December 28, 2007

19 Tevet 5768

Dear WRJ friends,

It is almost 2008!  Another “secular” calendar year has passed and we look forward to adventures and events of a new year.  Are you tempted to say, “Where has the year gone?”

As I think about the past year, I am overwhelmed and overjoyed at all of the things that have happened in twelve short months!  Personally, my family has been blessed with milestone birthdays, college graduations, exotic world travels, and an engagement!

WRJ has had, perhaps, the most amazing twelve months in its remarkable ninety-four year history.

In local sisterhoods, we have experienced outstanding programming, profound spiritual moments, and wonderful new friendships. In our districts, we have created exciting learning opportunities and fantastic area events and biennials.  The lives of women in our congregations have been enhanced by the work we are all doing.

In April 2007, WRJ held it’s most successful Leadership Conference ever!  More than 140 leaders gathered to share and learn and pray together.

Yet there is so much more!  In many ways, WRJ has helped to reshape the future of both our organization and the progressive Jewish world.  Let me highlight three historic moments in 2007.

1. In March, a delegation of twenty-two WRJ women attended the World Union for Progressive Judaism convention in Jerusalem. We were the largest delegation in attendance and we were acknowledged and honored for the constant and meaningful support that we have provided WUPJ throughout our history. In addition, we spent five days touring, learning, and visiting the many friends and programs that we support in progressive communities of Israel. This was a first for WRJ and forged a new link in our chain of connection to Israel.


2. In June, the WRJ Southwest District was born! The creation of this new district was the result of long range planning and the capable and dedicated work of many, many women. This was the second of three proposed district consolidations. In addition, all districts decided to change their names from numbers to more meaningful geographic designations. This was history-making for WRJ and will better define who we are and how we connect to one another.


3. In December, at the 46th assembly in San Diego, WRJ launched The Torah: A Women’s Commentary. The study of Torah will be forever changed and enhanced by the publication of this book. In the words of Rabbi Eric Yoffie, this volume “will be an extraordinary resource that will prove both useful and meaningful to all - men and women alike - who delve into its pages." This is a first for WRJ and for the entire Jewish world and will amplify the voices of women and connect us to our sacred texts.

The year 2007 has indeed been amazing. As we prepare to welcome 2008, the future of Women of Reform Judaism shines brightly. We have more history to create and more friendships to form.

May the light of the Shabbat candles shine as brightly as our future. I wish you all a glowing 2008!

Please share this email with your sisterhood.

Shabbat Shalom.

Lynn Magid Lazar

WRJ first vice president

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December 21, 2007

12 Tevet  5768

Dear WRJ Friends,

Our magnificent 46th WRJ assembly has just concluded!  As I banged the WRJ president's gavel to signal the close of this assembly Sunday morning, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for having been able to celebrate WRJ and its accomplishments with hundreds and hundreds of terrific women from around the world.  First-timers and repeat attendees alike basked in the glow of  WRJ successes.

Attending WRJ assemblies marks a biennial highlight for many of us. I have been a "WRJ assembly groupie" since 1985. Each assembly offers unique moments to savor. For me, personally (others can chime in with their own list), I'll forever hold a snapshot of the following key events:

• The debut of The Torah:  A Women's Commentary was simply smashing. My snapshot captures the long lines of URJ/WRJ delegates purchasing the commentary at the URJ bookstore Thursday morning.  Some people waited over an hour to buy multiple volumes and have our editor Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi sign a bookplate.
  

• The YES Fund luncheon on Friday was simply extraordinary. My snapshot captures Rabbi Walter Hamolka, Rector of Abraham Geiger Kolleg, telling our delegates that he stood before us that very day because we cared enough to take a risk and support him as a young, German rabbinic student.  Now he leads the progressive movement in central Europe. His testimony, along with that of West London Synagogue's Rabbi Mark Winer, so engaged our women that an incredible record $195,000 in cash and pledges was raised for our YES Fund. We will be able to meet many, many more requests because of our delegates' generosity.
  

• The Torah exchange between my congregation and Rabbi Homolka, representing Abraham Geiger Kolleg, left not a dry eye in the crowd of more than 400 men and women attending the YES Fund luncheon.  My snapshot captures my group of thirteen congregants surrounding our temple president as she handed over that Torah.  Knowing that WRJ had facilitated the Torah match was not lost on our delegates and their guests.  As we heard over and over again, we make things happen! 

• The Gary Rosenthal glass event was spectacular.  My snapshot captures women who had never previously met bending over glass shards together to find the most perfect fragments to glue, making a piece of Judaica.  Many kvetched about not being crafty, but quickly learned that you didn't need to have talent for this enterprise.  Bonding was more about sisterhood hearts and minds then about gluing glass!  This exciting sisterhood-sponsored program, which financially benefits the YES Fund, is now available to all of our sisterhoods at home.

So much to tell...so little time.  Check for fabulous photos and other reports on the WRJ website in the next few weeks. Remarks that I shared at our Opening Plenary, as well as executive director Shelley Lindauer's report to our delegates, follow.

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

Please share this email with your sisterhoods.

Warmly,

Rosanne M. Selfon

WRJ President

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46th Assembly

San Diego, CA

Presidential Address
WRJ:  EVOLVE TO THRIVE - Opening Plenary - Rosanne M. Selfon

December 12-16, 2007  
3-7 Tevet 5768

Yesterday, today and tomorrow.  Women of Reform Judaism includes and represents you and me and all women in our Reform congregations, primarily in North America but also in progressive congregations in South Africa and soon in Israel.  We represent 94 years of history and legacy, triumphs and challenges and bountiful joy, celebrated communally by women.

Change, my friends, is the only constant in life.  In the last quarter century alone, we have witnessed changes such as:

• an enormous battle for social and cultural diversity
• a fight, not yet won, for equality for women in the workplace
• increased global warming that threatens our planet
• frightening terrorism that threatens our very existence, changing how we travel and even how we have to safeguard our children are their schools
• luxury that has gone mainstream with so many seeking a daily java fix, drinking bottled water, using luggage with wheels, and sharing assorted chocolates and wine
• use of the Internet for online purchasing and bill paying, youTube, and Ebay, along with innovative technology that connects us over the miles
• having cash in hand, yet never entering a bank

On the other side of the coin,
• we have reached new, higher stress levels that can be treated with an array of pharmaceuticals that make us mellow or productive, thinner or fatter, take away bloating and increase potential for sexual activity– whatever ails us, there is a pill today,
• AND, finally, during the past twenty-five years,
• the media and designers, particularly those in the fashion industry, have imposed an excessive, unrealistic expectation upon us to remain forever young. Treatments claim to rejuvenate and restore us to a younger self that seems better than when we started.  How dare we look our age!  Our culture has branded middle and mature years with negativity instead of celebrating the emancipation we should be experiencing with every birthday.

Through these and other changes to our personal and collective landscapes, this organization has endured.  We continue to meet the core of our mission: to secure a Reform Jewish future for ourselves and those who will come after us.  Our WRJ mission statement reads:

 

Women of Reform Judaism, an affiliate of the Union for Reform Judaism,
is the collective voice and presence of women in congregational life.
Stronger together, we strengthen the quality and ideals of contemporary
Jewish life to ensure the future of progressive Judaism in North
America, Israel and around the world.

Does the work of WRJ meet the parameters put forth by our mission statement?  Executive Director Shelley Lindauer regularly urges WRJ leaders to test decisions and actions against the statement.  Several years ago, WRJ embarked on a Strategic Plan your leadership revisits consistently.  What have we accomplished?  Where are we going?  What remains the toughest issue?  I want to share three specific areas on which we have concentrated during these past two years:  our district system, technology and leadership.

First: our WRJ districts
The diverse Strategic Planning Committee took a close look at how our districts were functioning. We learned that, in reality, our districts were operating independently, with minimal WRJ oversight.  Everyone was making Shabbos for themselves.  Together, over several District Presidents Councils held each May, WRJ and its district leadership collaborated on a unified, organizational re-structuring as well as a unified calendar.  These were not easy changes.  Just ask any of the stakeholders.

Geography presented other challenges.  WRJ embarked on consolidation plans to increase the effectiveness of districts.  Two district consolidations have taken place to date.  Districts 4 and 5 are now WRJ Atlantic District.  District 20 was dissolved and part of it was absorbed into the Midwest District.  The other part of District 20, along with 15 and 22, were consolidated, creating WRJ Southwest District.  Next fall, Districts 1 and 3 will become WRJ Northeast District.

These new districts, along with five others, will now bear names based upon geography, better enabling our members to understand district boundaries.  District-sponsored area days have hit the road, bringing WRJ to sisterhoods in local communities.  Through our district system, our local affiliates are networking to strengthen themselves and WRJ…Stronger Together!

Second: technology 
WRJ has come of age.  But we all know that IT is never complete, reinventing itself daily.  Our new website is a like a toddler, growing and learning constantly.  It is interactive: you can order WRJ materials and download scripts and services. You can learn about WRJ projects and history.  You can locate an affiliated sisterhood and districts. One area of the website is protected for leadership only.  Have you sent a Uniongram e-card?  Did you know that your sisterhood receives YES Fund credit for each e-card you send?  In the near future, you’ll be able to send multiples, up to 50 cards at one time. What an easy way to send holiday greetings if you prefer using the computer rather than paper!  Watch for the upcoming announcement about multiple e-cards.

Our WRJ listserves connect sisterhood presidents, local past presidents, Judaica Shop chairs, and WRJ Board members and alumni. Women share challenges as well as successes.  A president emails a programmatic or administrative question and almost instantly receives twenty responses from others who have traveled that path. Technology has allowed us to create sisterhood intimacy despite miles that separate us.

During the past two years, WRJ’s weekly email, connecting thousands of women just prior to Shabbat, has received enormous positive response.  As a local president, do you share this email with your members?  It only takes the click of your forward button.  Remember, WRJ is your connection resource.  Use it, and then use it again and again.

Third:  leadership
WNBA President Donna Orender believes that being a leader makes you a touchstone for the people around you.  In a recent issue of Newsweek featuring women and leadership, Orender noted a vivid gender difference in leadership styles:  women are more collegial and natural team builders who are often not hierarchal.  Additionally, women promote mentoring.  Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, commented that the best mentors are talent scouts who show you how to succeed by modeling leadership themselves and being supportive of very talented people.  “Mentors,” Gutmann shared, “don’t just sit and give advice.”  In that same issue, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin urged women to offer opportunities to new women, encouraging them to take risks by being a supportive partner in the risk-taking.  Clearly, building leadership is critical for all women.  Building leadership is especially critical to sisterhood success.  You don’t have to attempt it alone.  WRJ can help you build and sustain leadership.

As your president, I have been privileged to travel around the globe more than 140 nights during the past two years.  I’ve heard similar local concerns repeated:  “Where are tomorrow’s leaders?”  Actually, I can tell you that I often hear this question,  “Where are today’s leaders?” I have good news to share.

An exciting WRJ leadership development program, temporarily named Rising Leaders, is being developed.   Originating from the Strategic Plan, this very selective program will solicit outstanding candidates, offering opportunities for personal and organizational growth.  A Task Force is creating criteria, budget, programmatic content and locations.  An allocation from the YES Fund will partially fund this Special Projects program. Please watch your mail for the program’s debut.  Together, we will create and nurture future leaders.

As female leaders, we need to stop apologizing for acting strategically and setting and meeting high expectations. Julie Greenwald became President of Atlantic Records because she dared to innovate, think out-of-the-box, and take power. In the music business, Julie realized that the business needed to “transform [itself] to meet new ways people are experiencing music…tools have changed…but the outcome is the same, people will always buy great music.”  For WRJ, the same thinking holds true.  People will come, join, and, yes, assume leadership roles when and if they find value, meaning, and community in sisterhood.  Only we, you and I, can provide that outreach and significance.

Two years ago, WRJ conducted a survey that told us that when women attend district and/or WRJ gatherings, their sisterhoods network and thrive.  Trained leaders undertake their presidential responsibilities armed with a better skill set. Productive connections engage women, empowering local sisterhoods to blossom.  But this increased skill set and those connections can only occur when sisterhoods send women to learn and network.

Indeed, WRJ is reaching many, many of our local leaders through the WRJ Leadership Conference, assemblies, district biennials, area days and retreats.  But, in reality, half of our affiliates don’t leave their home turf.  How we reach those who remain at the fringes presents a great challenge.  WRJ Grant Awards, which were instituted for this assembly, have enabled sixteen sisterhoods to send delegates to San Diego.  Though only time will tell, I am comfortable making the following assumption based on my own past district experiences:  I believe, that after this assembly, the majority of those sixteen sisterhoods will initiate leadership training (attending WRJ and district events) as a line item in their local budgets.  After these assembly days, they will know the great benefit attending these events has for a local sisterhood. That budget line item will cultivate future local leadership.  This is a win-win for the local sisterhood and WRJ.

Our Strategic Plan has been guiding WRJ like a North Star.  But in order to truly thrive, we must address the challenge of declining membership NOW.  For nearly twenty years, membership has been declining at a small percentage annually.  We’ve given lip service to the numbers, but taken little action.  Fabulous WRJ Sisterhood Sunday materials were appreciated, but under-utilized.  We all bemoan the loss of both members and leaders, but very few sisterhoods choose to invest the effort required to turn around the numbers.

These membership challenges are not unique to WRJ.  They reflect a cultural transformation felt by all many organizations.  A recent USA Today snapshot showed that seven out of ten adults who volunteer average 4.3 hours per week. We like to volunteer; it makes us feel good. But, joining, signing the dotted line to become a dues-paying member of an organization, that’s an option of which too many are opting out.  In today’s world, joining a gym, a country club, a bookclub or a mother’s circle has appeal.  Joining sisterhood has less cache. That needs to change.

How do we stem the tide? Answers are hard to find.  WRJ is forming a task force to investigate this challenging issue.  Our goal is to evolve, grow and thrive over the next twenty or forty years. Membership holds the key to our future.  Most importantly, we want to resonate to all women in our Reform congregations.  If we can truly make a difference in their lives, then women will join.  They will feel compelled to continue the legacy.  But how do we convince them of our value?

Articulating that significance means taking a hard look at how we do what we do.  It means shutting down defenses and listening to those who are not supportive.  We need to hear from the naysayers, not the cheerleaders.  And then we need to take power into our hands, like Julie Greenwald, and transform and revolutionize what we do.

Having solid financials, debuting an incredible publication The Torah:  A Women’s Commentary, conducting an international convention with a record attendance, growing the YES Fund to support our institutions and empower professionals and youth, these and other accomplishments point to our fabulous potential.  Now is the time to meet it.  Alexander Solzhenitzin said,  “If you want to change the world, who do you begin with, yourself or others?”

We all know the answer.  We must start with ourselves, taking on the responsibility of bringing others into our circle to collectively strengthen our sisterhoods and ourselves.  It is a worthy cause because this is God’s territory, and we are God’s partners. Together, ladies, we are stronger.  We can do anything.  Let’s go and do!

 

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WRJ 46th ASSEMBLY
December 2007
San Diego, California
Executive Director’s Report – Shelley Lindauer
 
 
Let me begin by thanking you all for being here.  I hope all had a wonderful time last night at the reception for our historic new women’s commentary.  I am so proud of you, of all of us, for making our dream a reality. This has truly been an assembly of firsts.

How incredible is Danny Maseng?  And so cute!!  A little aside…I first heard Danny last year at the World Union for Progressive Judaism convention in Israel.  You can ask Rosanne, but the first time I heard him I practically swooned.  I swear, I had the same reaction I had when I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show when I was twelve!!!  Okay, so some of you younger than me have no idea who Ed Sullivan is!
 
All of us are incredibly blessed to have leadership that is passionate, intelligent, and committed to the vision of WRJ.  Thank you, Rosanne, for being a president we admire and respect, and one we all strive to emulate.  Our vice presidents, treasurer and secretary, our entire executive committee, forgive me for not listing you individually, but I thank you all for your hard work and your diligence.  WRJ would not be the organization it is without the work of these wonderful women.  I applaud you for being such exemplars of leadership.
 
I want to speak about leadership today. You are all leaders of your sisterhoods, whether you identify yourself as a leader or not. Of the 70,000 women around North America who belong to WRJ, the 600 women who are attending this assembly represent less than 1 percent of our membership. You are committed, you are curious, you are agents of change. You are here to learn about WRJ, the Reform Movement, progressive Judaism around the world, and perhaps, most importantly, new ideas to engage and energize your local membership.
 
Leadership is about responding to the challenges and opportunities your women’s group faces today, envisioning the possibilities for the future, and initiating necessary change by being able to persuade your members to rethink the status quo.
 
A strong leader understands that she is responsible not only for what is happening in the present, but also for anticipating and planning for the long-term future, for the generations of women who will follow us, much as we have followed the generations of leaders before us.  How do we this?  How do we begin to ensure the viability of our organization for today and for tomorrow?
 
We certainly need to have an understanding of the past, of what our mothers and grandmothers had intended for Women of Reform Judaism, and what challenges they faced and successes they achieved. We also need a passionate vision for the future, and a certainty that our organization can thrive.  But most importantly, we need to have a clear understanding of what is happening – or not happening - in our sisterhoods in the present.  We need to become knowledgeable of changes taking place culturally, socially, politically, and economically so that we can respond accordingly.
 
Let’s talk about the present. What do we know about women in the United States in 2007?  During the 20th century, as most of us have experienced, women made incredible strides in working toward gender advancement, yet we are still far from enjoying gender equality.  Women make up a disproportionate share of people in poverty. Sex discrimination contributes significantly to the economic predicament of older women. According to the National Organization for Women, nearly 75% of the nation’s elderly poor are women, and the income of older women is approximately half the income of older men. Women still earn less than men for comparable work.  In 2007, though nearly half of all workers in management, professional, and related occupations are women, they earn 81 cents for each dollar their male counterpart earns. The Institute for Women’s policy research cites that at the rate of progress measured between 1989 and 2002, women will not achieve wage parity for more than 50 years.

Insurance companies regularly charge women a higher premium than men for the same benefits, or provide them with less protection or benefits than men for the same premium.  Women who are lucky enough to receive a pension receive only half as much as men, and they are only half as likely as men to receive a pension at all.  Social security benefits have not reflected the societal changes since the system was founded, probably because women are seriously under-represented in political office.  17% of the House of Representatives and 16% of the Senate are women – yet women represent more than 50% of total population.  If women’s representation in Congress changes at the rate it did during the last decade, the Women’s Policy Institutes estimates it will take nearly 100 years to achieve equality in political representation.
 
Sexual harassment didn’t disappear with legislation – the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that from 1992 to 1996 the number of sexual harassment lawsuits has increased by 14%, with Generation X women most affected. And reproductive choice, the control of our bodies, the freedom Baby Boomer women worked so hard to gain, is once again threatened.
 
Today we know that 59% of all women, and 71% of women with children under age 18 participate in the labor force, with the highest rates of employment during the prime working years of 25 to 54.  However, according to researchers Galinsky and Bond, 80-90% of married working women reported primary responsibility for cooking, cleaning, and shopping, and two-thirds had primary responsibility for bill paying as well.  83% of women report taking time from work to address their children’s needs, including illness and routine medical, and are more likely than men to have elder care responsibilities.

Even with these inequities and challenges that women continue to confront, with important and essential work still to be done for women’s rights, there seems to be a sea change happening, a very real dichotomy between the Baby Boomers, women aged 43-60, and Generation X women, who are approximately aged 27-42.  Baby Boomer women had high expectations.  As the song goes, they brought home the bacon, fried it up in the pan, all the while managing to take care of their man.  They repeatedly banged their head on the glass ceiling.  The challenge of balancing their children, their households, and business life led to escalated stress and divorce in unprecedented numbers. Nonetheless, Boomers instilled a belief that their Generation X daughters would inherit a world of unlimited workplace opportunities, that due to the work of their mothers’ generation, they would enter the workplace as equals. 
 
So what has happened in the last few years? According to the Census Bureau, there has been a 22% increase in the number of stay-at-home moms since 1994. Kim Clark, Dean of the Harvard Business School, was so concerned about the increase in women opting-out that he did research on the school’s alumna, and found the just 38% of its female graduates in their child-raising years were working full time.  According to the Catalyst consulting group, 22% of all women who hold graduate or professional degrees are now at home with their children.  These women, however, represent a small and privileged group.  For most mothers, there is little choice but to continue to balance work and home life.  The approach to work, however, is very different. Gen-Xers don’t want to “make the trade-offs their” Boomer mothers made.  “They’re rejecting the stresses and sacrifices.”  Gen X women rank personal and family goals ahead of career goals. They also feel, despite the statistics I just reported to you, that the work their mother’s, the Boomers, did, has made them equal in our society.
 
Now that we have a snapshot of the women in our congregations today, what does this mean for us, leaders of our women’s groups and of WRJ?  The first thing we need to know is that until we ask, we don’t know.  Are our members Boomers or Gen-X-ers, stay at home moms or working full time, with children or childless, in other words, what are the demographics of our local community?  I can tell you that no two sisterhoods will look exactly alike; only you, with research, can determine the make-up of your sisterhood. 

Once you’ve identified your constituency, you have to determine what it is they want from sisterhood. You accomplish this simply by asking; Do an informal survey when you have a program that has a lot of women in the room. Make a game of it. Last year, responding to some of our leaders’ suggestions that WRJ create a program for sisterhood women and pre-schoolers, I decided the best way to find out what our women want from WRJ was to ask them. At our board meeting in New York, and at the last Sisterhood Leadership Conference in Tyson’s Corner, obviously an audience of our most committed of our leadership, we played a little game.  I asked these women, primarily a Boomer-aged group, to imagine their ideal sisterhood program.  The parameters were to assume they had no financial constraints, no shortage of volunteers, and no conflicts with the congregation.  That sounds ideal to me!
 
To our surprise, the responses overwhelmingly came back with suggestions for programming like massage, manicures, spa days, spiritual retreats, and one even suggested the name of a program, Martinis and Midrash. The theme that ran through nearly all of these responses was a clear call for relaxation; an activity that would get them out of the house for pleasure with the focus only on them.  While at first glance this seems like we have a bunch of superficial women in organization, I think there is a much deeper message here. Our women are looking for programming that makes them feel good, and that takes them away, for a very short while, from their everyday stresses.  They do not want to participate in any program that will feels like they are taking on another chore, another burden, in their already busy lives.

Let me tell you a story.  Last year, I suffered for a few months with a tooth problem.  Sounds silly, but this little infection turned into a much bigger one, with the infection spreading throughout my system.  During this time, I had to write a weekly leadership email to the listservs.  Feeling lousy health wise, and of course, being the Jewish woman I am, I was feeling guilty that perhaps I wasn’t being as responsive as usual to our members, and that my work wasn’t being completed as quickly as I would like it to, I sent out an emotional weekly email, explaining to our women what I was feeling, and concluding with the admonition that they each give themselves 10 minutes a day of “me time”.  The response to that email was overwhelming.  Our members sent dozens and dozens of responses to me, telling me of the difficulties they were facing in the personal life, difficulties of all shapes and sizes, and actually thanking me for giving them permission to take 10 minutes a day for themselves.  Imagine that we need permission to do this!  This message is the same as the meaning of our Martini and Midrash responses.

This call for a respite from stress and daily problems is why our WRJ/Lilith salons, which you’ll soon learn more about, have been such a resounding success in our sisterhoods.  Our women get to participate in discussions about Jewishly based women’s issues, one night every 3 months, with only 2 or 3 short articles to read in preparation.  Good food, stimulating conversation, and an evening with interesting women who might be aged from 18 to 80.  A perfect way to engage all demographics of your membership.

Your job, as leaders of your sisterhoods, is to find out what YOUR women want.  Again, make no assumptions – you have to ask.  And, if you have Gen-x-ers, I hope you will be working to educate them that our job is not finished. Don’t judge whatever choice they make – to pursue a professional life or to stay at home with their children.  But teach them about the difference between gender “advancement” and true gender “equality”.  Help them understand that complacency cannot lead to change, that the future of their daughters will be jeopardized if they accept the status quo.  Are they satisfied to wait 50 years to achieve wage parity? 100 years for equal representation in government?  Are they working to achieve more flexible workplaces and work schedules for all women at whatever stage of life they’re in? And if they’ve chosen to opt out of the workforce to raise their children, are they working to ensure they will be accepted back in when they decide to return?

It is our responsibility to continue the work that our foremothers began marching for the right to vote, lobbying for female rabbis, marching for the right to choose.  Now it is your job as leaders to respond to the religious and social needs of our Generation X women and to educate and inspire them to continue the work. It is you job to continue to care for and respond to our Boomers who are now facing a whole new set of needs, and to begin to learn about and plan for the generation that will follow.  It is your job as leaders to empower all of our women and enrich their lives through sisterhood.  And remember, in the words of one of the most successful and influential women of our times (like her or not), Oprah Winfrey “I did what I did when I did it because that’s all I knew, but when I knew better I did better.”

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December 7, 2007

27 Kislev 5768

Dear sisters,

This week’s Torah portion is called Mikeitz and begins “At the end of two years time”.  How appropriate that this portion talks about what happens at the end of two years as we get ready to attend the WRJ assembly in San Diego, California.

Many of us will be traveling to the 46th assembly of Women of Reform Judaism to celebrate “Women of Torah” from December 11th to December 16th.  Together we will:

            --study and learn in workshops and seminars

            --listen to outstanding presenters

            --review and vote on important resolutions about important issues of our time

            --worship and enjoy the Shabbat experience

            --celebrate the publication of The Torah: A Women’s Commentary.

Since 1977 I have not missed a WRJ assembly.  Each time I attend I spend a wonderful time with the many friends and colleagues I enjoy being with as well as meeting new friends from our sisterhood world.  I always learn new ideas and techniques, hear about new, successful sisterhood programs and projects, and am exposed to outstanding speakers and presenters.  We all spend a most unique Shabbat together with 4,000 Reform Jew from across the globe—praying, singing, eating, and studying together.

The WRJ leadership and staff have worked hard and long to bring the delegates the best information and programs available.  They are to be praised and appreciated for their creative ideas, extensive planning, and interesting programming that culminates into a fabulous assembly “at the end of two years.

I hope to see many of you next week in San Diego.  Travel safely!  Enjoy the assembly and be prepared to take what you heard, learned and saw home to make your sisterhood even more successful.

Wishing you and you families a happy Hanukah!

May the light of Hanukah and Shabbat brighten our lives.

Please share this with your sisterhood members.

Chag sameach,

Helene H. Waranch

WRJ Immediate Past President

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December 7, 2007

27 Kislev 5768

Hanukkah came early this year; suddenly into the midst of our days, so full of the need of others and of ourselves to fit in every task before the calendar rounds out and the days grow shorter.

Where is the time for the sensitivity to the needs of others, for some direction and comfort? Where is the time for the need of our bodies…for fitness and for rest? And where is the need to stand and stare, to embrace the fullness of our lives, and the wonder of all that is given to us of challenge and repose?

Then comes Hanukkah. One light flickers. A second light gleams. Two, and three, and four, and eight. A shammus to lead. In one miraculous moment the candles are reflected in the faces of our loved ones, reflected in our memories of holidays past, reflected in our own full breath of gratitude and joy.

A single cruse of oil strengthened the will of our ancestors of old, as it lighted one oil for eight days.

All the candles remind us that there is a vast community of our sisters who are lighted by their candles as we are bathed in light.

May our candles burn brightly for all those to see, candles of Hanukkah, of Shabbat, and candles of our spirits.

Stronger Together,

Norma U. Levitt

Honorary President

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November 21, 2007

11 Kislev 5768

Dear Friends,

I know you are all busy shopping, chopping, baking, cleaning, and all the other myriad tasks that mean a holiday is at hand.

I hope you will be able to take a moment to read the words of Rabbi Kerry Olitzky from the book Sacred Intentions:

 

The Pilgrims didn’t realize that they were creating an American institution when they joined with their Native American neighbors at the first Thanksgiving.  Little did they know that parades and football games and crowded highways would all grow from their modest dinner.  Nevertheless, their celebration emerged out of a desire to express a profound sense of gratitude to God.  Armed with an intimate knowledge of the Bible, they recognized that they were not alone.  So they took their inspiration from the journey of the Israelites in the desert and their celebration of Sukkot.  As with our ancient ancestors, the first Thanksgiving festival followed a bountiful harvest as the celebrants prepared for a long and difficult time ahead.  For the Pilgrims, it would be a cold and unforgiving winter.  So they paused briefly from their labors to sanctify the moment.  They celebrated with a full heart.  Today, while sometimes burdened in spirit, we must do the same.  In their own way, they helped us understand what the Rabbis had taught many generations before these pioneers found their ways to the American shores: “Rejoicing on a festival is a religious duty.”(Babylonian Talmud)

So this year join together with your neighbors and friends and relatives.  Set aside any differences that may have developed over the past year.  And, however meager it may seem, thank God for all that you have.”

 

I wish you all a peaceful, sweet, and safe holiday.  “Eat your bread with joy; drink your wine with a merry heart.” Ecclesiastes 8:7

 

Please feel free to share this email with your sisterhood.

 

Warmest regards,

 

Shelley

Shelley Lindauer

Executive Director

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November 16, 2007

6 Kislev 5768

 

Dear WRJ friends,

 

This coming Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving – a holiday originally based on the establishment of a community of faith, the Puritans, to follow its beliefs without persecution in the New World.  Thanksgiving was also a declaration for diversity, recognizing the fellowship, or at least coexistence, between colonist and Native American.

 

How does this impact us as modern American Jews – how do we look at this holiday?

 

I think of our ancestors – many of whom came to this country within the last century, from shtetls of poverty, hunger, and religious persecution or as remnants of the Holocaust – all looking for physical survival, economic opportunity, and religious freedom. They wanted a better life for their children. They were modern Pilgrims.

 

Look where we are today.  The dreams of our ancestors have been realized far beyond what I think most of them could possibly have imagined. As Jews in America we live with more freedom, opportunity, and comfort than in any time or place in history.  As a minority, we have been embraced and empowered in this country.

 

At this holiday time we take joy in preparing special foods and spending pleasurable hours with friends and loved ones. We reflect on our blessings:  on the joys of family and friends, on the bounty and freedom we enjoy in our country, and on our ability to worship as Jews without constraint or bias.

 

Perhaps we should also take a moment to consider the gift of sisterhood; the blessings we give as well as receive. Let us think on the common bonds that shape us as women of Reform Judaism, of the tasks that we do with joy and purpose for our temples, local communities, and global interests. Let us smile remembering the special women we have met on our sisterhood journeys – on the mentors and friends that have helped each of us become who we are as individuals and as Women of Reform Judaism.

 

We truly have so much to be thankful for.

 

I wish each of you, your friends, and loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

 

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all of our lives.

Please share this with your Sisterhood.

 

B’shalom,

 

Karen Sim

WRJ Vice President, Department of Service to Sisterhoods and Districts

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November 9, 2007

28 Cheshvan  5768

 

Dear WRJ friends,

 

This week’s parashah is Tol’dot – Genesis 25:19 – 28:9.  This is the story of Isaac and Rebekah and their twin sons Jacob and Esau. It is a story of pain and deception that haunts one family caught in a web of relationships from which they cannot escape. This story, whether we can relate to it or not, is a part of our ancestral heritage, a part of our lineage.

 

As women of Reform Judaism, we are part of many stories; biblical, personal, anecdotal, and global, for our work spans many countries and encompasses many people. Many years ago, when I first became active in  sisterhood, a woman whom I did not know very well, invited me to come to Dallas to a  biennial convention of what was then the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods. I was not only flattered, but intrigued, and off we went to “The Big D”. That trip changed my life. I met women who were doing work for their  sisterhoods, who were having some of the same problems of leadership, fundraising ,  etc . that I was having as sisterhood president, and in discussions throughout the day and into the night, we traded solutions. I met women whom I admired, women who knew so much more than I did,  and women who were willing to share. My eyes were opened wide for I met women who were smart, savvy, and willing volunteers!  I met women who have become life-long friends.

 

In a little over a month, we will meet in San Diego for the 46th assembly of Women of Reform Judaism. As WRJ leaders, we will all be there. Let’s try to ask a newcomer to sisterhood, someone just starting out, to come to San Diego with us. You will never know if this woman will come unless you ask. It is so hard to see the bigger picture of sisterhood when you are constantly involved with local and regional issues.  It is so easy when you are together with women from around North America and you meet the rabbis who have benefited from our scholarships, the Israeli men and women who talk about our support of the Progressive movement in Israel and throughout the world, and meet the president of NFTY who thanks WRJ for its support of youth programming. It is so easy when your questions get answered by workshop leaders and the conversations continue when you meet at a plenary session, or at a meal, or even at the hotel bar. 

 

All of us have had our spirits raised and our commitment made stronger when we meet every two years. We need to spread the word to make it happen for the sisterhood women who have never been to an assembly. San Diego will be special for we will introduce The Torah: A Women’s Commentary. I can’t wait to see the interpretation of Tol’dot in this new edition.  How will Rebekah’s story be told?  Will we get to know how Rebekah felt about her twin sons? Let’s find out together.

 

I am looking forward to seeing you and everyone you bring with you in San Diego.  Until then have a restful and joyous Shabbat.

 

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

 

Please share this with your Sisterhood.

 

Fondly,

Judy Silverman

Past President Women of Reform Judaism

 

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November 2, 2007

21 Cheshvan 5768

 

Dear WRJ Friends:

 

One year ago, this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, Genesis 23:1 – 25:18, was studied by more than 15,000 Reform Jews across North America and around the world, thanks to Women of Reform Judaism.  You may remember or may have even participated in one of the Chayei Sarah study sessions that took place in nearly 350 Temples in North America, Israel, Brazil, South Africa, Singapore, Germany, and Holland. Chayei Sarah was an early introduction to and a sneak preview of The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, a fifteen-year work-in-progress, which will be launched on December 13th at WRJ’s 46th assembly in San Diego, California.  And if Chayei Sarah’s success is any indication, it seems that this new commentary, the collective work of more than a hundred women – biblical scholars, rabbis, archaeologists, historians, poets, cantors, and philosophers – will bring to Torah study what a steady rain brings to parched fields. Here are just a few of the comments from women who participated:

 

“The number of participants at Torah Study yesterday was more than double! It was wonderful and people thought that the study materials were insightful...well done!”

 

“The excitement in the room was palpable as people were asking if we could expect more excerpts before the publication date. Alas, I informed them that we would have to wait until December, 2007.”

 

“We ordered 60 copies, but some people still had to share!  We had an inspired discussion and are very eager to add this as a resource for our study group.”

 

“About 30 women attended…many of whom don't normally come to Sisterhood events so this was a great introduction to Sisterhood for them…we could have used more than the planned 3 1/2 hours!” 

 

“If the interest and excitement that it created among us is an indication of the Commentary's success, it's a winner!”

 

“People who never involved themselves found a sense of spirituality in the final exercise and cannot wait to return.  What a success!”

 

“No one really wanted to stop! The Rabbi closed by asking congregants to read two of the poems and relate them to our lives.  It was awesome!!”

 

Imagine. If just one Torah portion had this kind of impact, it is incomprehensible to think how we will measure the impact that The Torah:  A Women's Commentary will have on us as present-day women, as Reform Jews, as wives and mothers, daughters and aunts, as friends. And what will the impact be on future generations?  What we do know is that it will be significant. And, thanks to WRJ, someday, no one will not know what it was like to live in a time when the voices of women in the Torah were silent.

 

Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this moment in history when our matriarchal voices come to life through The Torah:  A Women's Commentary at Women of Reform Judaism’s 46th assembly.

 

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

Please share this email with your sisterhood.

 

Shabbat Shalom.

 

Katie Roeper

WRJ Executive Committee

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October 26, 2007

14 Cheshvan 5768

 

Dear WRJ friends,

 

This week’s parashah is VaYera - Genesis 18:1 - 22:24. It is a time for Abraham of revelation and re-dedication. Upon personal reflection, I find that this parashah resonates for me in my personal life. In one week, our eldest son will be married. He is the first of our four children to cross this most significant threshold. He has chosen, as his bride, a beautiful, kind, and loving woman to be his life partner. And our soon-to-be daughter has chosen Judaism as they begin their life together.

 

At this most poignant time, a time of reflection, I recognize that it is a transitional moment. As I look into the mirror of life, so grateful for the wonderful gifts we have received, I realize that it is a time of significant reflection and transition. My husband and I, through this profound event, cross a life threshold. We are now truly the previous generation. We step aside as our children mature, and choose their own life paths. We have become the “elders” (although I do not feel so elderly!). Life’s focus for our children is to look to the future and (hopefully) to the next generation. I face these realities of life. Do we recede, fade into the background of all of the activities in which we have been so immersed? Or, do we rededicate and refocus our energy on the goals that have guided us thus far in our life’s journey?

 

WRJ offers so much to us in spite of the crossroads we traverse. As experienced leaders, we have much to offer. Clearly, new challenges and opportunities remain on our “to do” list, but how do we move on, maintaining our energy and passion, recognizing that our roles may change? The choice is ours, shall we find reasons to step back, and let the next generation move into our leadership role, or do we recognize that our modeling of commitment and passion must continue to inspire younger, less experienced women, creating partnerships with them? Should we try to mentor and build relationships with new, younger leaders to help inspire and encourage them to find their way on a path of helping to repair the world?

 

We have much to offer and must not stand idly by. It is, in this way, that we must re-dedicate ourselves, to the passionate and godly work in which we have engaged for decades. WRJ needs each and every one of us to give whatever it is that we can. Stronger together, we must continue our work and partner with our future leaders.

 

Have a restful and joyous Shabbat. May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten our lives. See you in San Diego.

 

Please share this with your sisterhood.

 

Warmly,

Patti Grossman

WRJ Vice President Department Programming and Advocacy

 

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19 October 2007

7 Cheshvan 5768

 

Dear WRJ Friends,

 

How often have you and the members of your sisterhood board tried to think of new programs, different fundraisers, or better ways to increase membership? Do you sometimes feel like you are just recycling old ideas, sort of like redecorating your home by moving the same furniture around but not changing anything else, not even the wall paint?

 

Well, I may not be an interior decorator, but I do have a pretty good idea of how you can come up with some really fresh ideas to invigorate your sisterhood…and the great news is that it’s all available to you as a result of your membership in WRJ! You have access to world class resources – available in a variety of shapes and sizes sure to fit every sisterhood’s makeover needs! 

• The WRJ Website – www.WomenofReformJudaism.org - your portal to an amazing array of resources. Programming ideas, membership tips, scripts, publications, critical issues and advocacy actions, Uniongrams, information about where your YES Fund dollars go…
• The WRJ Speakers Bureau - bringing experienced WRJ leaders to you to address the specific needs and interests of your sisterhood
• The WRJ listservs - providing an opportunity to brainstorm and network with other sisterhood leaders around North America. From intergenerational programs to Circle of Service programs and from “who is a member” discussions to ideas for Shabbatons and seders, the listservs have proven to be a great resource for requesting input and sharing successes and suggestions
• Our WRJ staff professionals - the phenomenal women in our New York office, who provide individual support to address your specific questions and needs
• Our Sisterhood Leadership Conference - an opportunity for WRJ members to experience an intense weekend of WRJ training, networking, education, and spirituality.  
• Our Sisterhood Connection Calls from WRJ board members to sisterhood presidents - helping WRJ stay in touch while giving yet another opportunity for each sisterhood to receive individual attention when it is needed
• Our biennial assembly - which brings women together from across the international Reform Jewish community to exchange best practices in membership development, programming, fundraising; to learn from each other; and from internationally recognized speakers on a variety of subjects relevant to our sisterhoods
• Our district conventions, kallahs, interim meetings and area days - which offer similar educational content to our leadership conference and assembly, but in more intimate settings that facilitate building close relationships within your geographic area, often leading to joint programs and local resource networks 

So think of this as your Decorator’s Guide to WRJ, and be sure to sample all the fabric swatches, paint chips, flooring alternatives, and furniture styles. Whether you are a Dutch Modern, Louis XIV, Chippendale, or “anything goes eclectic” sisterhood, there’s a resource available that will fit!

 

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

 

Please share this e-mail with your sisterhood.

 

Warm regards,

Blair Marks

WRJ Vice President for Development and Special Projects

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October 12, 2007

30 Tishri 5768

Dear WRJ Friends,

 

It’s time to savor the last few bites of round, Challah, French toast and take down the sukkah. The 5768 High Holiday Season is officially over. Now we can return to our regular routines, our usual circles and spheres. There is a wonderful sense of calm and security in getting back into the normal rhythms of our life.  And yet…..

 

Entering the sanctuary on Erev Rosh Hashanah, I always feel a sense of homecoming, a rush of adrenaline as I greet people I haven’t seen in a while, remembering names (hopefully), spotting smiling faces and nodding, lots of kissing and hugging, generally reclaiming my place in my own temple community. On Rosh Hashanah, smiling and hugging, warmly acknowledging people not seen the night before, and noting sadly, the families with fewer seats this year than last. It all feels very familiar and welcoming.  Reciting the familiar prayers, singing and chanting melodies of the holiday all help connect the individuals praying in that sanctuary with one another and with those who came before us. We are a community, praying together for the same things from our God. 

 

Fast forward to Kol Nidre, and the scene plays out again, this time with a little less levity, a more somber mood. Then, finally, with the last blast of the shofar on Yom Kippur, we give quick hugs, warm wishes for a healthy New Year, and then head off to break our fasts. And just like that, our community disperses – heading back to the routine. But for those few hours, we felt the power of communal prayer.

 

Two thousand years ago, Rabbi Hillel said: “Separate not thyself from the congregation.” Rabbi Joseph Hertz wrote that Hillel’s saying means that the individual life must be identified with that of the community. Whether the community is thirty people or 3,000, there is an amazing power in communal prayer. Think about what it sounds like in your temple, when everyone recites the Sh’ma, or the Yahrtzeit prayer. 

 

Now, imagine a convention center filled with around 5,000 Jews, praying together, chanting, and singing together – and that’s Shabbat at the WRJ assembly/URJ biennial conventions. The surroundings fade away, and all that is seen, all that is felt is the ruach, the spirit, of this vibrant community of Reform Jews. Come to San Diego. Rejoice and celebrate as we launch the publication of The Torah:  A Women’s Commentary. Be part of this special community.

 

Early bird registration for the assembly ends October 19th.  Please go to:  www.WomenofReformJudaism.org/assembly07 for more information.

 

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

 

Please share this e-mail with your sisterhood.

 

Shabbat shalom,

Susan C. Bass

WRJ Vice President

Houston, Texas

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October 5, 2007

23 Tishri 5768

 

Dear sisterhood friends:

 

In this week’s torah portion, Bereshit, we hear the story of creation and about the effects and consequences of man’s actions. We see this with both when Eve eats the forbidden fruit in Eden and with Cain and Abel. Their decisions remind us that there are always choices that we will be making. Our lives are not predetermined. We will make our own path in our lives.

 

However, with our decisions, there are consequences and we cannot always hide our actions. Hopefully, most of our choices have positive consequences to them. One of the choices that WRJ made was to commission the writing of our Torah. The next logical step is the publication of The Torah: A Women’s Commentary in December.

 

May we continue to learn from our past, both personal as well as historic, and may we continue to make wise choices in our lives. The consequences are not always severe, as being made to leave Eden, but the rewards are innumerable if we think of our actions before we act.

 

May this year be healthy and happy for you.

 

Please share this message with your sisterhood.

Joanne Fried

Executive Committee Member

Metairie, LA

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September 28, 2007

17 Tishri 5768

Mitzvah Corps and Women of Reform Judaism: Healing the World Together

 

Mitzvah Corps combines the best of Reform Judaism: teens taking action to heal the world and a love for Jewish learning. Women of Reform Judaism’s support of this program through generous grants from the YES Fund (Youth, Education, and Special Projects) have made it possible for more than seventy teens per-summer to tackle the most pressing social issues that are haunting North American cities.  Hands-on involvement in at-risk-communities mixed with teenage energy for social justice makes this a one of kind program. In the coming year, the YES Fund will make it possible for even more Reform Jewish teens to make an impact on the world and lives of the people they touch. Most importantly the YES Fund will help many more Reform Jewish teens take part in a life changing experience for themselves, as well. The collective power of the Women of Reform Judaism combined with the energy of Reform Jewish youth will change the world for the good.

 

Report on the summer of 2007:

Women of Reform Judaism through the YES Fund was vital to the success of the summer of 2007. There were over seventy participants in all of the Mitzvah Corps programs that volunteered their summers to working in camps for low-income children, Jewish Homes for the Aged, a day camp for children with physical and mental disabilities, soup kitchens, and various other projects. WRJ’s support enabled the program attendees to visit museums and sporting events as well as participle in events such as the AIDS walk and a trip to Sacramento and Washington D.C. to understand social justice in politics.  The results were energized Reform Jewish teens that have an understanding and responsibility for Tikkun Olam.

 

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

 

Please share this e-mail with your sisterhood

 

September 21, 2007

9 Tishri 5768

 

Dear sisterhood friends,

 

As I compose this e-mail, Rosh Hashanah has just ended and we are officially in the period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur known as the Days of Repentance.  This is a time during which we are instructed to take stock of ourselves and all that we have said and done in the past year, to re-evaluate our lives, to work to improve ourselves, and then to ask the Eternal to inscribe us in the Book of Life for yet another year.  We are exhorted to choose life, and we do so, hoping that this gift will be granted.

 

This part of our liturgy came to mind when Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer.  There was much talk in the media about whether Mr. Edwards would decide to cancel his campaign and stay at home with his wife during her treatment. Elizabeth Edwards came back with a concise answer that essentially said that she and her husband  had to choose whether she would begin to die or continue to live. It was a simple choice – together they chose life!

 

Just as individuals can choose life, so can sisterhoods.  As leaders of Women of Reform Judaism, we can take this opportunity to think about our programs and activities, and to try to find ways to plan the year ahead to better serve the needs of our congregations and our members. We must make sisterhood “live” in all of our congregations.

What is sisterhood’s image in your congregation?   Do you nominate a representative to the WRJ Board of Directors?  Is there a sisterhood representative who can vote on your congregation’s board of trustees?  Does your sisterhood appeal to all of the women in your congregation?  Start now to plan a year-long program to help make sisterhood an integral part of every synagogue activity.  Be certain that the congregation is aware and supportive of sisterhood’s good work. 

Does your sisterhood explain and promote WRJ and the YES Fund to its members?  Some sisterhoods have YES Fund dinners or luncheons, and use these opportunities to distribute or sell YES Fund materials and cards, and to encourage donations to Circle of Service and Lifeline. Let everyone know what the YES Fund can and has accomplished.  You can read all about this on the WRJ website at www.WomenofReformJudaism.org.

Does your sisterhood encourage its members to attend the assembly?  This biannual gathering of the Union for Reform Judaism and Women of Reform Judaism will be in San Diego, California, from December 12-16, 2007.  Experience has proven that assembly attendance invigorates our members and sends them home anxious to put what they have learned into action.  This is a great investment in your sisterhood’s current and future leadership.  Check this out on the website, too.

Is your sisterhood involved in tikkun olam? Tikkun olam (repair of the world) or social action can energize and unite your membership and is a major component of our Jewish belief. Opportunities to create social action programming are endless. Whether you simply collect food or warm winter coats, organize a group to serve meals at a shelter, volunteer to work on a literacy project, or help make our voices heard at your statehouse or in Washington, DC, your sisterhood can make a difference to your community.

Does your sisterhood help your congregation’s youth?  Sisterhoods can provide funding for a bus to a regional event, create a scholarship for Jewish camping or trips to Israel, or simply offer to chaperone for a youth activity.

Let 5768 be a year of strength, growth, and achievement for your sisterhood, so that its membership will include every woman in your congregation.  May all of us, and our sisterhoods, be included in the Book of Life for the year to come.

May the light of the Shabbat and High Holiday candles brighten the world.  Please share this message with your sisterhood.

L’shana tova,

Carol Hanover

WRJ Executive Committee Member

September 14, 2007

2 Tishri 5768

August 31, 2007

Dear WRJ friends,

 

Be there.  Be there to share in the pride and the joy as our President, Rosanne Selfon, delivers to the leadership of the Union for Reform Judaism a copy of this historic volume.  Be there to celebrate with Debbie Friedman and Danny Maseng at our own publication party, where we will honor the editorial contributors and financial donors who helped coax our voices out of the Torah, onto the page, and into our mouths, that we may sing our own song.  Be there to stand together and rejoice in the launch of this historic work!

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

Houston, Texas

August 24, 2007

10 Elul 5767

Dear WRJ friends,

Lancaster is a relatively small community in central Pennsylvania (city population is 55,000 and the county is 450,000).  Let me assure you this not a metropolitan area though the community is far larger than it was when I was a child. We have an historic regional theater, an art school, several colleges and, as you are aware, Amish tourism.  We don’t have a deli, and you can’t order lox and eggs in any of our diners.

Lancaster has approximately 800 Jewish families. My congregation proudly boasts 330 of them, and our sisterhood membership will usually reach 160-170.  Like other sisterhoods, we enjoy a full range of programs and projects, fundraisers, a retreat, Sisterhood Shabbat, and so forth. We also list a very special committee, our Bereavement Committee, which functions like a well-oiled machine whenever its services are required.

This committee, obviously at a moment’s notice, prepares, serves, and cleans up the traditional bereavement meal following a funeral.  We carry plastic baskets of supplies and homemade foods into a congregant’s home and serve the same dairy meal that I might order from a neighborhood deli if one was available.

I am sharing this information because I am very proud of this meaningful service provided by our sisterhood.  Most importantly, this tells of the ongoing commitment of our sisterhood to support our members whenever they need us…rejoicing as well as surviving life’s difficult times together.

What does your sisterhood do to share its members’ lives, to be present when needed?  May I suggest that we find a route of service that is meaningful for each of our sisterhoods, put it into place, and literally demonstrate that your sisterhood cares, that it stands ready to support every member.  After all, it is always personal relationships and connections that allow sisterhood to endure.

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten your lives.

Please share this email with your sisterhood.

Warm regards,

Rosanne Selfon

WRJ President

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August 17, 2007

Elul 3 5767

Dear WRJ Friends:

This week’s Parashat, Shofetim, Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9, establishes rules for a just society. It is part of Moses’ closing speech to the children of Israel as they anticipate their entry into the promised land.  Although there are dozens of guidelines detailed in this portion, there is one verse that captures the essence of Moses’ message from God, “Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land the Lord, your God, is giving you.”  These words have been passed down through the generations as a cornerstone to our Jewish lives.  Each of us carries the responsibility to contribute to a just society, within our homes, our sisterhoods, our Temples, within our communities, our country, and our world.  It is an awesome responsibility – not one that can be satisfied by a single act but rather by incorporating a social justice philosophy into our daily lives.  Speaking out at an organizational or civic association meeting when a policy seems unjust; refusing to buy products produced in countries that force unjust practices on its citizens; contributing to funds established to promote justice and equality; and speaking for those whose voice has been silenced – these are just a few ways we are able to apply this divine directive to our everyday lives.

Women of Reform Judaism’s mandate for social justice advocacy is built upon three foundations: the WRJ constitution; its resolutions; and the values expressed in the texts of our tradition.  To these ends, the delegates to each biennial assembly, as well as the board of directors and the executive committee, adopt resolutions and statements grounded in Torah and Jewish values. Please plan on attending the upcoming biennial, December 12-16, 2007, in San Diego, California where approximately 700 women from around the world will gather to learn from renowned leaders, discuss policy and resolutions, and honor the work of our sisterhoods. In addition the Women of Reform Judaism Or Ami Awards will be presented to sisterhoods and districts undertaking unusual and significant social action programs, community service, or educational projects.

Most recently, WRJ has advocated providing health care coverage for children, supporting the UN millennium development goals to reduce extreme poverty world-wide, funding international agencies fighting HIV/AIDS, ending the genocide in Darfur, defending against threats to reproductive rights, supporting stem cell research, insuring voting rights, legislating fair taxation policies, and working for security, peace, and religious pluralism in Israel.  Opportunities to discuss these and other important issues will be among the many unique experiences provided through the WRJ biennial assembly.

I also urge you to visit www.womenofreformjudaism.org to review In Pursuit of Justice: Resolutions and Policy Statements, to find out more about actions taken by WRJ and recommendations made to sisterhoods for advocacy and community service, and to access advocacy resources to guide programming for sisterhoods.  And watch for “To the Point: Critical Issues News from WRJ.”  These are e-mail alerts, updates, and reports sent regularly from WRJ to sisterhoods and districts to inform members about a variety of social justice issues.

Rooted in the Torah, this legacy of justice is ours to carry on…through WRJ we are able to touch more lives than ever imagined individually.  Thanks to WRJ, we are Stronger Together!

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten the world.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Katie Roeper

WRJ Executive Committee

 

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August 10, 2007

26 Av 5767

Dear WRJ Sisters,      

This week’s parashah is R’eih, Deuteronomy Chapter 11:26 – Chapter 16:17.  Chapter 11, Verses 26-28 states: “See, this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I enjoin upon you this day; and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced”.

 

Each of us has the option this day and everyday to choose blessing or curse.  In order for each of us to SEE (R’eih) our way to a life of blessing, we need to live an ethical life and not be swayed by the idols of our times.  By living a life of study, worship, and acts of loving kindness, we can live a life of blessing.  WRJ allows each of us these opportunities for blessings. 

 

At the upcoming WRJ Biennial Assembly in San Diego, WRJ will PROUDLY celebrate the much anticipated publication of The Torah:  A Women’s Commentary.  What better way to honor God’s commandments than by studying together from a book written by and edited completely by women?  There is something very powerful when Jewish women study together using commentaries written by women. 

 

Also at the upcoming assembly, WRJ will be providing a new pamphlet, Programming Possibilities.  This new publication is filled with many programming opportunities that your sisterhood can use.  WRJ and its affiliated sisterhoods work on critical issues to fulfill the spiritual mandate of tikkun olam, helping to “repair a broken world. For further information about advocacy and critical issues visit our website at www.WomenofReformJudaism.org.

 

P.S. I just came back from the CAJE confernece.  Yesterday, Rabbi Joan Glazer Farber, Director of Adult Learning for the URJ led a session on Parashah Re'eih from The Torah:  A Woman's Commentary!  There were all branches of Judaism in the workshop studying from our new book!  She also had order forms available and everyone at the workshop took an order form.  An Orthodox Jewish woman said she couldn't wait to get one!  I was SO proud to be a member of this fabulous organization! 

 

Please share this e-mail with the members of your sisterhood.  May the light of Shabbat candles always burn bright in our lives.

 

Shabbat Shalom

Jerri Livingston

WRJ Executive Committee

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August 3, 2007

Av 19, 5767

 

Dear WRJ friends,

 

I have been watching the WRJ president’s listserv over the past few weeks and there has been a flurry of inquiry about programming for the upcoming year.

 

As we schedule events I thought of two areas that I hope all of us will include in our sisterhood calendar – a membership event /campaign and a YES Fund program.

 

Membership recruitment and retention, is key to our success as sisterhoods. We need members to sustain a bonded community of women who enjoy the important work we do and fun we share.    

 

The WRJ membership campaign materials for Sisterhood Sunday are available in the restricted area of the WRJ website. Please ask your president to download this information (or download it yourself if you are the sisterhood president) and tailor this program to your specific needs. 

 

Stronger together so we can be stronger forever - The YES Fund is the way we insure the future of Reform Judaism.

 

Many of the fundraising programming ideas I have recently seen on the listserv, such as the Mothers’ Day Tea, would be perfect for a YES Fund event. Other fundraising ideas can be found in Fundraising Fundamentals, the WRJ publication distributed to each sisterhood in 2005 and also available for download on the WRJ website. 

 

WRJ will be providing a new pamphlet, Programming Possibilities, at the San Diego Assembly in December. This new publication is filled with many programming opportunities that you can use for either membership or YES Fund events.

 

Please contact me or the WRJ office for additional ideas or with questions about membership or Yes Fund programming.

 

May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

 

Please share this e-mail with your sisterhood.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Karen Sim, WRJ vice president, Service to Sisterhoods and Districts

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July 27, 2007

12 Av 5767

 
 

Dear WRJ friends,

 

"The love of this land was due to an imperative, not to an instinct, not to a sentiment. There is a covenant, an engagement of the people to the land. We live by covenants. We could not betray our pledge or discard the promise.

When Israel was driven into exile,