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The Torah: A Women's Commentary
The publication of The Torah: A Women's Commentary in December 2007 at WRJ's 46th assembly was a much-anticipated and moving event. To read reviews and articles about the commentary as they come in, please click here.
WRJ is also proud to announce that we're being honored at the World Union for Progressive Judaism's International Humanitarian Awards Dinner on September 14. In its text, the World Union states "Women of Reform Judaism has proudly supported the World Union since its inception in 1927, both in terms of program and through an annual block grant. Throughout these years, Women of Reform Judaism has helped to educate overseas rabbinic students returning to build Progressive communities in the former Soviet Union, France, Australia, Germany, England, Israel, and Argentina. In addition, WRJ has bestowed grants for projects to sustain Reform/Progressive communities around the world."
Also receiving an award is Rabbi David Posner, senior rabbi of Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York.
April 23, 2008
We're happy to announce that, at the upcoming ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) National Assembly in May, WRJ will receive the Gittelsohn Award for "outstanding commitments to Israel engagement and Reform Zionism".
In a letter to WRJ leadership, Rabbi Stanley M. Davids, president of ARZA wrote: "our the years, WRJ has consistently been in the vanguard of those striving to help Israel become the democratic, pluralistic, Jewish state of which we all dream, and has, through its support of educational, communal, and tikkun olam projects of the IMPJ, contributed immensely to the building of an Israeli society based on the value of Reform Judaism. It is a true honor for ARZA to be able officially to recognize and celebrate these ongoing efforts."
Report - Trip to Abraham Geiger College
March 2008
Lynn Magid Lazar, WRJ first vice president
Guten Tag! That’s how to say good day in Germany – which is where Shelley Lindauer and I had the opportunity to represent WRJ last week.
We were greeted at the airport by one of our overseas rabbinic students. We attended the theater and the Berlin Philharmonic. We had afternoon tea with Prince Hassan of Jordan and dinner with his wife, Princess Sarvath el Hassan. We had a wonderful luncheon with nearly thirty German and Polish women rabbis, educators, businesswomen, and journalists. And we attended a gala celebration at the Embassy of Bavaria where we were seated in the second row and acknowledged by name from the podium!
I tell you all of this in order to impress you! Not to impress you with our activities, but to impress you with the depth, breadth, and importance of the work of Women of Reform Judaism.
Let me explain!
Our executive director, Shelley Lindauer and I, spent most of last week in Berlin, Germany
representing WRJ as honored guests of Abraham Geiger
College. This institution
is the Progressive Jewish seminary that trains rabbis for European communities
and in 2006
ordained the first rabbis in Eastern Europe
since the Holocaust. Many of you who attended our amazing YES Fund event at assembly
in San Diego will remember Rabbi Walter Homolka,
who received the donated Torah from Congregation Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster, PA. Rabbi Homolka is the director of Abraham Geiger College
and a former recipient of a WRJ scholarship. What a wonderful partnership we
have with Geiger College, Rabbi Homolka, and our German sisters
and brothers.
When Shelley and I arrived in Berlin, we were greeted by one of our
scholarship recipients, current rabbinic student Adrian Schell. He is a
delightful young man and will become a wonderful rabbi serving a Progressive
congregation in Germany.
Our hotel was in what many of us remember as West Berlin.
There are few reminders of the division, and the Berlin Wall came down nearly twenty
years ago, nonetheless Berliners still refer to
the two sides of the city as West Berlin and East Berlin.
We were able to visit the Brandenburg Gate, see the area that was referred to
as “No Man’s Land” (although it is now filled with beautiful commercial
buildings and businesses) and visit the remaining section of the wall that has
been left standing. We also have a photograph of ourselves at Checkpoint
Charlie!
We saw many reminders of World War II and the Shoah. We
visited a train station in Berlin
where more than fifty thousand Jews were deported to concentration camps. There
is a memorial at this site depicting the dates, numbers of citizens, and the
camp to which they were deported. A giant stone wall with hollow indentations the
size of human beings chillingly represents the thousands of men, women, and
children who simply disappeared. Another
area of the city is home to a two square block outdoor Holocaust Memorial. It
is incredibly powerful with its stark concrete block forms, narrow pathways,
and absence of writings, descriptions, or explanations. One’s mind is left to
imagine and remember. There are many more reminders of the painful and tragic
history
of this city and country. As one walks along sidewalks in residential
areas, one may “trip over” small square gold stones in the pavement. They were
installed by an artist and named “Stumble Stones”. On each stone is the name
and information about a Jewish person who previously lived in the building
adjacent to that stone. In another neighborhood, a community project installed
signs on many of the lamp posts. On one side of the sign might be a picture of
a telephone – and on the other side is the date and the text of a law enacted
in 1940 that states that Jews were no longer allowed to use public telephones. Yet
another area of the city is home to a large Jewish Museum. These are very
powerful reminders of the Jewish history of Germany.
I hope that as you read this you have some of the same reactions
that we did. At first the memories are painful and haunting, and yet it is
astounding and wonderful that the German government and the German people are acknowledging
their history. Citizens in the year 2008 have many and varied
reminders and
tributes to the millions of German citizens who were lost.
Today, however, the Jewish communities of Germany and especially Berlin are incredibly vibrant and growing. Abraham Geiger College currently has sixteen rabbinic students. As you know, in 2006 they ordained three rabbis – the first rabbis ordained in Germany since the Holocaust. Two of those rabbis were WRJ scholarship recipients. With the addition of the new Cantorial School and the WRJ Music Library funded by our YES Fund donations, the College will be able to grow and enhance the professional leadership of Progressive Judaism in Europe.
Rabbi Homolka organized a wonderful luncheon for Shelley and me to meet with German and Polish women who are leaders and activists in the Jewish communities. We shared our interests and roles in our respective groups and exchanged names and e-mails. We also brought regards from our president, Rosanne Selfon, who was at home awaiting the birth of her newest grandchild! It is our hope to continue this conversation through electronic media and explore ways in which we can support and enhance one another across the globe.
On our last evening in Berlin, we attended the dedication ceremony and the presentation of the Abraham Geiger prize. Every two years, the College awards a prize in honor of its founder who exemplified the best in scholarship and humanitarianism. Among the previous winners are Emil Fackenheim (z’l) and Susannah Heschel. This year the prize was awarded to His Royal Highness Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. This charming and erudite man is an incredible human being and a persuasive voice for global sustainability, reconciliation, and interreligious understanding in our troubled world. During his acceptance speech (which he gave in German, one of the many languages he speaks including Hebrew) he stated:
“As Muslims, Jews, and Christians, we are all bound by a common heritage of struggle under one God.” HRH Prince Hassan describes himself by saying that “I am aggressively moderate!”
Our entire experience in Germany was powerful, positive, and
proud. WRJ was honored and thanked in so many ways and Shelley and I were truly
grateful to be able to see the significant results of our contributions to Geiger College.
We are making a profound difference in the lives of Progressive Jews all across
Europe. We thank our wonderful German hosts
and especially Rabbi Walter Homolka.
I am blessed to be able to represent WRJ at this time in our history. I thank each and every one of you for making this possible – because none of us could do this alone. We truly are stronger together!
WRJ's YES Fund grant support a variety of worthy causes. One of our 2007 grants supported a program called "Creative Holiday Celebrations" at Kehillat Mevasseret Zion. This was a Purim Carnival promotion.
February 12, 2008
The Union for Reform Judaism weekly publishes Eilu V’eilu. This point/counterpoint model involves a dialogue between two scholars and provides for your active participation. This kind of intellectual debate is at the center of our tradition.
Please click here to read the beginning of a conversation between WRJ Executive Direct Shelley Lindauer and MRJ Executive Direct Doub Barden.
And here for the continuation of that discussion.
First Vice President Lynn Magid Lazar, President Rosanne Selfon, and Executive Director Shelley Lindauer, met with Hillary Clinton at the Consultation of Conscience in Washington DC (May 2007) - photo by Yaakov Hammer.
And with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi - photo by Yaakov Hammer.
WRJ Leaders Visit Capital Hill
Date: January 12, 2007
Earlier this week,
WRJ President Rosanne Selfon and First Vice President Lynn Magid Lazar joined
other Reform leaders to visit members of the House of Representatives during the
“First 100 Hours” Democratic initiative. The group included Bob Heller and Peter
Weidhorn, URJ board chairman and vice chairman; Cheryl Gutman and Honey Heller,
CSA members; Aaron Bloom and Doug Barden, NFTB; Rabbi Fred Reiner, CCAR and
Temple Sinai, Washington; Rabbi Scott Sperling, URJ mid-atlantic regional
director; and, of course, RAC staff members Rabbi David Saperstein, Mark
Pelavin, Barbara Weinstein, and Rachel Slomovitz.
Our goal was to meet as
many House members and/or staff as possible and to press for passage of a clean
minimum wage bill and a bill on expanded stem cell research. WRJ and the
movement have long been active through advocacy and action on these two specific
issues.
The group met with several newly elected representatives, asking
how the movement could be supportive in areas of mutual concern. Discussions
included children and the environment, immigration, campaign reform, mental
health, and health care in general. Iraq was on everyone's
mind. Both Democrats and Republicans were visited. Please note the list of
those visited at the conclusion of this memo.
As URJ Board Chairman Bob
Heller noted, “perhaps most interesting were our meetings with the new House
members who had in common their energy, enthusiasm and belief that they could
approach issues on a bipartisan basis at least with their fellow newcomers not
yet scarred by Washington's battles. Of interest
as well, we met with Rep. Keith Ellison whose dignity and calm affirmation of
our Constitutional values during the past few weeks when use of the Koran at his
installation ceremony came under attack have been impressive.” Rep. Ellison was
most interested in working with WRJ on the children's environment issue, his
personal passion.
Representative Allyson Schwartz, (D), Philadelphia, was busy on the House
floor, but Rosanne and Lynn spoke with her as they were leaving her office and
she was just returning. Allyson, a Tikkun Olam Award winner from former WRJ
District 5, now sits in her 2nd term in Washington following a brilliant
state legislature career. Rep. Schwartz brings her Jewish and female voice to
Congress.
Final note…one of six degrees of separation. Before driving
home, Lynn decided to knock on the door of
her new freshman Representative who, typically, wasn't available. She did meet
with a young aide to whom she described the work of WRJ and Reform Judaism In
the midst of their conversation, he said, "Are you Aaron Magid's mom?" He had
graduated high school a year ahead of Lynn's son! You just never know who
you'll meet in Congress.
Another chance meeting…just as Rosanne and Lynn
walked into the Longworth House building cafeteria to meet the group, they
literally ran into WRJ board member Mildred Amer who works at the Library of
Congress! It's always delightful to see WRJ members!
The day proved
productive, educational, exciting, and exhausting all at the same time. Applause
to the RAC staff who put this extraordinary day on the Hill together in less
than 100 hours, providing background on issues and representatives. Special
thank you to Lynn, Rosanne and the others who joined this effective mission to
insure that Reform Jewish voices are heard.
While driving home, Rosanne
commented via cellphone to Lynn, “Traveling through the halls
of Congress with David Saperstein is an incredible experience. We had entry
into inner offices, directly meeting with powerful leaders, primarily because of
David and his longtime relationships. For me, listening to David speak with our
leaders was a fabulous lesson …asking the right questions and listening was an
experience well-taught by this expert”.
Steve Cohen (D)*
Tennessee
James Ramstad
(R) Minnesota
Gabrille Giffords
(D)* Arizona
Melvin Watts (D)
North Carolina
Keith Ellison
(D)* Minnesota
Chris Shays (R)
Connecticut
Walter Jones (R)
North Carolina
Chris Van Hollen
(D) Maryland
John Boehner (R)
Ohio
Ron Klein (D)*
Florida
* freshman member of Congress
First Person
The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
11/17/06
By Shoshana Lewin, Contributing Writer
It happened one
weekend ... at the Sisterhood Sisterhood is not
for everyone: People who can't stand other people won't like it. But that's
about it.
"Something happens," I was told
across the "first timers" table Nov. 2 at BJ's Restaurant in Woodland
Hills. "When these women get together. I can't explain it, but something
happens."
The get-together was the 46th annual Biennial Assembly of the Women of Reform
Judaism's (WRJ) Pacific District (that's the West Coast, plus Hawaii,
Alaska and Vancouver). The woman talking to me was
Sylvia Rose of University Synagogue in Los
Angeles. She had a name badge around her neck that
displayed a ribbon sporting a plethora of colored stickers -- YES Fund (Youth,
Education, Service), WUPJ (Work Union of Progressive Judaism), JBI (Jewish
Braille Institute) -- symbolizing some of the myriad programs sponsored by the
sisterhoods of WRJ. By the end of that weekend at the Woodland Hills Hilton,
Rose would be inducted as one of six vice presidents for 2006-2008.
I looked around the party room 40 of us had taken over for the evening at a
preassembly function. I was without question the youngest in the room (if you
exclude the wait staff). At 28, I was the youngest person at the conference; as
co-vice president of membership for my sisterhood, Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, I am the
youngest woman on our board.
While my peers might have been spending their weekend partying, going to see
"Borat" or enjoying a day at the beach, I was learning Torah, voting
on policy changes and teaching women twice my age how to increase their
sisterhood's membership.
And I loved every minute of it!
I kept hearing over and over again that this "wasn't your mother's
sisterhood" (of course, every time I heard that, I looked at the next
table where my grandmother -- the "e-mail chair" and former president
of our sisterhood -- was sitting).
I joined my sisterhood five years ago, after attending a sukkah party with my
grandmother. Like most women who shared their experiences at the assembly, I
started small -- I volunteered my time on a committee. I was involved in a
Jewish sorority in college and saw sisterhood as the next step up -- minus the
keggers, rush week and homecoming. So I went to some meetings, which led to
more meetings, and today I co-chair that committee.
The women whom I now consider my good friends at first thought of me as
"Char's granddaughter from Chicago."
Now she's known as "Shoshana's grandma."
The face of sisterhood is changing, yet a stigma remains. For all of the efforts
of these articulate, intelligent, hard-working women, the word
"sisterhood" still brings up images of old ladies wearing aprons as
they set up the Shabbat Kiddush. It probably doesn't help to point out to my
contemporaries that all of the district officers inducted at the meeting were
my mother's age or older.
When I suggest joining sisterhood to my friends, who are in their 20s and 30s,
they tell me they'll join sisterhood "later" -- and they come up with
a slew of reasons why they don't want to join now. But I've never been one to
take no for an answer.
Complaint: I don't have anything in common with these women.
Answer: How do you know unless you meet them? Our youngest member is 15; she
and her mother are good friends of mine. Our oldest member is 95; she's also a
friend of mine.
Complaint: How will I meet guys my age hanging out at a sisterhood?
Answer: Um, hello. These women are mothers and grandmothers who have Jewish
sons, grandsons and nephews.
Complaint: The programs are so boring. I don't want to just sit around
listening to speakers.
Answer: So join and change it. Our sisterhood has a group of young mothers of
children in preschool and religious school who recently sponsored a bra fitting
at Nordstrom before the store opened to shoppers -- and brought in an OB/GYN to
talk about breast cancer awareness.
Complaint: I don't have time to be involved.
Answer: Really? Well can you make a phone call, fold an invitation or send out
an e-mail? Bet you can.
Sisterhood is not for everyone: People who can't stand other people won't like
it. But that's about it.
These women offer an arm when you've twisted your ankle and a shoulder to cry
on when you get bad news. They bring food when you can't leave the house and
tell jokes when you need a good laugh. They'll argue with you when you want a
good fight and support you 100 percent when you feel that no one else will.
They raise money to send rabbis to school and to send Jewish kids to Jewish
camps; they help the infrastructure of their synagogues and that of synagogues
around the world.
WRJ is also the predominant sponsor of the new Women's Torah Commentary that is
being published next year (I saw a preview of the Chayei Sarah segment, and it
looks awesome).
By Saturday, I wore an small Torah pin I had purchased at the "Faire and
Share," in support of the YES Fund. But I'm very proud that I join the
ranks of those name-badge-wearing sisters who came before me.
Sylvia was right: These women get together and something happens. But I can't
really describe it either -- I guess it is something you'll have to see for
yourself.
FYI: We're taking over San Diego
in December 2007.
Local synagogues will preview women's Torah commentary
By Lois Goldrich
11/16/06
On Saturday, Nov. 18, Reform congregations throughout North America will have an opportunity to preview and discuss excerpts from "The Torah: A Women’s Commentary," to be published in 2007 by Women of Reform Judaism, the women’s agency of the Union for Reform Judaism, and the URJ Press.
Nearly 200 synagogues will participate in the Parashat Chayei Sarah program developed by the two groups to encourage movement-wide study of the Torah portion about the death of the biblical matriarch. Each congregation has been sent a packet including the Torah reading as well as information from the various components of the "Women’s Commentary."
Many Voices
These include a central commentary by Prof. Yairah Amit of Tel Aviv University; another view by Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion; post-biblical interpretation by Dr. Judith R. Baskin of the University of Oregon; and contemporary reflections and voices, by Dr. Maeera Y. Shreiber of the University of Utah. Congregations have also been sent suggested methods for study, as well as study-guide questions.
Rabbi Joel Soffin, who describes himself as the "sabbatical rabbi" of Barnert Temple in Franklin Lakes — standing in for Rabbi Elyse Frishman, who is on a six-month sabbatical — told The Jewish Standard that he became interested in the program through the synagogue sisterhood, which received the WRJ packet. After holding a Sunday morning study session using the materials, the group passed on the information to Soffin, who will devote his Friday evening study session to the subject.
According to the rabbi, he will focus on a poem called "Rebecca" by Amy Blank, "describing Rebecca’s feelings as she was going to meet Isaac." After reading the poem, he will lead a "creative discussion" on the piece. In addition, he will cite one of the commentaries provided in the Reform packet, on the phrase, "Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah," drawing additional meaning from the verse.
Rabbi Steven Sirbu of Temple Emeth in Teaneck will hand out copies of select pieces from the packet and gear his Shabbat Torah discussion — to be held Saturday morning at 9 a.m., before services — "to commentary, rather than text." Speaking to the question of whether women, in fact, have their own perspective on the Torah, Sirbu said he believes that women have a different outlook on a variety of issues, including the way God relates to human beings, the perception of power and the patriarchal system described in the Torah, and even the idea of the commandments themselves. He also pointed out that any commentary "that gets people to study Torah is a good one."
"Though the materials come from a commentary written solely by women, we believe that it is an excellent resource for all members of our community," said Shelley Lindauer, executive director of Women of Reform Judaism. "It is our hope that this program will build momentum and excitement for the release of the historic [publication] at the WRJ Assembly in December 2007."
The book contains writings by leading Jewish female Bible scholars, rabbis, historians, philosophers, and archeologists. Their collective efforts will result in the first comprehensive commentary on the Five Books of Moses, including individual Torah portions, written exclusively by women. The collection will include Hebrew and English translation.
For additional information on the Parashat Chayei Sarah program and "The Torah: A Women’s Commentary," visit www.wrj.rj.org.
