet earth.
I hope you are enjoying your summer as much as I am. One of my favorite maxims from the Women of Reform Judaism is that we are stronger together; in other words, without you, we are one woman short!
I can’t wait to welcome you in person to your next Women of Rodef Sholom event!
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In friendship and sisterhood,
Jen Levine
President, Women of Rodef Sholom
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WRS New Minhag (custom)
"Heal Her Now" SCARFS
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El na, refah na lah (Please God, heal her now)
From Numbers 12:13 -
Then Moses cried to the LORD, "Heal her now, O God."
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The Women of Rodef Sholom has a new minhag (custom) which was introduced and created at the WRS Retreat this year. Inspired by Rabbi Stacy receiving a scarf from the Reform Female Rabbinate when she was healing from her cancer diagnosis, we decided that sharing this kind of loving kindness, refu’ah sh’leymah (complete healing), and Torah, is what Sisterhood is all about.
From now on, when a woman in our Congregation is diagnosed with cancer (or other serious illness or at the discretion of Rabbi Stacy), that woman will be presented with a "Heal Her Now" Scarf as a gift from the Women of Rodef Sholom.
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The following is an outline of how this project took form.
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Part 1: Purchase and Initial Preparation of the Scarfs
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Silk scarfs and supplies are purchased and painted (the Retreat facility would not allow fabric dye).
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Part 2: Blessing of the Scarfs at the WRS Retreat
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Retreat participants wear the Scarfs as Rabbi Lara blessed us and them as part of our Mishaberach prayer service.
It was powerful and it was holy!(See Rabbi Lara's Comments from the Clergy article below)
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Part 3: Holding Torah during Mishaberach, Torah's love going into the Scarfs
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Part 4: Sisterhood Members Decorating Scarfs
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El na, refah na lah
(Please God, heal her now) was inscribed on the Scarfs. They were then decorated and love poured into them.
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Women make cards with loving messages of support to accompany the Scarfs given to the recipient. Acts of anonymous loving kindness!
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The box of Scarfs (see photo above) has been presented to Rabbi Stacy. They are filled with love, Torah and blessings for healing.
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We solemnly pray that you never need one of these Scarfs. However, if you do, please contact Rabbi Stacy or
wrs@rodefsholom.org
and you will be wrapped in healing love.
El na, refah na lah (Please God, heal her now)!
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Congregation Rodef Sholom
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In the bin this month: In the temple lobby
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July:
Diapers and wipes for clients of Homeward Bound
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