In
ternational Northeast Region
Women's League
for Conservative Judaism
Networking to Engage, Enrich, and Empower Conservative Jewish Women
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January 10, 2020 Volume 4, Issue 1
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A SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
My family and I wish to thank you all for your donations and cards in memory of my husband Michael. During this hard time, it is comforting that so many people are sending us their messages of love and concern.
Todah Rabah!
Lois Silverman
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FROM THE REGION PRESIDENT--JOAN LOWENSTEIN
This week we have an update from Sisterhood Support Vice President Toby Maser. Toby has held positions from Branch President, to Branch Treasurer, Women's League Trainer, International Vice President, Per Capita Chair, and Region Allocation Chair. Currently Toby is the Distance Workshops Co-Chair, a Women's League Consultant, and she sits on the Women's League Convention Committee. To say that we are lucky to have her as our Sisterhood Support Vice President is an understatement! I hope that you enjoy her article and I hope that you take advantage of her experience and her services.
Wishing you a very Happy New Year and a meaningful and peaceful Shabbat,
Joan
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FROM THE SISTERHOOD SUPPORT VICE PRESIDENT--TOBY MASER
Every so often we receive another e-mail from our Sisterhood, from the International Northeast Region or from Women's League for Conservative Judaism. To you it may seem that you are part of three separate organizations. But in reality we are simply part of a Chapter, a Region and an International Organization.
Are you asked to serve on a team or committee and have no idea what the responsibilities are? Other than raising funds for this or that, do you know the mission statement of your Sisterhood or Women's League? Have you been asked to step up to a Leadership position and have no experience at the top?
Women's League for Conservative Judaism has 100 years of experience helping you to navigate these and other questions. As Sisterhood Support Vice President, for the Region I am here to support YOU! You are your Sisterhood. You are part of an international organization that supports you as a woman, a mother, a grandmother, a professional, a retiree and a volunteer. In my 40 years as a 'sister', I have made friends, learned things about my world and myself that I never would have done otherwise and found talents within myself that I didn't know I had. I have helped others and feel great about it and they have supported me in good times and not so good times.
Our Region President, Joan Lowenstein and I would like to visit you and your sisterhood. Perhaps we could come to an event or a program. Or we can just sit over a cup of coffee. If things are great, we would love to hear about it! If you need assistance, then we would like to help you make your sisterhood the right fit for your members and community. Please reach out to either of us and let us know when we can visit. You can reach me at
[email protected] or Joan at
[email protected].
Now, if I can change my hat for a moment, I am also a Women's League consultant. In that capacity, I can customize a more formal program to help your Sisterhood with any topic of your choice - membership, leadership, programming, and more. There are consultants all around the USA and Canada. If your sisterhood president requests a consultant, one will be assigned based on your needs. There is no cost to your sisterhood for these services. It is included as part of your per capita.
Finally, I look forward to having you join us in Schaumburg, Illionois (near Chicago) next July for our International Convention! It is a joyous 4 days (plus Shabbat if you wish) of praying. learning, enriching and empowering hundreds of Jewish women together. It's an experience that won't be soon forgotten.
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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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Do you know that INR has its own website and Facebook page?
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
Shabbat Message:
"Got to Love the New HR Lingo..."
By Margie Miller, WLCJ President
I guess it doesn't take a lot to amuse me. One of my favorite things to do, of late, is to read the postings on Jewish Jobs.com. There's a whole new HR world out there. The diversity of jobs is quite interesting, as is the new lingo in job titles.
Yes, a teacher is still a teacher and a CEO is still a CEO.
However, "Membership" is now "Engagement," "Fundraising" is now "Development and/or Major Gifts," and "HR" is now "Relationship Management" (unless that's membership, too?).
My favorite two postings this month
are "Chief Impact Officer." One of you will have to tell me what that is. The other was obviously for a high-level position. The job posting stated "Confidential" and the location was "Confidential." I don't even know who would submit their resume for that.
There is much to learn reading through all the positions. A few months ago, a San Francisco-based foundation was looking for a Project Manager. Whenever I see a foundation, I immediately Google it. Their mission was to give small grants to faith-based Jewish organizations that are creating inter-generational programming. I copied and pasted the grant requirements and forwarded them to all of our Sisterhood Presidents in the Bay Area. For sure, they probably didn't know this particular foundation even existed.
The Jewish community has a plethora of job opportunities throughout North America and Israel. Every Day School and Hebrew school, college campus, non-profit organization, social agency, and social cause posts nearly every week. Seeing the diversity reassures me that workin
g in the Jewish community encompasses many skills and a dedication to serve our people.
There is good work to be done. My hope this Shabbat is for you to take a moment and look around. Take note of all the support staff who work in our synagogues. Think about the staff and clergy at your local Hillel programs. How many employees does it take to run programs and institutions such as our seminaries, ADL, Ramah camps, Jewish Community Centers, and our beloved Women's League? Whatever their titles, whatever their tasks, we need them all to ensure a bright, healthy, and productive future.
Shabbat Shalom,
Margie Miller
Personal Conversation January 16!
The next Women's League Personal Conversation "Neshama: A Conversation About Bringing Breath (the Physical) and Soul (the S
piritual) Together" with Rabbi Jaymee Alpert
will be Thursday, January 16, at 8 p.m., Eastern time. Call-in information will be sent upon registering.
"So often we find ourselves living either in our bodies (at the gym, on a walk around the block) or in our souls (at synagogue, during a moment of prayer). The ancient rabbis understood that in order to be fully functional as human beings, we need to inhabit both parts of our
neshama
. Over the last few years, I have been exploring ways to bring breath and spirit/soul together by creating opportunities to exercise while we pray. Please join me for a conversation about reconnecting the physical and spiritual sides of ourselves." - Rabbi Jaymee Alpert
Rabbi Jaymee Alpert joined Congregation Beth David in Saratoga, CA, as Senior Rabbi in the summer of 2018. She is passionate about Jewish life and strives to create a warm, inviting atmosphere, where people from all backgrounds are welcome, and all questions are valid. She cares deeply about interfaith, interdenominational, and community relations and is an active member of the Saratoga Ministerial Association, also serving on the board of the Addison-Penzak JCC.
Rabbi Alpert is interested in the connection between spirituality and physical activity. She has created a Shabbat morning hiking service and is the co-creator of Neshama Body and Soul, a practice that combines exercise with prayer, in order to help participants connect their physical and spiritual lives. Prior to moving to Northern California, Rabbi Alpert had spent a lifetime in the Northeast, most recently serving Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel in Port Chester, NY. While in Port Chester, she was the chaplain for the local Police and Fire Departments, a member o
f the Port Chester Board of Ethics, and past President of the Westchester Board of Rabbis. She is also a Rabbis Without Borders fellow.
Rabbi Alpert is a graduate of Brandeis University, holds master's degrees in Jewish Education and Jewish Women's Studies, and was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2003. She lives in San Jose with her husband Danny Kischel and their dog Monte. Having grown up in the Boston area, they are loyal Patriots fans.
Questions? Conta
ct Barb Levin at [email protected].
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FROM THE REGION TORAH FUND VICE PRESIDENT--MARILYN COHEN
As you all know, The Schechter Institutes of Jewish Study is one of FIVE educational institutions of higher learning, that Torah Fund supports. I am excited to share with you the latest achievements at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary.
In a festive ceremony filled with music, Torah and song, the
Schechter Rabbinical Seminary
ordained its rabbis, marking 30 years of ordaining Conservative/Masorti rabbis in Israel. The moving ceremony was held December 12, 2019 at Kehillat Moreshet Avraham in Jerusalem. Following three years of training, these three new rabbis, David Arias, Yos Baruch Fromer and Matan Stein, join the leadership of the Masorti Movement, bringing the number of rabbis ordained by the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary to 101!
Creating New Spaces
A Torah Fund Campaign Special Project
NOTE: All Special Projects are fundraising initiatives
over & above the annual Torah Fund campaign.
Both Individuals or sisterhoods may donate
any amount to this project.
Help support the JTS Crossroads Campaign by building a
study space at the new Undergraduate Residence Hall, to be named:
Women's League Study Space.
JTS opens its new campus in the spring of 2020, and
Women's League will be part of this great project, as we have been aproud presence at JTS since 1918!
Help support a special course of training at the Ziegler School of
Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, concerning issues of gender bias and harassment, to be named:
Women's League Institute on Gender Bias & Harassment.
Ziegler is developing a ground-breaking educational program for
its students, to increase their awareness for gender bias and harassment issues.
Women's League is proud to support this program!
On July 1, "Creating New Spaces" or "Spaces," the new
Special Project of the Torah Fund Campaign was launched. Our
"Creating New Spaces" campaign supports the physical and professional needs of our students in exciting new ways!
For more details regarding Creating New Spaces,
please
click here.
WHY GIVE TO OUR "CREATING NEW SPACES"
SPECIAL CAMPAIGN?
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, tens of thousands of Jewish children discover the joy of being Jewish at day schools, summer camps, congregational schools, JCCs, and other educational settings.
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, over a hundred thousand Jewish students find vibrant Hillels on their college campuses.
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, tens of thousands of people in hospitals and hospices find comfort and healing from skillful chaplains who combine the best techniques in pastoral care with the Jewish tradition of
bikkur holim.
BECAUSE OF JTS AND ZIEGLER, over a thousand Jewish organizations across both the US & Canada - synagogues, federations, JCCs, schools, camps, and more - engage North American Jews in support of the land and people of Israel.
Invest in the Jewish communities of tomorrow by giving to the "SPACES" Special Project Campaign today. Thank you.
Marilyn Cohen
INR Torah Fund VP
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FROM USCJ AND MERCAZ
Dear Chevre:
In just under two weeks our movement will participate in a critically important election. And no - this is not the craziness of presidential politics in Iowa and New Hampshire that I am referring to.
American Jews will have the opportunity to participate in the World Zionist Congress election between January 21 and March 11, 2020. It is critically important that we get as many delegates as possible by casting our ballots for the
MERCAZ Slate (Slate #6)- the official voice of Conservative/Masorti Judaism.
Your vote for the MERCAZ Slate will also ensure that
we will get our fair share of the $1 billion dollars in funding for programs, both in Israel and around the world, as well as help determine key decision makers.
This election could not come at a more important time. There will be another round of elections in Israel in the beginning of March and a strong showing for the Conservative/Masorti movement is our best and most direct way to send a message to leaders in Israel that pluralism, democracy and equality are critical to creating a strong and vibrant Israel.
So my message is simple -
we need your support NOW. If you have not yet committed to run a Mercaz campaign in your synagogue, please do it today! Our kehillot are the core of our movement and we are asking for you to make this a priority. I have also made a video that can be can watched and shared with your leadership.
To start your campaign, simply complete the
Campaign Commitment Card and let us know you are on board. Then, go to
MERCAZ2020.org to download information and related promotional materials. A MERCAZ representative will be in touch to help you with anything else you may need.
Warm Regards,
Ned Gladstein
International President
USCJ
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NEED HELP?
HELP IS AVAILABLE ON THE WLCJ WEBSITE.
Programs, membership ideas, education material, and more available at wlcj.org
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