A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT:
  "MAH TOVU AND MORE"
By now, most of us are aware that this year's Women's League and Torah Fund theme is Mah Tovu ("how good").  Also, last week, most of us celebrated Thanksgiving.  I am going to combine these two seemingly unrelated concepts by saying:  How good it is and how thankful I am to have such wonderful members of our Executive Committee and Board to voluntarily offer to prepare this week's message to present to you.

I am so blessed and thankful to be working with dedicated and caring women, who have been so helpful and pro-active throughout.  Taking a page out of our new WLCJ President, Margie Miller's book, this week's message has been written by our Torah Fund Vice President, Lori Snow.  (For those of you who are on the WL Net, you've seen recent Shabbat messages from two of Margie's Vice Presidents, Agnes Emert and Sue Taffet.).  Lori will be telling you all about our amazing Torah Fund-Founder's Day Event.

Following Lori's message, our new Israel Chair, Barbara Rosenau, has submitted a fabulous article about the new JUST ONE DOLLAR initiative.  Both of these topics were mentioned in my last Shabbat message and these wonderful women will fill you in on the details....How good it is!
 
WE ARE SISTERHOOD!  WE ARE REGION!  WE ARE WOMEN'S LEAGUE!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rochelle F. Hirt
President, Mid-Atlantic Region
TORAH FUND TIDBITS
from
Lori Snow, Torah Fund Vice President
   
Currently, I am in my third and final year as Region Torah Fund Vice President.  What a pleasure it has been to meet so many of you in my travels around our Region.  I have seen first-hand the hard work our Torah Fund chairs and their Sisterhoods do to reach their Sisterhood Torah Fund goals. I also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of our common purpose - helping provide a steady stream of top-notch rabbis, cantors and Jewish educators insuring the continuation of Conservative/Masorti Judaism. Being involved with Torah Fund gave me a clearer perspective into all we do to keep Conservative Judaism a living and breathing movement in our changing world.
 
In planning for our annual Torah Fund-Founder's Day event, my committee and I discussed various topics of interest and concern.  We focused on Interfaith Marriage and decided to bring in various experts in their fields to discuss family scenarios.  We were delighted to find Nancy Fagan -  a licensed clinical social worker with 30 years' experience at Jewish Family Services; Rabbi Rachel Kobrin from Adath Jeshurun, who counsels many families and couples; Karen Lewin - Education Director at Congregation Beth El, Yardley (our host Synagogue); and Dr. Ruth Rosenberg, psychiatrist.  Our panel was given scenarios written by Shelley Szwalbenest and Debbi Goldich which resulted in a lively discussion about how to bring in a new family member and to help them feel part of our Jewish world.  One woman came up to me after the presentation and told me with tears in her eyes how the discussion helped her.  Another also approached me, said her son was getting engaged and told me that our dialogue helped make her feel more prepared for the upcoming family changes.
 
Everyone enjoyed a wonderful lunch with beautiful tables set with Torah Fund  centerpieces and bright flowers in the room.
 
I am so pleased to tell you that 21 of our Region's 33 Sisterhoods (almost 2/3) met or surpassed their goals in the 2016-2017 Torah Fund Campaign year and those present received Achievement Awards at the event.  The rest of the certificates will be sent snail mail.  Pictures were taken for everyone's newsletters and social media.  Our event ended with drawing the winning names for our beautiful raffle baskets and door prizes.
 
I would like to thank the following hard working ladies on my MAR Torah Fund-Founder's Day event committee:  Bonnie Abrams, Michele Bernstein , Barbara Bess-Pashak, Ilene Blatman , Karen Cuker, Debbi Goldich,  Rochelle Hirt, Debbie Lubin , Shelley Szwalbenest , Marsha Wasserman and Violet Zeitlin. I have had the opportunity to work with most of these wonderful women for my three TF-FD events.  What an amazing group of creative and capable women who worked together to organize our event.  You have made me (and the Region) proud. I have been honored to work with all of you and I thank you!
 
Here is the final update for the 2016-2017 Torah Fund year .  Our Mid-Atlantic Region raised about $170,000 - an impressive part of the grand total: $1.78 million.
 
The Seeds Campaign raised an overall total of $232,000.  Although the numbers fell short of the anticipated goal of $600,000, we did raise more than any of the previous Scholarship Program Campaigns. 
 
Also, Women's League's TF efforts have raised almost $101 million over the last 75 years.  Pretty amazing when you realize so many of our donations are small ($18 and $36), but are equally important towards reaching our goals!
 
As you probably know, our work provides major support to The Jewish Theological Seminary in NYC, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in LA, the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem , the Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano in Buenos Aires and, as of July 2016, we support our newest school, the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany. You should know that on June 18th, 2017, The Frankel College had the first Conservative Rabbinic ordination held in Germany since the Shoah. 
 
For the 2017-2018 Torah Fund campaign ending June 30, our theme, Mah tovu , means how good! The phrase originates in the Torah, Numbers 24:5, and we sing it as the opening prayer when entering the synagogue. As we celebrate the beginning of 100th year of Women's League, and the conclusion of the75th year of Torah Fund, we count our many blessings. We are blessed in our synagogues with depth of learning, prayer and acts of kindness; with communal leaders who are thoughtful and learned; with children and grandchildren who make us smile; and with the love of family and friends - especially our Women's League sisters - who support us. How good are all these blessings in our lives!
 
Thank you for your ongoing support of Torah Fund.  Let's dig a little deeper to support the 2017-2018 Torah Fund year and see what we can do together! Remember - our joint efforts help secure the future of Conservative/Masorti Judaism - a proud, progressive and modern form of Judaism.
 














JUST ONE DOLLAR
Women's League has reinvigorated a wonderful initiative for Masorti (Conservative) women in Israel. This national campaign raises funds for Masorti Women's Days of Study in Israel. This had been an ongoing project of Women's League for many years and has now been revitalized. This program is run by Masorti Women International - our counterpart in Israel.
 
To fund this initiative, the Israel committee of Women's League submitted the concept of "ONE MEMBER- ONE DOLLAR" as a way for each Sisterhood in the country to fund this campaign. Each Sisterhood is asked to make a contribution equal to JUST ONE DOLLAR per Member. Some Sisterhoods are collecting a dollar from each woman at their meetings and programs and others who are able are writing a check from their treasury. 
 
Please see the flyer on the link below that explains this project in more detail and provides information about the Masorti Women's Days of Study:    
 
 
All Women's League members will have the opportunity to be part of the Days of Study sessions through video links and it is open to any Sisterhood member who will be in Israel during these sessions. Sessions include classes on Bible, Torah Study, Social Action, Leadership, worship Music and much more. 
 
Please share this important information with your Sisterhood members. Donations may be sent to:  WLCJ, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 820, New York, NY 10115. All contributions are appreciated.
 
In conjunction with financial support, we will also be renewing our efforts to connect our North American Sisterhoods with our Israel Kehillot . More information about this initiative is forthcoming.
As we look forward to celebrating the miracle of Israel's 70th birthday in May, JUST ONE DOLLAR will make this valuable program a reality for our partner Sisterhoods/Kehillot in Israel.  Thank you.
 
Barbara Rosenau, Mid-Atlantic Region Israel Chair
 
 
IN OUR REGION
Mid-Atlantic Region of Women's League for Conservative Judaism
Bernice Oswald Women's League Institute
Fall 2017
Study with Rabbi David Ackerman

From Basle to Jerusalem: 120 Years of Zionism and Israel

2017 is a year of significant Zionist anniversaries - 50 years since the Six Day War, 70 from the UN Partition Plan, the Centennial of the Balfour Declaration, and the 120th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress. These occasions chart the revolutionary transformation of the Jewish people over the course of a dozen decades. Join us as we explore some of the key writings - speeches, letters, cables, proclamations, essays, and more - that tell this powerful story.
Texts will be provided.

Where:  Har Zion Temple When:  Mondays:   December 4, 11, 18
Time: 10:00 to 11:30 am

For information:  Violet Zeitlin - 215-635-1587;  razeitlin@aol.com
 Millie Brooks - 215-635-7120; ;  msmbrooks1@gmail.com
      
TORAH FUND UPDATES
 
.

For 2017-2018 Campaign donations to be counted
in the 2017 Tax year :
 
DEADLINE for Check Donations by Mail is
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017
to get a tax receipt dated 2017.
 
DEADLINE for Credit Card Donations by Phone is
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2017 
to get a tax receipt dated 2017.
 
The Torah Fund office will be closed during the week of
DECEMBER 25th and we will re-open TUES., JANUARY 2, 2018.
Go to www.jtsa.edu/torahfund to give online or call the
Torah Fund office - 212.678.8027 or 212.678.8977
 
Transmittal form updates:
Electronic forms - Karen Tenesaca, in the Torah Fund office, offered to have sessions to teach how to use the electronic form.  Info will be out soon so please check you email on how to take part.  Thank you, Karen!
 
Manual forms - Add a post card when you mail your forms into Sherrill Moss-Solomon.  She will tally your numbers and return your postcard with your updated information.  It's a great way to see if all monies have been received and recorded.  Thank you, Sherrill!
 
A Torah Fund Reminder - "Check the checks!"   Please insure all   checks you send to the Torah Fund office are written to "Torah Fund".  Any checks written to any other variation such as your Sisterhood or WLCJ will be returned to you.  Then you must ask the donor to write a second check made out to Torah Fund.  Save yourself the extra effort and insure the check is written correctly the first time ! 
 
Proud of our Region!   Ladies, we raised 98% of our Region goal!  Feel proud - you earned it!  Torah Fund thanks you for all of your hard workand diligence.
 
Any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Lori Snow, Mid-Atlantic Region Torah Fund VP
lvsnow@comcast.net   (610) 635-0149

 IN OUR SISTERHOODS
If your Sisterhood is having an event that you would like to share with the Region,  please let us know at:  midatlanticregionwlcj@gmail.com


Save these dates for Har Zion Temple's
OPEN A BOOK...OPEN YOUR MIND SERIES
1500 Hagys Ford Road, Penn Valley, PA 19072
Confirmed Authors
2017-2018        

·        December 6, 7 pm - Rabbi Daniel Cohen, What Will They Say About You When You Are Gone
·        January 10, 7 pm - Marie Benedict, The Other Einstein
·        January 15, 1 pm - Michele Edwards (for MLK Day), A Hat for Mrs. Goldman
·        February 7, 7 pm - David Fishman, The Book Smugglers:  Partisans, Poets, and the Race to Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis
·        March 7, 7 pm - Alan Zweibel, For This We Left Egypt?
·        April 22, 7 pm - Alexandra Silber, After Anatevka
·        April 23, 11:30 pm (Sisterhood Luncheon) - Pam Jenoff, The Orphan's Tale
·        April 25, 7 pm - Ronald Balson, The Trust
·        April 26, 7 pm - Noah Lederman, A World Erased
  (More details to follow in our next edition)




FALL SISTERHOOD PAID-UP AND TORAH FUND EVENTS*
 
To date, my Executive Committee and I have had the honor of being invited to the following Sisterhood Events to bring greetings from the Region:
 
 
October:
  • 10-8:  Congregation Beth Tikvah Torah Fund Kick-Off - Marlton, NJ
  • 10-9:  Temple Beth Sholom Paid-Up - Cherry Hill, NJ
  • 10-22:  Tifereth Israel of Lower Bucks Cty. Paid-Up - Bensalem, PA
  • 10-23:  Ohev Shalom of Bucks County Paid-Up - Richboro, PA
  • 10-29:  Melrose B'nai Israel Emanu-El Paid-Up - Elkins Park, PA
November:
  • 11-2: Congregation Beth El Paid-Up - Voorhees, NJ
  • 11-5:  Congregation Beth Tikvah Paid-Up - Marlton, NJ
  • 11-19:  Beth Sholom Congregation Torah Fund- Elkins Park, PA
December:
  • 12-3:  Har Zion Temple Torah Fund - Penn Valley, PA
  • 12-3:  Temple Sinai Paid-Up - Cinnaminson, NJ
*If you'd like to see your Sisterhood event listed in our next issue,
please invite us.   We look forward to hearing from you soon:
 
Rochelle Hirt, President:  rhirt@wlcj.org
Lori Snow, Torah Fund Vice President: lvsnow@comcast.net
Fran Radel, Membership/Sist. Support VP:  fran@markradel.com
 
 MOMENTS TO SHARE

(Mazel Tovs, Memorials, and More...)
 
Mazel Tov to:
  • Barbara Braunstein, Past Region President, and her husband Irv, on the Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter Samantha Maren Laichtman on November 11.  Samantha is the daughter of Ellen and Arthur Laichtman.
Get Well:
  • Debbi Kaner Goldich, Past Region President, as she continues to heal from recent hand surgery
 
Condolences to:
 
  • The family of Rabbi Neil Gillman, Professor Emeritus of Jewish Philosophy at JTS. He was a teacher and mentor of many generations of JTS students.
    Condolences may be sent to Mrs. Sarah Gillman, at her home address:
 
875 West End Ave.
Apt. 15B
New York, NY 10025
 
  • The family of Evelyn Berger, Past Region President.  Messages of condolence may be sent to her daughter: 
Susan Julian
2540 Chapelwood Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA  15241
 
  • Linda Rosenthal, Past President of Temple Har Zion Sisterhood, Mt. Holly, on the loss of her husband, David.
Do you have a Simcha or Lifecycle Event you want to share with your Region Sisters?  
Email us at:  midatlanticregionwlcj@gmail.com  and we'll include it.

 
Click Here
  
What will a dollar buy you?
 
All we are asking of you is Just One Dollar.
 
Women's League for Conservative Judaism has a long history of supporting (Conservative) Masorti Judaism in Israel and throughout the world. Women's League has an annual commitment and NOW is the time to meet that obligation.  Each sisterhood is asked to make a contribution equal to Just One Dollar per Member. Fundraising can be as easy as passing around a pushke at you next Sisterhood event, asking each woman to donate Just One Dollar.  Or, you might hold a fundraiser unique to your Sisterhood.
 
All donations will fund the annual Masorti Women's Days of Study, as well as vital projects for the 60+ Masorti kehillot (congregations). For example, one small group, which met in people's homes, is now a thriving kehillah with its own building, due in part to a Women's League-funded scholar-in-residence Shabbat, which gave them an important yearly program.
 
Sisterhoods are urged to send donations to the WLCJ office and note "Annual Masorti Donation."
 
Can you give less?  Want to give more? Yes and Yes! All donations are appreciated and can be sent to:
 
Women's League
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 820
New York, NY 10115
 
Now more than ever, Women's League brings together the Jewish history of the past and the rich future of the Conservative women's movement. Even Just One Dollar makes a difference. What will your Dollar buy you?
The Masorti Women's Days of Study have been a stunning example of joint cooperation among Women's League for Conservative Judaism, the Schechter Institute, and the Masorti Women International. In 2000, Janet Tobin, then WLCJ International President, and Diane Friedgut, Women's League Israel Liaison, created  this educational project to bring women from all Masorti Kehillot together for a Day of Study. Presently, Diane and a committee of 100 women plan four Days of Study each year.
 
Each winter, over 300 women attended at least one of three study days around the country. Some traveled for hours to get to the closest session.  Every June, hundreds of women travel to the Jerusalem campus of the Schechter Institute for a culminating event. Each year, the Days of Study revolve around a theme, an important issue, challenges in Israeli society where women can have an impact. Classes, presented in four languages (Hebrew, Spanish, Russian and English), are offered in social action, leadership, worship music, writing and drawing, yoga and meditation, Bible and Torah study, and more. Leaders include Rabbis, Cantors, and professional Jewish educators, many associated with the Schechter Institute.
 
All Women's League members have the opportunity to join the Days of Study while visiting in Israel or via video links. Women's League participants report that their experiences helped enrich their own communities and Sisterhoods, providing an expanded base of Jewish knowledge.
 
Next Distance Workshop
Mark your calendar! The next free Women's League Distance Workshop, "Zoom Call with WLCJ President Margie Miller" is rescheduled for Monday, November 27, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. This workshop is open only to sisterhoods with under 50 members and limited to the first 20 sisterhoods to register. Call-in information will be sent to participants the week of the workshop. Register   here.

Continue the Legacy
Convention 2017 kicked off the Women's League Centennial with a video tribute to our past presidents and an informative timeline of the last 100 years. The video is available online, and the timeline can be borrowed by regions or sisterhoods. Now more than ever, Women's League brings together the Jewish history of the past and the rich future of the Conservative/Masorti women's movement, and we invite you to be an integral part of it. 
Support the next 100 years of Women's League by contributing to either The 1918 Society or the $100 for 100 Years Campaign.
 
The Centennial "Join the Celebrations" campaign will also supply programming and activity suggestions for sisterhoods and regions in order to encourage our members to "join the celebration!" You can be a part of it by spreading the word to your sisterhood and participating in this great milestone.
 
Support Women's League with One Click!

WLCJ has joined Amazon Prime!  Initiate your shopping session through our website, and Amazon will rebate a percentage of the sale back to Women's League. Click on the Amazon logo on the top left corner of our webpage (near the Facebook icon), and click on the Amazon shopping cart on the next page - then repeat the process for each individual purchase.