If you view Chai Lines on your cellphone,
consider a landscape orientation for an easier viewing.
|
|
If you are viewing this Newsletter on your smartphone,
it will be easier to read in landscape.
|
|
With sadness we advise you of the passing of Rabbi Shlomo Balter z"l, husband of Bernice Balter former Executive Director of Women's League for over 25 years. May his memory be a blessing. |
|
From the Region President |
|
Where does the time go? I clearly remember hearing my mother ask this same question when I was young and I remember thinking how silly it was. What was she talking about? Time does not pass so quickly. But of course now I know all too well to what she was referring. I find it hard to believe that it is October and the High Holidays are now past with Sukkot almost over. And yet, we have so much to look forward to!
In the next couple of weeks, we have two region programs. The first is a program being put on by Beth David Women of Toronto. It is a program about Decorating during Covid. And of course we have our INR region program with Nina Segalowitz on October 20th. Nina’s is a very interesting story and she is a dynamic speaker. I hope that you will join us! More information can be found on both programs in the flyers below.
Speaking of time passing quickly, it may seem far off now but our region conference is fast approaching. Since we cannot be certain of vaccine status or the border status, the decision has been made that we will hold a virtual conference on Zoom on April 25, 2021. Our conference Co-Chairs are seeking one representative from each Sisterhood/Women’s Group in the region to serve on the conference committee. Please be in touch with Rusty Zackheim irisz@aol.com or Linda Steinhorn oralin330@aol.com by October 23, 2020 with the name of your chapter’s representative.
And have you seen all that is going on at Women’s League? First, we continue to have the daily Psalm Study & Kaddish for anyone who might have a Yahrzeit or is saying Kaddish. However, this has turned into a daily gathering of friends from across North America and beyond. Some women get on up to 20 or 30 minutes early just to schmooze, catch up on simchas or share a loss, and there have even been virtual Shivas. If you have not already, you should check it out.
Additionally, coming up we have WLReads Author Interview with Miryam Sivan, author of the novel, Make It Concrete on Sunday October 18, 2020 at 1pm. Also be sure to check out your WL Week email for more programs sponsored by American Jewish University, The Jewish Theological Seminary, The Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center, USCJ and more. There is one in particular Co-sponsored by NCJW and Hadassah on October 16 that is an hour-long celebration of voting that looks quite interesting. There is so much going on we do not have time to be bored, that is for certain! Where does the time go? That is a good question Mom.
I wish, above all else, good health for you and your loved ones, Chag Sameach, and of course, a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat
Joan
|
|
The International Northeast Region
of Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
Presents
An Evening with Nina Segalowitz
Tuesday October 20, 2020 at 7:00 pm
According to Wikipedia, “The Sixties Scoop refers to a practice that occurred in Canada of taking, or "scooping up," Indigenous children from their families and communities for placement in foster homes or adoption. Despite the reference to one decade, the Sixties Scoop began in the late 1950s and persisted into the 1980s. It is estimated that a total of 20,000 aboriginal children were taken from their families and fostered or adopted out to primarily white middle-class families as part of the Sixties Scoop. [to learn about the Sixties Scoop, click here.
Nina Segalowitz, born Anne-Marie Thrasher in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada was one of those children. She was raised by a white Jewish father and a Filipino mother in Montreal. In 2010 Nina told the Guardian: “My adoptive father comes from a Polish Jewish family and that's why I have a surname like Segalowitz. My adoptive mother is from the Philippines. I grew up learning Hebrew at the synagogue and Tagalog at the Catholic church my Filipino relatives went to. Visiting the Jewish quarter of Montreal, Outremont, where I grew up, brings back so many memories of cycling in the park, coming back from cello lessons and stopping by at the corner Jewish bakery with my adoptive father to buy hallah bread. I love hallah bread. I even learnt how to make it.” [to read full article, click here]
Nina graduated from Concordia University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Human Sciences, a DEP in Accounting and a DEP in Social Work. She sits on the Boards of Directors for the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal and The Legacy of Hope Foundation. She is a proud mother of three.
Nina has dedicated her career to working with victims of violence, and is currently a cultural consultant for the Canadian Armed Forces, the Montreal Police Force, and Universities and schools.
Nina is a multi-talented artist. She is an accomplished throat singer, drummer and cellist. Nina has performed all over the world including a performance with musician Bobby McFerrin.
Zoom information will be provided when you RSVP
To RSVP contact Adele Weinstein at adelew@rogers.com
Please RSVP by Thursday October 15, 2020
|
|
SOMEDAY
By Carol S. Simon, Chair, Bold Steps and WLCJ Past International President
Someday I would love to learn a new craft, study, organize, travel, fill in the blank. How many of us say that?
I know that I did, but with working full time for many years and donating many, many hours to my sisterhood, then Branch/Region and then to Women’s League my “Someday list” was just that, aspirations for a time in the future.
That future has arrived! Now retired, and now not even an immediate past president of Women’s League, but just a P.I.P. (Past International President) it was time to think about my “someday." My desire and passion to learn more about Judaism was on my “someday," so last year, as we began B’raisheet, I started to read Rabbi Artson’s book, “The Bedside Torah: Wisdom, Visions and Dreams” each Shabbat afternoon. Each Shabbat I felt my mind, my soul and my heart connecting to Rabbi Artson’s interpretations, but the passion to learn was still burning.
In early January 2020, I received several emails about Daf Yomi, from a variety of sources. It piqued my interest. I had read Illana Kushan’s book, “If All the Seas Were Ink” and marveled at her determination, her passion for starting on a seven and a half year journey of learning. I was having a conversation with Barbara Ezring, then the WLCJ Education Chair, when we found ourselves talking about Daf Yomi. I was intrigued, interested and before I knew it, Barbara inspired me and we decided to be Chavruta study partners. It is now ten months later and we are still Chavruta partners. I have to admit that when we started I only purchased the first book, as I was not sure that I would be able to read a page of Talmud a day. And, truth be told, I am still purchasing one book at a time! There have been times that I have fallen behind, but have always caught up. I look forward to sharing with Barbara what I have found interesting that week, or what she has questioned. I have also taken to not only writing the date for each page, but also notations of life cycle events, holidays and our life during this pandemic that we all find ourselves in.
WLCJ offers so many opportunities for you to connect your soul, your heart and to help your well-being and health.
Someday. Sometimes we need to say our “someday” out loud to give it validity. What is your someday? As we complete the Torah this week and begin anew, plan one thing that is your someday. I hopefully will hear from some of you, as you proudly announce your someday goal out loud for 5781.
Shabbat Shalom,
Carol
Carol S. Simon
Chair, BOLD STEPS and WLCJ Past International President
|
|
Announcing the first WL Reads Author Interview for 2020-2021 |
|
WLReads Co-Chairs Merle Carrus and Susan Farber will be interviewing Miryam Sivan, author of the novel, Make It Concrete, on Sunday, October 18, 2020, at 1pm ET. A zoom link will be shared in October 2020.
Isabel Toledo is a Jewish ghostwriter for Holocaust survivors, who becomes haunted by her mother’s silence regarding her own family’s experiences during World War II.
Isabel left New York to follow love to the Galilee, but years later she still feels like an outsider. Her mother, Suri, calls her profession a “morbid preoccupation.” Her mother refuses to discuss her personal Holocaust experience, which Isabel finds profoundly exasperating. Isabel has an “official boyfriend,” Emanuel, though their relationship has grown stagnant, and two younger paramours on the side, as she tries to keep the ghosts at bay. She is desperate for concrete answers.
Miryam Sivan is a former New Yorker who has lived in Israel for more than twenty years. She teaches literature and writing at the University of Haifa and has published scholarly articles and a book length study of Cynthia Ozick's fiction, Belonging Too Well (SUNY, 2009). Much of her fiction is about the experiences of ex-pats in love, in flux, in the liminal space between cultures, languages, and historical epochs. Her short fiction has appeared in various journals in the US and UK. A collection, SNAFU and Other Stories, was published in 2014 (Cuidono Press).
|
|
Calendar Diary
Still Available
|
To purchase your WLCJ Calendar Diary 2020-2021, please CLICK HERE.
|
|
We are continuing to collect fleece blankets and t-shirt shopping bags for The ARK as our Social Action Project for Convention 2020. If you have any questions or have already completed fleece blankets and/or t-shirt shopping bags, please contact Edna Schrank eschrank@wlcj.org or 847-651-2231. Please ask Edna on where to send them. If you need the directions, please click on the appropriate link:
UPDATE: On September 2, 2020, I was honored to deliver the first group of fleece blankets (19), t-shirt shopping bags (32), and reusable bags (58) to The ARK as we continue our Social Action Project from Convention 2020...
|
|
Programming Idea of the Week |
|
It is October which means it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! As many of you may know, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism is a partner organization of Sharsheret, the Jewish Breast & Ovarian Cancer Community. With offices across the United States and a fantastic website (www.sharsheret.org) for all WL sisters to access, consider engaging a virtual speaker from their vast network of experts.
Maybe your Sisterhood has done this before, perhaps even many times. Not to worry because Sharsheret is offering a new and highly relevant topic and here is the perfect wording for you to use in your advertising:
"Join (your Sisterhood’s name here) and Sharsheret for a timely and important conversation on Creating A Caring Community to Support Those in Need. It is often assumed that providing support is instinctive, that we know how to best help. That is not always the case. And everyone knows someone who would benefit from support. This webinar will explore the best ways to support a friend, loved one, or community member facing COVID 19, breast cancer, or any disease. Concrete, practical tips will be offered. In addition, we will explore how communities as a whole, can meet some of the needs of their members facing illness."
If you’d like to create an even longer program, organize a PINK Challah Bake after the speaker’s presentation. Sharsheret will share a PDF on wonderful Challah Insights. Some of us may even be lucky enough to live near bakeries that are willing to dye the dough for us!
I wish you a meaningful and fun program!
Grace Schessler
International VP WLCJ
|
|
Shemini Atzeret / Shabbat, October 10, 2020 - Memory
Yizkor, the Memorial Service, is recited on Shemini Atzeret. What do you do to make your memories count with your loved ones? What do you want to be remembered for? Have you ever been curious to hear what they would say about you at your funeral? Perhaps write a letter to your loved ones, telling them what you want to be remembered for. Share with family and friends memories of those who you are reciting Yizkor for this Shemini Atzeret.
|
|
 |
Want to sing, teach, help with technology and more during Daily Study and Kaddish? Click here to
Yizkor, Friday, Oct. 9th, noon ET
|
|
|
|
Monday - Friday 12 PM Noon ET; 11 AM CT; 9 AM PT; 10 AM MT
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
Password: 875936
Dial by your location:
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York);
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose);
+1 647 558 0588 Canada;
+972 55 330 1762 Israel;
+972 3 978 6688 Israel
or find your local number:
|
|
|
|
In the current political environment, marked by extreme polarization and inflammatory rhetoric, JCPA is sharing our 2016 Statement on Civility Around Elections, as well as excerpts from our 2018 Resolution on White Supremacy. JCPA calls on all candidates to clearly and publicly reject and condemn white supremacy, and to ensure the safety and security of everyone in the United States, in both speech and in deed.
JCPA Civility Statement Around Elections (2016)
We, as Americans, enjoy a rich tradition of political discourse, ideological diversity, and debate. This diversity can be a durable source of strength. A vigorous exchange of ideas featuring different perspectives allows us to experiment with varied approaches and arrive at effective public policy solutions that help improve the lives of us all. Held in a spirit of respect, this exchange can allow us to find common ground when warranted and foster a more united America.
However, at times, particularly during elections, political discourse can become needlessly acrimonious and undermine the spirit of engagement and citizenship among Americans. Such discord can pull us apart and make it more, not less, difficult to find common ground or even maintain neighborly relations. Moreover, shrill political discussion can cross the line, and spread intolerance and bigotry. Especially during elections, when divisions are most pronounced, we must be vigilant in preventing political discourse from drawing on deep-seated resentment and intolerance.
We call upon all candidates running for elected office, as well as all Americans, to engage during this election season in a thoughtful, respectful, and civil discussion over the future direction of this country. We strive to make our politics represent the best of our American values -- free thought, mutual respect, and civic engagement.
JCPA Resolution on White Supremacy (2018)
Along with communities of color, many Jewish communities are main targets of white nationalist rhetoric and activity...The Jewish Council for Public Affairs:
- Rejects white supremacy and all other forms of bigotry, in consonance with the traditional Jewish belief that people of all ethnicities and creeds are created be-tzelem Elohim, in the Image of God;
- Affirms the importance of exposing and rejecting the hateful message of white supremacists, including the alt-right, whenever they appear in our communities;
- Affirms its obligation to protect and support all targets of white supremacist harassment and attacks; and
- Recognizes that all persons must be afforded the rights guaranteed to all residents of the United States under the law, while also affirming our obligation to oppose white supremacists’ hateful messages and deny them platforms to the extent consistent with the law."
|
|
Stay Connected with WLCJ Groups |
|
|
WLCJ American Mothers of Olim GoogleGroup
WLCJ Has googlegroups that benefit many of our communities. There is a group for sisterhood presidents, for judaica shop chairs, and Women's League Reads.
A lesser known group is for American Mothers of Olim (Children who have made aliyah to Israel). With more people staying in place and travel being put on hold, there has been renewed interest in this group. Women's League members are invited to participate.
Interested? Contact Ellie Kremer,
Israel Committee Chair
|
|
|
|
Join the WLCJNet
WLCJNet is the Sisterhood without Walls. This is a site where each member of Women’s League can share ideas, exchange opinions, and get suggestions. We share stimulating ideas for programs, fundraising ideas, and ways to grow our membership. We may need some suggestions for holiday recipes or places where we or family members can stay while traveling. We share information we learn in our Jewish community. We grow together and learn from each other. The WLCJNet is open every day except Shabbat and Jewish holidays. We welcome new members.
To join the WLCJNet, please send an email to Sherry Lynn Rubin at slrubin@wlcj.org.
Please send your name, name of sisterhood, location of sisterhood, and email address, and you will be added to the WLCJNet.
|
|
|
|
The Whizin Center for Continuing Education is pleased to present our fall lineup of classes and learning opportunities, delivered in an ONLINE format. We wish continued good health and safety to the entire community. We will be updating our offerings and classes on an ongoing basis.
For more information on the Whizin Center for Continuing Education, please click here to REGISTER or READ MORE.
|
|
B’Yachad Together: Spirited by American Jewish University.
|
|
|
|
Zeman Simhatenu: A Time to Rejoice; Rediscovering the Ethical Will; The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes; and More
|
|
Become a Member/Renew
Your Membership to Mercaz
|
|
The new membership year begins July 1, 2020. There are two ways you can become a supporter of Mercaz:
IN THE US
IN CANADA
|
|
Social Justice Blurb of the Week |
CIVIC: Of or pertaining to citizenship.
CIVIL: Adhering to the norms of polite social intercourse.
CIVILNESS: Avoidance of rudeness toward others.
DISCOURSE: Communication of thought by words.
_
When all of these concepts are taken together, one understands the importance of using words in a positive manner. We must consider not only our words, but what they mean to others, how they sound and their use in our everyday life. Negative words lead to negative actions; as responsible Jewish and non-Jewish women we cannot and must not allow the use of words to reflect negatively on us.
Ardis Wexler
Social Justice Co-Chair
decision. One site is trackmyballot.com. You will find links to the necessary information including important deadlines. Familiarize yourself with the ballot
questions. Know who is running down the ballot. Vote for whom you really want to represent you and avoid just voting down the ballot-unless of course those are the people you are sure you want representing you. It’s your right to vote but it’s also your responsibility to understand the reason for your choice.
Fun Fact: Election day is held in November to give the farmers a chance to get the harvest in and before the snow starts!
This year there should be no excuse to not vote. It’s your right. It’s your duty!
|
|
Karen Cuker
Public Policy & Resolutions Co-Chair
|
|
Marlene Oslick
Public Policy & Resolutions Co-Chair
|
|
|
Friday, October 16, 2020 at 3:30 PM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT
Online Event
Come together with Jewish women and allies across America for a special hour-long celebration of voting. Join us to welcome Shabbat and get excited about voting in the final weeks before the 2020 election. Our vote is our voice and it is incumbent on all of us to do everything in our power to ensure every voice is heard in our democracy.
|
|
Make sure to register here:
Co-sponsored:
Alpha Epsilon Phi
Sigma Delta Tau
Lillith Magazine
Jewish Women’s Archive
Women of Reform Judaism
Women’s League of Conservative Judaism
Jewish Women’s Funding Network
Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
BBYO-BBG
Hadassah-Brandeis Institute
The Women’s Rabbinic Network
Speakers and program coming soon!
|
|
|
|
As a charity partner, Sharsheret was disappointed by the cancellation of the 2020 TCS New York City Marathon. Right now a healthy lifestyle and mind are top priority.
We encourage everyone to join Team Sharsheret for the Virtual TCS New York City Marathon or for the distance challenge of your choice from now until November 1st to raise awareness for breast or ovarian cancer and funds for Sharsheret's critical life-saving programming, while meeting your personal health goals.
Register today to get started or donate to one or more of our Team Sharsheret members.
|
|
|
|
Kol Tzedek: A Virtual Conference on Racial Justice
November 8-10, 2020
Join USCJ for an engaging conference on racial justice and community organizing for synagogue professionals and lay-leaders.
Interact with experts, hear success stories from synagogues doing important justice work, and gain tools to initiate and build on social justice work in your community.
Register today. Cost is $18 per person. Zoom links will be provided upon registration.
|
|
|
|
Follow WLCJ on her Social Media Sites. If you aren't already following Women's League for Conservative Judaism on all her social media sites, now is the time to do so. It's a great way to keep in touch with the latest news and events. Click on the icon to go to the social media site.
Stay tuned over the next months for quick tips on how to help maximize WLCJ's impact on all her social media sites.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
