Chai Lines
International Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich and Empower
Conservative Jewish Women
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September 1, 2017 Volume 2, Issue 58
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IN THIS ISSUE
Click on name of article to go to that article.
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 WLCJ CARES FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY
Woman's League Cares continues to send our thoughts and prayers to our sisters and their families in Texas. Please keep us informed and let us know of any actions you take.
WLCJ has been in touch with the sisterhoods in Houston and Corpus Christi. Beth Yeshuran in Houston, the largest Conservative Congregation in North America, has suffered major damage and was under seven feet of water at one time.
L'Shalom
Margie Miller, International President
Sandy Myers and Anna Trachtenberg, Chairs WL Cares
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FROM OUR REGION PRESIDENT--Eleanor Diamond
This week I received a phone call and an email from two members of our Region informing me of the passing of Carol Sher. I didn't know Carol nor had I ever heard of her. I was quickly informed of her commitment to Judaism, her synagogue, her Sisterhood, and Women's League. She had been the President of the Eastern Canada Branch of Women's League for Conservative Judaism.
She sat on the Torah Fund Cabinet of Women's League and was the Torah Fund President of the Montreal Area until she moved to Toronto six years ago.
It was suggested to me that, as Region President, I should attend Carol's funeral. Part of me thought the idea was somewhat unreasonable - I had never met her or her family and her presidency was more than 40 years ago. I would also have to take time off from work. Nevertheless, I decided to go.
However as I was driving to the funeral, I felt that it was indeed important that I pay my respects to a woman who had paved the way for me and other women. At the funeral service I learned of Carol's feisty personality and her devotion to her family and her synagogue.
Leaving the funeral home, I walked over to Carol's daughter-in-law, Tami, to offer my condolences. I wanted her to know that Carol will be remembered by the women of Women's League for her hard work and devotion. With tears streaming down her face, Tami hugged me and thanked me for sharing that sentiment that she felt would be a wonderful and meaningful legacy for her mother-in-law.
May Carol's memory be a blessing.
Shabbat Shalom,
Eleanor
514-458-6204
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FROM THE EDUCATION VP
LOIS SILVERMAN
Women's League and the Conservative Movement support the people affected by Hurricane Harvey now and in the future.
How Much? A Poem for Houston
by Rabbi Zoë Klein
How much water is inside a tear,
And how long does it take to dry them?
As long as there is misery and fear
In the people who continue to cry them.
How much water is inside a flood
And how long does it take to recede?
As long as it takes to restore hope
To the people in desperate need.
How much water is inside a storm
And how long does it take to clear?
As long as it takes to rebuild a home
And restore everything that is dear.
How much water is inside a city
When a levee suddenly breaks?
As many as are the tears that are cried
When so many million hearts break.
Shabbat Shalom
LOIS
[email protected]
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FROM WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
Networking to engage,
enrich and empower
Conservative Jewish women
Message from Margie Miller, WLCJ President
"Labor"
I've learned never to start a sentence with "According to the dictionary...", but it's so tempting.
This weekend many celebrate Labor Day. What is to labor? To work hard, like in "hard labor", the activity that produces goods and services, and of course the infamous 3 day "labor" before giving birth. Labor Day is a day to recognize laborers, celebrate their efforts and give them a well needed day of rest.
Believe it or not, I often roam around the Women's League offices very early in the morning exploring all the books and documents stored here. Today I found a children's Jewish calendar and there it was, an explanation about Labor Day for kids.
We as Jews have a day every week to rest, it's called Shabbat. The lesson for every child, that in Book of Deuteronomy 5:14, we are instructed to make sure our employees and even our animals rest. In doing this we remember that we work in order to live not vice versa. This seems quite a profound lesson for young children. Perhaps it's meant more for the adults reading it. We should "Work to live not live to work".
This weekend, in between your BBQ, shopping sprees, last minute school shopping, take some time think about all those who labor. Thank those whose efforts enhance our lives by the products they produce. Thank those who work hard every day to ensure their families are provided for. Thank the workers, here and far away who do the jobs we would rather not do; those in the fields, those in the factories, those in the hospitals and schools. How many laborers "labor" to enrich the quality of your life?
Labor Day and Shabbat a perfect combination to take a break, rest and be grateful.
Shabbat Shalom.
Margie
NEW! A Multi-Experiential Approach to the Book of Ruth and the Concept of Home
In keeping with the Big Bold Steps initiatives, the first re-tooled approach to Women's League materials is now available.
It contains many exercises and activities that offer a variety of modules through which to experience and engage with the topic of home.
* Study: Megillat Ruth
* Ritual expression: birkat habayit
* Culture: music, film
* Social action: nursing home activity
* Personal/Jewish identity: Judaica in the home
* CJA (Creative Jewish Arts): Creating a chamsa
Modules provide resources, goals and recommended discussion questions or activities. Feel free to adapt and make the project/s your sisterhood's own.
The material can be downloaded in the
Member Documents
section of the website, under Programs or click
here.
Women's League Institute at JTS
Registration is now open. All are invited. Click
here
for class descriptions and to register.
CONVENTION
We are in the process of creating albums from convention for you to enjoy. Our next albums are ready.
- Click here for installation
- Click here for A Century of Change
- Click here for The Jewels in Crown luncheon
- Click here for the Torah Fund luncheon
You can also view the Installation and Action for Women's Health in their entirety on our website.
kicked off our celebrations of the
Women's League Centennial with a wonderful tribute to the presidents of Women's League and an informative time line of the last 100 years in both Women's League and the world. The video is available online and the time llne can be borrowed by regions or sisterhoods.
In addition, we invite you to support the next 100 years of Women's League by contributing to either The 1918 Society or the $100 for 100 Years Campaign.
We thank the following women who have already joined The 1918 Society:
Gloria Schraibman Adelson
Judi Dickstein Kenter
Blanche Meisel
Margie Miller
Evelyn Seelig
Carol Shayman Simon
Next Leadership Institute
October 29-30, 2017
Merrick Jewish Centre, Merrick, NY
Cost: $199 for the entire 2 day institute, including meals and snacks.
Plus hotel at $70 per person, double occupancy.
For further information, contact: Mimi Pollack, incoming Leadership Institute Chair,
215-355-5069
215-837-6502
Videos of the Masorti Women's Study Days in English
To watch three of the classes from last month's outstanding day of study,
click here.
- Stranger in Our Midst - 2 Shakespearian plays, taught by Prof. Alice Shalvi
- Memorable Women of Jerusalem: 2nd Temple to Today, taught by Rabbi David Golinkin
- Getting Unstuck: A Kaballat Shabbat, music workshop, taught by Shira Taylor Gura
Latest interview from Women's League Reads
To listen to our conversation with Deborah Tannen, author of
You're the Only One I Can Tell: Inside the Language of Women's Friendships
Support Women's League the easy way!
We have joined Amazon Prime.
Initiate your shopping session
through our website. Amazon will rebate a percentage of the sale back to Women's League.
The only requirement is that you initiate your online shopping session through our website. Click on the Amazon logo on the top of our webpage (near the Facebook icon) than click on the Amazon shopping cart on the next page. Do that for every purchase.
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FROM THE TORAH FUND VICE PRESIDENT
MARILYN COHEN
TORAH FUND CAMPAIGN 2017-2018
Mah tovu , which means "
how good!", is a phrase that originates in the Torah, in Numbers 24:5. Quoted in our prayer book, it forms the basis of the opening prayer that is sung when we enter the synagogue.
The full phrase is
Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishk'notecha Yisrael, "
How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!" It is a spontaneous exclamation of joy and appreciation, said when gazing at the nation of Israel, dwelling in peace and mutual respect. As we celebrate the beginning of the 100th year of Women's League for Conservative Judaism and the end of the 75th year of the Torah Fund Campaign, we count our many blessings as individuals within the community of Israel. We are blessed in our synagogues with depth of learning, prayer, and acts of kindness that bind us together; 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 are such a strong support to us.
How good are all these blessings in our lives!
The pin, featuring the number 100 in raised letters and encased in a silver frame, is a
treasured keepsake of the Women's League centennial celebration to wear with pride!
Marilyn Cohen, INR Torah Fund VP
h) 416 223 2955
c) 416 518 1860
Check out the New Torah Fund Guide and all the other materials to run a great campaign!
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NEED HELP?
HELP IS AVAILABLE ON THE WLCJ WEBSITE.
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