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Greetings!
Kallah
Wrap-up
Edition
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WHAT A YEAR!!!
A year ago, I took office as president of the District. I was excited and nervous. I believed in what this District could do. I didn’t realize and what I don’t think anyone realized is that we all would be hijacked by a pandemic. Everything that we knew as a district, as humans, was flipped on its ears. Let’s face it these past 18 months have been humbling, isolating, it’s just been plain scary! But in the middle of it all, we found new and innovative ways to connect.
As I said a year ago, We are all on a journey, we did not sign up for a journey, but here we are. We have discovered our strength and power.
So here we are stumbling through life, making honey cakes online, connecting with old and new friends, learning from inspirational speakers without the need to leave our homes or even put shoes on.
I am so proud of WRJ and the District for quickly moving to provide monthly online programming. My goal was, and still is, to hold at least (1) virtual District-wide program a month. We have done that. We held book talks, virtual Havdalah’s, talks on Gut Health, Mental Health Awareness during the Pandemic, coffee schmoozes, online yoga classes, a month’s long discussion series on Racism in America and so much more! And yes, we even had and still have a few, WRJ Mid-Atlantic Masks. Thank you to all of the chairs and presenters who have led these programs in the past year.
In the coming months, we have some great programs planned: Intro to Mussar, Challah Braiding, Our book club group: Sisters, Wine, and Words, Membership Mania, a Jewish Heroes tour of Arlington Cemetery, and more schmoozes. The next program that we are honored to bring you is a District-Wide Torah Study to honor those lost at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh 3 years ago. Led by our resident Torah experts HarrietAnn Litwin and Louise Johanson.
If you have a program that you would like to share or if your Sisterhood is sponsoring a program that you would like to offer to the District, please contact me.
If you are the current Sisterhood President or part of a leadership council or co-president, would you post in the Chat….Fun fact: For those of you that are current Presidents, Co-Presidents, or part of the leadership council, you are part of the District Board, which means I want to see you all virtually on November 14th at 10 am for the Semi-Annual Board Meeting. No shoes, NO Problem!
Thank you to the wonderful Kallah planning committee lead by Co-Chairs: Ellen Wagner and Andrea Stillman. The weekend was inspirational and thought-provoking.
Marilyn Morrison
President
WRJ Mid-Atlantic District
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Thank you to the Fabulous Kallah planning committee for an Amazing Weekend of thought-provoking and creative programming.
Co-Chairs – Andrea Stillman and Ellen Wagner
Kallah Planning Committee
Louise Johanson - Worship/ Spirituality
Jaime Racer - Social Media Coordinator/ Tech Assistant
Bernice Porrazzo - Programming
Josie Hertz Ackerman - Philanthropy
Ellen Miller - YES Fund Event
Marcia Bornfriend - Tech Coordinator
Carol Newman - Communications Coordinator
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A big thank you to all the women throughout the District, who joined us virtually for “Creating New Possibilities" together we:
- Learned about sex trafficking in the United States, how our industries benefit from this activity, and actions we can take with Talia Carner, author;
- Laughed our way through a workshop that taught us how to be more effective and efficient leaders with Lorretta LaRoche, stress management expert, and motivational speaker;
- Shared WRJ’s strategic plan and how to use those principles to advance sisterhoods with WRJ executive committee member, Shelley Nicely Groff;
- Enjoyed a special women-led Shabbat service with soloist Jen Simonds, Temple Solel, Bowie, MD;
- Began Shabbat with Torah Study, Rabbi Bernstein, Temple Rodef Shalom, Falls Church, VA and Rabbi Lizz Goldstein, Congregation Ner Shalom, Dale City, VA and Shabbat Yoga, Lynne Dreyer Jacobs
- Received valuable information and resources to help sisterhoods take action on important women-related social justice issues such as Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021, Women’s Health Protect Act, and encouraging Congress to help Afghan women and girls, MAD District Social Action Chair, Fran Thalheimer;
and,
- Raised money for WRJ’s YES Fund as we enjoyed music and storytelling from famed pianist and American song expert, Richard Glazier.
While the feedback we have gotten orally has been overwhelmingly positive, we encourage all that attended to take the short survey we sent you so our next big event, the Mid-Atlantic District Convention to be held in the Spring of 2023, can reflect your input and be even better!
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Nefesh Mountain Concert
Rams Head on Stage, Annapolis, MD October 31 at 1 PM.
Reserved seats held until 10/21
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We have our own button called "WRJ offer."
The code to select your seat from our reserved area is REFORM
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District-Wide Tree of Life Shooting Torah Study
Wednesday, October 27th, 7:30 pm
Celebrating our Judaism is an extremely meaningful way we can honor the lives of the 11 killed in the 2018 Tree of Life Shooting in Pittsburgh. Gathering, learning Torah, and having fruitful discussions strengthens us as a community. Please join us as we gather as a District to honor the lives lost.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Mid-Atlantic District Board Meeting
Sunday, November 14th, 10 AM - 12 PM
If you are the President of your sisterhood or Co-President, did you know that you have a voice on the District level? YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT BOARD. Please join us for our
Virtual District Semi-Annual Board Meeting. Sunday, November 14th from 10-12 noon.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Sisterhoods Gone Wild: It’s Membership Mania!
Stacy Nagel, WRJ-PD VP of Membership
Wednesday, November 17 at 7:30 PM
Come join our Special Guest - Pacific District’s VP of Membership as we take a summer fling into the world of Membership! It’s Membership Mania and we’re here to answer any and all of your questions and to learn from each other.
- What’s going to happen with our membership when we return to in-person activities?
- How can we recruit and retain members in a new “hybrid” online and in-person world?
- How can we recruit those ever-elusive younger members? Should we just “give up”?
- How can we encourage our members to be more active in our Sisterhood?
- How can we support our synagogues as we move back to in-person activities to increase our membership?
- Our synagogue is losing congregants or changing --- will our Sisterhood survive? Can we still be a Sisterhood without a synagogue? Can we be a part of WRJ without a Sisterhood?
Wear your comfy clothes, bring your questions and ideas, and let’s twist!
Please join us! This evening especially is designed for Sisterhood Vice Presidents of Membership, Membership Chairs, and Presidents, but all who are interested are welcome!
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Good and Welfare
Our condolences go out to District Corresponding Secretary
Jeanette Astrow on the loss of her sister Sharon Clark.
May her memory be a blessing.
Please send all Good and Welfare information to
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Is your women's group hosting events that you would like to share?
Have a great speaker or virtual tour?
Mid-Atlantic District would love to help you celebrate these events.
Send information regarding any future programs to WRJ Mid-Atlantic Engagement Chair: Jaime Racer, at [email protected], so she can add it to the District Calendar!
Deadline Information
1st of the month is for events that will happen in the future. They will be publicized in the "Mark Your Calendars" edition.
10th of the month is for events that have already happened.
A BRIEF write-up and pictures will be included in the Sisterhood News and Information section in The Candle that is published on the 15th of the month. Please send pictures and a brief write-up to [email protected]
Items that are not sent in time for the first edition
will not be included in the second edition.
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Does your sisterhood need Yammer training? Ask your president to get the PowerPoint presentation that gives you
all you need to know. The slide deck has been made available to every Area Director.
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Keeping You Informed
Join our district Yammer group. If you are already on Yammer, you can look for it using the search bar or you can search for it in groups. Once you click on the group, you can read the messages and then click the button on the upper right side that says "join group". If you are not yet on Yammer, you can send an email to [email protected]
to request an invitation.
In addition to information pertaining to our district, you can join groups that include information on Judaica shops, membership, Israel, and many other interests.
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WRJ Mid-Atlantic District
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