MIDWEST DISTRICT M'KESHER  מְקֶשֶׁר     
May 2020 | Iyyar 5780
A Message from Michelle Scheinkopf
WRJ Midwest District President 

Greetings!

How disappointing it was to learn in March that the WRJ Fried Women’s Conference was not going to be held in early May. Many could not imagine how WRJ was going to pivot and create a meaningful experience virtually for conference attendees. But reimagine they did! The WRJ staff and Board of Directors and co-chairs Andrea Gringold and Robin Plotnik did an amazing job reinventing a day of shared purpose, fun, learning, and spirituality.  

Virtual FWC was a day to remember for the 1300 individuals registered for this event. If you did not have an opportunity to “attend,” don’t fret. All the programming from FWC, the plenaries, workshops, and Shabbat evening service, are available for you to watch on Yammer, WRJ’s online social media platform. Contact Heather Lorgeree, WRJ Manager of Programming and Affiliate Services, at leadership@wrj.org  if you do not have access to Yammer. Once on, don’t forget to join the Midwest District Leadership group for all Midwest members. 

Over the course of the next several months, WRJ will continue hosting Zoom conference calls and webinars with many of the programs that were scheduled for FWC. Make sure to check out the upcoming events below in the WRJ section of this newsletter.  

What about our own district events this summer? The reality is that programs cannot be held in person. It is therefore with great sadness that I tell you the Chicago Metropolitan Area Day and Minnesota Area Day will not take place. Discussions are in the planning stages on what to do virtually for these two events.

As you may have read or heard, the WRJ Midwest District also decided for the health and safety of our women to go virtual with our 2020 district convention. 1st Vice President Zabe Williams and her co-chairs Carol Berger, Mary Fisher, Cheryl Stern, Karen Schwartz, Linn Ullenbrauck, and Judy Wexler are fast at work to bring you a virtual experience this October that will bring you much joy and ruach!

Since the beginning of sheltering-in-place orders, the Midwest District through the Kesher Connection Committee (KCC) has been working diligently to bring you quality programming. Members of the committee include Rozan Anderson, Karen Dillon, Denise Fogel, Sheri Frisque, Diane Kaplan, Linn Ullenbrauck, and Zabe Williams. 

In addition to the numerous Midwest District Zoom schmoozes that have been held, the KCC put together three interactive and informative programs. During Passover, Women of Passover  was enjoyed by over 50 women from our district. In this program, through the miracle of technology, we separated into breakout rooms and discussed five heroines of Passover: Miriam, Shifra, Puah, Zipporah, and Batya (Pharoah’s daughter).   

During what would have been our Kallah weekend, we broadcast Yes She Can: 10 Stories of Hope and Change from Young Female Staffers of the Obama White House on Facebook Live. This panel discussion with 3 of the authors, Molly Dillon, Noemie Levy, and Taylor Lustig, and moderated by Karen Dillon, gave us a fascinating look into what it was like to work in the White House during the Obama administration. 

That evening, Sally Frank, WRJ Board Member and District Ritual/Religious Chair and songleader Lizzy Scheinkopf, led us in a beautiful and uplifting Havdalah service. Later yet, to help round out the weekend, we hosted a pajama party schmooze. It was truly an inspiring and meaningful day.

You can watch most of these programs with these links: Women of Passover , Yes She Can , and WRJ Midwest Havdalah Service of April 25, 2020 .

Future programming planned by the Kesher Connection Committee will include more schmoozes and two book group discussions. Dates and times of schmoozes will be forthcoming. May’s book selection is Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner, and June's choice is The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Find details for book group registrations below in the WRJ Midwest District section.

As you can see, virtual programming instead of person-to-person events is going to be here for a while. In March, the District sent an email to the sisterhood/women’s groups presidents offering the use of the district Zoom account. Any SH/WG who does not have access to their congregation’s conference call accounts may request the use of the district’s in order to have a virtual meeting or program. Please contact Linn Ullenbrauck at linneupooh@att.net to answer any questions you may have on Zoom conference call requests.

These days I am often thinking about lemons being transformed into lemonade. Not because it’s near the summer but because we truly have so much to be thankful for. Granted, opportunities to see each other in person at Kallah and FWC were lost due to the virus. But as it was mentioned on a district schmooze call recently, we have actually seen each other and checked in with each other more often during the last five weeks than we have over the course of the year. We are making the effort to connect. 
Thank goodness for technology and the willingness to learn new skills in order to make those connections happen. Though I will probably be spending most of the summer in my backyard with a kiddie pool and lemonade, how good it will also be to connect with you, my Midwest sisters, virtually on my little 13-inch computer screen! Stay safe and well.

L’Shalom,
Michelle
  Advocacy
Critical Issues – Immigration Justice
by: Marilyn Glazer, WRJ Midwest District Advocacy Chair
Immigrant Justice is a subject near and dear to my heart as the grandchild of immigrants and I’m sure near and dear to the hearts of many WRJ members who also are in the United States due to the courage of their forefathers and foremothers. To restrict entry into the United States for those fleeing unstable governments and persecution is not American. Join with URJ and the RAC to right the wrongs by donating to the Kraus Family Foundation and/or becoming politically active on this issue.

In April, 2019, the Union for Reform Judaism and The Kraus Family Foundation announced the formation of the Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus Initiative for Immigrant and Refugee Justice. Eighty years ago, in 1939, the Krauses followed their consciences to Austria and Germany to rescue the largest group of unaccompanied minors brought to the United States in the lead up to World War II. Their story  serves as inspiration  to generations of the Kraus family and will now also provide a framework to activate and galvanize greater action across the Reform Jewish Movement amidst the current immigration and refugee crisis.


The Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus Initiative for Immigrant and Refugee Justice, funded by a multi-year gift of more than one million dollars from The Kraus Family Foundation, will:
  • Organize Union for Reform Judaism congregations, and youth programs to help them provide assistance for young immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and their families.
  • Activate and train Reform Jews to impact public policy on the federal, state, provincial, and local levels via a coordinated network.
  • Educate the public and communicate about current issues related to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.
  • Provide micro grants to congregations and youth programs to act and advocate for young immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and their families.
  • Further expand the work of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (the RAC), which has long led the Movement’s immigrant and refugee justice efforts.

“Gilbert and Eleanor faced unimaginable resistance as they took action just before World War II broke out. Despite risks to their own way of life they were able to do the extraordinary: save 50 Jewish children,” said Jill and Peter Kraus. “In their names, we’re reemphasizing the importance of individuals’ efforts in changing society. Today’s immigration and refugee crisis can seem overwhelming. Yet each of us can learn from their example, stand up for what is right, and take action to improve our world.

“The Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus Initiative for Immigrant and Refugee Justice utilizes the power of the URJ, representing the largest movement in Jewish life, to deepen the impact we can make supporting immigrants in achieving the safety and stability they deserve, as we work toward a world committed to justice, compassion, and peace,” said URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs. “The urgency of this crisis resonates throughout the Reform Movement. Guided by the Torah and our Jewish values, and inspired by the example set by the Kraus family, we are compelled to be outspoken advocates for immigrant and refugee justice.”

Dr. Julia Paley, the RAC's director of immigration justice, is leading the initiative. Throughout her career, Paley has addressed social justice issues involving human rights and immigrant justice, including co-founding and organizing a Washington, DC area interfaith network to defend immigrants from deportation, and working as a trainer engaged in cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration with grassroots organizations fighting for justice in Latin America.

“During this intense period of detentions, deportations, family separation, and the undermining of asylum, the Kraus Initiative will have a strong impact on advocacy around public policy, legislation, and the rights of undocumented immigrants, and providing support to help congregations promote immigrant rights in their communities,” said Paley. “The Reform Movement’s commitment to immigrant rights is driven by Jewish ethical precepts and a deep conviction that we dedicate our lives to advancing justice.”

The legacy of Gilbert and Eleanor’s incredible rescue mission to help those fleeing persecution is carried forward by their grandson Peter Kraus and his wife Jill, who co-founded The Kraus Family Foundation.

For information about financially supporting the Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus Initiative for Immigrant and Refugee Justice, contact Ilene Ausubel at  IAusubel@urj.org . For questions about getting involved in the organizing or advocacy work, contact Dr. Julia Paley at  jpaley@rac.org . 

The poem below was used by my friend, Rabbi John Linder, as part of his 2019 High Holy Day address to his congregation in Arizona.

Home, by Warsan Shire (British-Somali poet)
no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark. you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well. your neighbours running faster than you, the boy you went to school with who kissed you dizzy behind the old tin factory is holding a gun bigger than his body, you only leave home when home won't let you stay. no one would leave home unless home chased you, fire under feet, hot blood in your belly. it's not something you ever thought about doing, and so when you did - you carried the anthem under your breath, waiting until the airport toilet to tear up the passport and swallow, each mouthful of paper making it clear that you would not be going back. you have to understand, no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land. who would choose to spend days and nights in the stomach of a truck unless the miles travelled meant something more than journey. no one would choose to crawl under fences, be beaten until your shadow leaves you, raped, then drowned, forced to the bottom of the boat because you are darker, be sold, starved, shot at the border like a sick animal, be pitied, lose your name, lose your family, make a refugee camp a home for a year or two or ten, stripped and searched, find prison everywhere and if you survive and you are greeted on the other side with go home blacks, refugees dirty immigrants, asylum seekers sucking our country dry of milk, dark, with their hands out smell strange, savage - look what they've done to their own countries, what will they do to ours? the dirty looks in the street softer than a limb torn off, the indignity of everyday life more tender than fourteen men who look like your father, between your legs, insults easier to swallow than rubble, than your child's body in pieces - for now, forget about pride your survival is more important. i want to go home, but home is the mouth of a shark home is the barrel of the gun and no one would leave home unless home chased you to the shore unless home tells you to leave what you could not behind, even if it was human. no one leaves home until home is a damp voice in your ear saying leave, run now, i don't know what i've become
  WRJ North American News
Reproductive Health & Rights Campaign
You can make a difference in the lives of all women locally, statewide, and nationally by opening the links below and becoming more aware and empowered to further the cause of WRJ's Reproductive Justice Campaign:
WRJ Incubator Grants
The WRJ Incubator Grants initiative was launched in 2015 as a way to inspire and enable “outside the box” programs and provide new ideas for all  WRJ sisterhoods . 

Applications are now open for the 2019-2020 Incubator Grants . WRJ is allocating Incubator grants of $500-$2,500 to WRJ sisterhoods/women’s groups to fund unique and creative programs that promote one or more of the WRJ 3 Ss: Sisterhood, Spirituality, and Social Good. WRJ is looking specifically for programs that encourage Tikkun Olam, promote Reform Jewish values, create caring communities, and/or cultivate spiritual or personal growth in its participants. Sisterhoods/women's groups must be in good standing with both WRJ and with their districts. For more information, please read the   2019-2020 Incubator Grant FAQs .

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2020, or until funds are depleted.

WRJ Webinars
New WRJ Webinar
Get a glimpse and feel for WRJ's 2020 Israel trip during this recently-recorded program. Participants from the trip shared their life changing experiences. Learn about the vision of the trip, the musical components, hear personal testimonials, and see some of the beautiful pictures to get a glimpse and feel of this experience. You will also have the opportunity to hear about the March 2, 2020, elections from the WRJ 2020 Israel tour guide.* 

*In order to view these webinars you need to have access to Yammer . Yammer is an online platform where women discuss issues important to them. WRJ Board Members, sisterhood/women's group presidents, and leaders are invited to sign into Yammer. If you do not have access to WRJ's Yammer, contact Heather Lorgeree, Manager of Programming and Affiliate Services at   leadership@wrj.org .  
Click the link to watch this webinar on Youtube!

(Yammer access required)

(Yammer access required)
Click the link to watch these webinars on Yammer!

Click the link to watch this webinar on YouTube!
WRJ Virtual FWC Upcoming Programming
This evening, Friday, May 9, 7:00 pm CT
Be sure to register now to join us for a special  Havdallah service led by WRJ's District Presidents.

Tuesday, May 12, 2:30-3:30 pm CT
Tuesday with Mitch: A conversation with Mitch Albom About his New Weekly Serial "Human Touch" . In light of COVID-19, Mitch Albom (bestselling author of  Tuesdays with Morrie ) began writing a fictionalized story in real-time. Join us for an exclusive talk and Q&A with Mitch. 

Tuesday, May 19, 7:00 pm CT
WRJ is also a proud partner in the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism's (RAC's)  Every Voice, Every Vote: the Reform Movement’s 2020 Civic Engagement Campaign . We encourage you to join the  virtual town hall   to launch this campaign on  and  commit to participate in Every Voice, Every Vote .

Thursday, May 21, 7:00 pm CT
We hope you can   join us for a book talk   with author Anna Solomon, who will talk about her new novel,  The Book of V. , which intertwines three women's stories over centuries -- a teenaged Esther in ancient Persia; a senator's wife in 1970s Washington, DC, who is banished much like Vashti; and a Brooklyn mother in 2016 who is getting ready for Purim -- and investigates how women's lives and choices have and have not changed over time.  The Book of V.  was officially published on May 5, so make sure to  purchase your copy   before this talk

Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 pm CT
Join the   Incoming Sisterhood President Webinar , an informative workshop where sisterhood presidents who are beginning their terms will learn about the tools and resources available from WRJ to help set you up for success!

Tuesday, June 16, 6:30 pm CT
Does your women's group not have a president? Then this webinar is for you:   Help! We Don’t Have A President: Alternative Leadership Models . Join to hear about some “out of the box” leadership structures that other women’s groups have found successful.

Tuesday, June 23, 6:30 pm CT
If you are interested in learning more about finances for your women's group, then this program is for you:  Let's Talk Money: Sisterhood Finance & Treasurers workshop . Whether you are the treasurer or a board member, you need to understand the financial workings of your sisterhood. We will discuss your sisterhood's financial obligations and reporting requirements to your congregation, as well as alternative dues models. You'll leave empowered to build a strong financial foundation for your sisterhood.

Friday, May 15, through Monday, June 1
WRJ is hosting an online auction starting next week. Proceeds will support both WRJ’s YES Fund and WRJ’s other operations and programming. Stay tuned for the website and more information to come this week, and let’s have some fun while giving back! 
We hope you are able to join us for these and even more WRJ Virtual FWC programming opportunities to be announced soon. Be sure to register to attend now, and we will see you there!
WRJ Schmoozes

During this time of social distancing, let's all make sure we stay connected. WRJ is hosting 90-minute online drop-in sessions through the end of May.

Sundays, 2:00-3:30 pm CT: Zoom link here
Mondays, 2:00-3:30 pm CT: Zoom link here
Thursdays, 6:00-7:30 pm CT: Zoom link here

  WRJ Midwest News
Yes She Can Event Recap
Thanks to all who participated in meeting the authors of Yes She Can - especially Molly Dillon, Taylor Lustig, and Noemie Levy for sharing their stories and experiences.

If you would like to purchase the book, please go to  www.yesshecanbook.com
Women of Passover Program Recap
The  WRJ Midwest District  Kesher Connections Committee created an amazing program on The Women of Passover , spearheaded by Denise Fogel. Thanks to those who participated in the virtual interactive discussion on the Women of Passover and how we might emulate them in our lives.
Pajama Party Schmooze Recap
Kesher Connection Late Night Schmooze. Thanks to everyone who participated and wore their jammies!
Havdalah Service Recap
Havdalah service led by Sally Frank and songleader Lizzy Scheinkopf.
LEADERS WANTED!
JOIN THE 2020-2023 WRJ MIDWEST DISTRICT BOARD!
Application Deadline Extended to May 21
If you are a member in good standing with WRJ (individual or sisterhood/women’s group member), you are eligible for a Midwest District position. Terms of office are from October 17, 2020, through March 2023. Job descriptions are available at: 
 
What You Should Do
Based on requests from many, we are extending the application due date to Thursday, May 21 .

Fill out the application link below. You will be able to submit it right on the form.
 
 
Questions? Contact  Janet Buckstein .
Social Media
WRJ Midwest is on Instagram and Facebook! Check us out!!


Sisterhood/Women's Group News
Need help publicizing your next event?

Please send a pdf flyer to your  Area Director and we will try to include it.  Materials must be received by the 15th of the month.
Beth Tikvah Sisterhood celebrates a virtual Kentucky Derby
Beth Tikvah Sisterhood celebrates a virtual Kentucky Derby with hats and mint juleps as they checked in with each other and shared stories about their hats! Our next check in will be towards Yom Yerushalayim to celebrate Jerusalem!
  Events: Save the Dates
Kesher Connection Book Discussion: Tuesday, May 19
Join us for a virtual book group, as we discuss  Mrs. Everything  by Jennifer Weiner. This program will be led by Midwest District VP of Marketing & Communications Rozan Anderson and Midwest District Board Alumna Jane Page.

Mrs. Everything ,  a coming of age novel by Jennifer Weiner, explores the lives of two sisters from their childhood in the 1950s, growing up in a Jewish family in Detroit, to the present. It delves into the conflicts and tragedies within their family. Each sister faces her own struggle for identity. We see them change as the world changes. Unexpectedly, one becomes a traditional housewife in Connecticut while the other gets dangerously into the counterculture. This highly readable book raises relevant questions for today’s world and lends itself perfectly for book club participants to discuss. 

The book discussion will be Tuesday,  May 19, 2020 , at  7:00 pm   CT . Please register for this program. We will email you the Zoom information prior to the start of the program.
Kesher Connection Book Discussion:
Tuesday, June 16 - New Date!
For our next virtual book group meeting, we will discuss  The Dutch House  by Ann Patchett, facilitated by Midwest District VP of Marketing & Communications Rozan Anderson and Midwest District Board Alumna Jane Page.
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.
The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.
Set over the course of five decades,  The Dutch House  is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives, they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.
The book discussion will be Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at 7:00 pm CT.  Note the change of date. Please register for this program. We will email you the Zoom information prior to the start of the program.  
A gift to the Midwest District is a wonderful way to recognize, remember, or honor the special people in your life: your sisterhood/women's group board, your president, your district leaders, your mother, daughter, sister, friends, and other family members. You can even honor your clergy! Make a gift to WRJ Midwest District to say “thank you,” “happy birthday,” or congratulations,” or to send get well wishes or condolences. An acknowledgement will be emailed to each person whose email address is provided.

By clicking on the  Donate Button  in the M'Kesher or on the  WRJ Midwest District website , you are able to do just that. WRJ Midwest welcomes your support!
  Good & Welfare
Mazel Tov to Lauren Levrant, women’s group president of Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion, in Oak Park, IL, and her husband, Seth, on the birth of their grandson, Arthur Flynn Levrant. Proud parents are Peter and Heather Levrant and big sister, Ariella. Notes of congratulations may be sent to Lauren and Seth at slev@aol.com or 505 Fair Oaks, Oak Park, IL 60302.
Speedy recovery to Daniel Mortge, son of Dr. Carol Teplis, District Fundraising chair, and Barry Mortge, after Daniel’s recent surgery. Well wishes may be sent to Carol, Barry, and Daniel at 1272 Sandhurst Dr, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 or sisterhoodcarol@gmail.com.

Speedy recovery to Diane Kaplan, WRJ Midwest District Corresponding Secretary, from a kidney stone. Get well wishes may be sent to Diane at 6308 Limerick Ln, Edina, MN 55439 or dlkap@aol.com.
Condolences to the family of Sandra Brottman, Midwest Federation Temple Sisterhoods District 18 past president (1982-1984). Sandra was a member of Beth Tikvah Congregation in Hoffman Estates, IL. Notes of condolence may be sent to her children: 
 
Stuart and Francine Brottman
519 Valley View Drive
St. Charles, IL 60175

Dr. David and Jan Brottman
5909 Prairie Lane
Palatine, IL 60067

Dr. Phillip and Paula Brottman
6215 SE Dunbar Drive
Portland, Oregon 97236
---
Condolences to Lauren Levrant, women’s group president of Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion, in Oak Park, IL, and her husband, Seth, on the passing of her father-in-law, Murray Levrant. Notes of condolence may be sent to Lauren and Seth at slev@aol.com or 505 Fair Oaks, Oak Park, IL 60302
As you are putting together your newsletters & e-blasts, please use these forms: 
Having a WRJ speaker available for sisterhood services, installations, or to just help facilitate or conduct workshops is really easy to do. Just fill out this form and let us know what you are looking for. Do you know someone who has an area of expertise she might be willing to share? We are looking to expand our Speaker's Bureau, and we can only do that with the help of each of you. We look forward to your requests and wonderful ideas from each and every one of you. Thanks!

Contact: Ashley Burbul, M'Kesher Editor
WRJ strengthens the voice of women worldwide and empowers them to create caring communities, nurture congregations, cultivate personal and spiritual growth, and advocate for and promote progressive Jewish values.