In
ternational Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich, and Empower Conservative Jewish Women
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November 22, 2019 Volume 3, Issue 32
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FROM THE REGION PRESIDENT--JOAN LOWENSTEIN
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Recently I was able to take part in a most meaningful life experience that I would like to share with you. Toby Maser, the INR Sisterhood Support Vice, asked me to participate in the Mikvah Ceremony to complete the conversion for her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Samantha.
Having never participated in any aspect of a conversion previously I had no idea what to expect. We met at the mikvah where the rabbi instructed Samantha to enter and wait for myself and another witness. Upon entering, Samantha would immerse completely three times and each time repeat one of three prayers that we read to her.
Baruch ata Adonai eloheinu melech haolam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al hatevilah
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Blessed are You, Adonai, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with mitzvot and commanded us concerning immersion.
Baruch ata Adonai elocheinu melech halolam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al tevilat gerim.
Blessed are You, Adonai, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with the mitzvoth and commanded us concerning immersion for conversion.
And of course...
Baruch ata Adonai eloheinu melech haolam shehecheyanu, vekiy'manu, vehigiyanu laz'man hazeh.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, who has given us life, sustained us and brought us to this time
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It is not often that one can partake in a new Jewish experience, and I must emphatically thank Toby for allowing me to have this most meaningful experience. I wish Brian and Samantha Maser a wonderful Jewish life ahead and all the mazal the world has to offer!
For the rest of us, I wish all of you a wonderful American Thanksgiving and a meaningful and peaceful Shabbat,
Joan
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FROM CONGREGATION OR SHALOM WOMEN'S LEAGUE
"SISTERHOOD SCOOP"
Deviating from our usual "in-house" programs, on Thursday, November 14, 2019 our Sisterhood had its first ever field trip!
After dinner at Papa's Pizza and Restaurant where a delicious feast of cheese pizza and salad was pre-ordered, the group of 20 met up with another group of 20 at The McManus Theatre at The Grand to see The Runner, a play dedicated to Jakoff Mueller z"l, a ZAKA member in Israel who passed away from cancer in February 2018, as he grapples with the political and moral fallout of saving a woman's life.
Thank you Leo, Tony and Melina at Papa's for a wonderful and warm evening of wit, charm and delicious food and to all who joined us.
From left to right: Alice Nagus, Susan Hall, Rose Klein, Bill Klein, Al Levy, Louise Levy, Marla Lewis, Howard Granville, Fern Granville, Debbie Rosenzweig, Michael Rosenzweig, Miriam Zucker, Felicia Goldstein, Alan Nagus
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MORE GOOD NEWS WANTED
Toot your own horn.
Tell us what is going on in your Sisterhood.
Tell us what is successful in your Sisterhood.
Email Lois Silverman, Chai Line editor, at
and she'll share your news.
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Go to our Facebook page and like us. Click here to see our page.
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FROM WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR
CONSERVATIVE
JUDAISM
Convention 2020: Presenters Announced!
Sara Tennen, Executive Director,
DC Volunteer Lawyers Project
Sara Bresnick Tennen is the Executive Director of the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, a legal services organization in Washington, DC that provides free legal representation to low income domestic violence victims and at-risk children. Sara oversees the entire programmatic, operations, and development functions of DCVLP, ensuring ongoing programmatic excellence, rigorous evaluation, and consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising, and communications. She started her legal career as a prosecutor with Maricopa County Attorney's Office in Arizona, where she prosecuted sex crimes against children. Sara later practiced family law in Arizona, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Sara has represented hundreds of domestic violence victims and has served as a court appointed guardian ad litem on behalf of numerous children in DC Superior Court. Ms. Tennen serves on numerous committees and task-forces in DC Superior Court alongside judges and other practitioners. She has extensive litigation experience questioning experts, dealing with foundational issues in trial, and interviewing children, both inside and outside the courtroom. Ms. Tennen, a trained mediator and forensic interviewer, earned a law degree and a Master's degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University and a B.A. in Psychology and Women's Studies from the University of Rochester.
Laurie Akers, Jewish Rock Radio
Laurie Akers is a Chicago-based soprano, composer and multi-instrumentalist. Following graduation from the University of Michigan's acclaimed Musical Theatre program, Laurie spent ten years performing in Broadway and regional productions. In addition, Laurie was honored with the title of Miss USO, in which she spent a year travelling globally to visit US Military troops as a US ambassador. Laurie is a celebrated Jewish Rock Radio artist and serves as the host of the Chicago Sings Jewish Rock Radio series, which brings together cantors and musicians from over 20 congregations in the Chicagoland area to create and share original Jewish music. Her song, Stand Strong, served as the anthem for the March of Our Lives rally in suburban Chicago, the RAC's (Religious Action Center) Illinois launch, and has been included in numerous social justice concerts throughout the country including the 2019 Consultation of Conscience in Washington D.C and the American Conference of Cantors 2019 Social Justice concert in Atlanta. Her compositions can be found in various Transcontinental Publications anthologies including Chazak V'Ematz: Jewish Songs of Hope and Protest, Shabbat Anthology IX and Nigun Anthology Volume III. Laurie was recently commissioned to compose music for some of the most esteemed congregations in the country including Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Laurie's diverse musical performances include participating as a concert soloist alongside Keith Urban and Bernadette Peters, and most recently at New York City's JDC Conference, an international celebration of influential Jewish women. Laurie will be a featured artist at the upcoming 2019 URJ Biennial in Chicago. In the spring of 2020, Laurie will celebrate the launch of SHUL SISTERS, a cantorial trio, with Cantor Rachel Brook of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York and Cantor Rachel Goldman of Congregation Ner Tamid in California. Laurie proudly serves as the full-time cantorial soloist at Congregation Or Shalom in suburban Chicago. In addition, she frequently serves as a guest artist at congregations throughout the country. Laurie is currently pursuing cantorial certification through the Cantors Assembly's CICA program. Laurie recently released her first EP, The Key of We, which can be downloaded ITunes, Spotify and CDBaby. Laurie and her husband, Brad, have three children, Levi, Ashton and Isaac.
Shabbat Message: "Two Communities - One People"
By Judi Dickstein Kenter
WLCJ Executive Committee
In Parashat Chayyei Sarah, Eliezer is sent with gold and jewels and other valuables to give to the woman who will be the appropriate bride for Isaac. He finds the right woman, a woman who extends hospitality and graciousness to his animals, as well as to Eliezer. Yes, the precious items that Eliezer gifted to Rebecca and her family were valuable but so, too, were the water and hospitality of inestimable value.
I will begin this story with the arrival of Rabbi Eytan Kenter, Staci, thirty-six other members of the Kehillat Beth Israel group, and a Sefer Torah in Arusha, Tanzania. Unbelievable, amazing, unique - the look on the faces of the people of the Arusha Jewish community. The joy expressed in the smiles and the tears of a people that have been without a Sefer Torah for almost 50 years.
The group from Canada, in addition to bringing the Torah, also brought kippot, mezuzot, tallitot, siddurim, chumashim, and more, as well as toys and books for the children. Yes, they were delivering valuable items but, in return, they received so much of value from the Jewish community of Arusha - a warm welcome, hospitality, and feelings that were truly precious. From the beaming smile on Yehuda's face, when he took and cradled the Torah in his arms, to the dancing and singing with the Torah under the chuppah on the way to their shul, to the first reading of a Torah in the lives of many of the Arusha congregation, to the sharing between the groups, these were truly valuable and precious moments: Valuables given and received, and other valuables given and received.
The wish that I have is that we truly appreciate our valuables. That we realize how precious our Sifrei Torah are. That we bring the sense of amazement when we hear the Torah being read. That we feel the warmth when we are connected to our local Jewish community and to the larger Jewish community.
Mishnah Berakhot with Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields
Since May 2018, Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields proudly serves as the first rabbi in the position of Executive Director of Women's League for Conservative Judaism, a role she dreamt of holding - the ability to spearhead the organization which for over 100 years has been engaging, enriching and empowering Conservative Jewish woman. Previously Rabbi Wolintz-Fields was the Vice-President for Congregational Engagement at ITC, Israel Tour Connection, and for eighteen years, served as a congregational rabbi and educational director in Toms River, NJ, Grayslake, IL and Long Grove, IL. Born in Brooklyn, she graduated from the Double Degree Program at Barnard College and List College, and majored in Religion and Talmud. She studied for nine years at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where in addition to her BA in Talmud, she earned an MA in Jewish Women's Studies and Rabbinic Ordination.
Rabbi Wolintz-Fields has served as the co-chair of the Rabbinical Assembly's Women's Committee and serves on the RA Executive Council, Resolutions Committee, and the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards. Together with her husband Jonathan, they are the proud parents of three children, and live in Ocean Township, New Jersey.
Mark your calendars for December 3, because Giving Tuesday is right around the corner!
Every year, Women's League is proud to be an official partner organization in Giving Tuesday. On December 3, 2019, Women's League, our members, and our sisterhoods will join the movement once again to raise funds for Masorti Women's Study Day, our annual sponsored Israel program with Masorti and the Schechter Institutes in Jerusalem.
Save the donation link here so you can remember to make your contribution on December 3. This is one of our biggest fundraising initiatives of the year - we hope you will join us in giving back! All 2019 donors (sisterhoods and individual members) will receive special recognition at our 2020 Convention!
Weekly Words of Torah goes PC
(Parashah and
Chesed) -
Parashat Chayyei Sarah
Parashat Chayyei Sarah, which means the life of Sarah, ironically begins with her death. Abraham buys a burial place for her, in Hebron, called, Ma'arat (the cave of) Machpelah. Abraham realizes it is time for his son Isaac to marry, so Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant finds Rebecca, who is kind and generous to him and his camels, and so picks her as a suitable wife for Isaac. Rebecca comforts Isaac as he mourns the loss of his mother. Abraham dies, and Isaac and Ishmael bury him at Ma'arat HaMachpelah.
One of the greatest acts of Chesed, kindness that anyone can perform, is the mitzvah of burial, also translated as the mitzvah of the dead, called Mitzvat Ha-met. Mitzvat Ha-Met is the greatest act of chesed, because the deceased can never reciprocate your kindness. The Jewish tradition believes that the body is the place where the holy spirit lived. Therefore, the body needs to be treated with respect, even after the spirit has left. Therefore, a body is cleaned, guarded, treated with honor, and prepared for burial with respect. This is called k'vod hamet, the honor of the dead. The mitzvah of washing and preparing a body for burial is part of mitzvat ha-met. The acts of preparing a dead body is so important, and emotionally difficult, and truly a mitzvah, the group of people who organize to do this mitzvah are called the cheva kaddisha, literally meaning the holy society. Does your community have a chevra kaddisha? Perhaps you might want to learn more about it, and if you yourself do not want to partake in the mitzvah, perhaps you can partake in another way. For example, if people will admit who is in the chevra kaddisha, perhaps they have someone at home who needs to be taken care of, a child, or spouse, or loved one, and you can volunteer to serve as their caregiver, as the other person partakes in the participation of the chevra kaddisha. Sometimes, the members of the chevra kaddisha do not want to be known, and like to stay anonymous, since it is like a secret group, who do not want to have any recognition. Therefore, another way you can participate in this chesed of mitzvah ha-met, is by attending a funeral, burial, and/or shiva minyan, to help with making a minyan. Sometimes it is not always simple to get to the required ten for minyan. Another chesed opportunity is to help prepare a house for shiva - by setting up chairs, putting out the water basin for washing hands, or bringing the food and setting it up, as everyone is at the burial.
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HELP IS AVAILABLE ON THE WLCJ WEBSITE.
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