Dear Central Great Lakes,

Now is the time of betwixt and between. We find ourselves in the greatest time-stop of our Jewish year, The Days of Awe, the ten days that began on Rosh Hashanah and will soon end on Yom Kippur with the heralding of our New Year, 5783.

Within these days of betwixt and between, we’re asked to stop responding to the urgent pull of our lives and just quietly listen. We have a long-distance call. As Jonathan Sacks, z”l, poignantly notes, G-d is quietly connecting and asking us some questions: “How have we used the gift of life that we were given last year? Did we spend our time on things that made a difference? Have we added to the store of human happiness? Is the world a little bit better because we are here?”

These are not SAT-like questions where we’re asked to answer with “Yes” or “No,” by completely filling in a box with our number 2 pencil! We’re asked to dig deep, to get out of our own light, and look within. We’re asked to review how we used the gift of the past year’s 365 days.

So, in this betwixt and between, we look back at the past year’s reservoir of experience, those triumphant moments of “well-done” and those “could-have,” “should-have” moments. Admittedly, this accounting is a tall order. Still, it’s a process that enables us to contour and shape the New Year of 5783 and helps us tread a new path in an incredibly complex and yet miraculous world.

Today, as I quietly looked back on our Central Great Lake Region’s (CGLR’s) past year, I found that our days were filled with purpose. And with deep admiration, I noted that this focus was directed and implemented by you, the extraordinary women of CGLR! 

Bonded by a shared mission of service to our Jewish Community, united by a dynamic, “can-do” spirit you:

-     Provided opportunities for our members to learn, to grow, and to make a difference;

-    Created a myriad of programs to help support the education of the future leaders of Conservative Judaism through WL’s Torah Fund campaign;

-     Supported and engaged in programs through which we reached out to pray with, learn about, converse with, and support our sisters in Israel, The Women of The Wall;

-      Reignited a spirited interest in social action and social justice: providing food for those in need through the Stock the Shelves program; learning about, praying for, and providing financial support to our worldwide community, with a special dedication to Ukraine;

-      Discovered the “how-to” of participation in WL’s Resolution Program, seeking to understand social justice issues like Abortion, Gun Control, and Human Trafficking.

-      Studied and prayed together in Makom B’Yachad; and

-      Offered kindness, caring, support and friendship when the challenges of the world fractured our peace of mind.

Most of all, you accomplished all of this and more with a relentless dedication and commitment.

Is it any wonder that, in this betwixt and between time, in this time of reflection, I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to walk this pathway with all of you? You are amazing women!

I’m looking forward to the days ahead and the possibilities they hold for us to continue to make a difference and to make our lives a blessing.

I wish you and your loved ones an easy fast and a meaningful Yom Kippur.

Shabbat Shalom,

Pam

Pam Schlosberg

CGLR President

Women's League for Conservative Judaism

847.433.7546 (h); 847.691.8991 (c)

A Prayer of Peace for the People of Ukraine

by Rabbi Naomi Levy

God, Our hearts are with all the people of Ukraine,

Its president, Volodymyr Zelensky,

And with our Jewish brothers and sisters in Ukraine

200,000 souls

Who crouch in fear

As the sound of sirens and bombs pierces the air.

Synagogues once filled with songs of celebration

Have become makeshift shelters.

Echoes of the Holocaust reverberate,

The memory of the one and a half million

Martyred Ukrainian Jews.

God, we pray that the panic in the streets of Ukraine

Will give way to the sound of children playing,

And the sound of sirens will give way to songs of hope.

We pray that the world community will unite

And cause the Russian army to retreat.

We pray for no more violence

Or bloodshed

And we pray that diplomacy

Will be the path to peace.

Hear our prayers, God,

Hear the prayers of the mothers and fathers,

the prayers of the children

longing for safety.

God, our Shelter,

Bring peace.

Let it rain down from the heavens like a mighty storm.

Let it wash away all hatred and bloodshed.

Peace, God. Please, God. Amen.

Special Note: 

The Ukraine War Continues - The  Suffering Continues-- Masorti Olami Support Continues --

Our CGLR Support Continues

We dedicated our social action initiative for our Spring Conference 2022 to Ukraine. Our dedication and advocacy continues.

We can extend our sense of renewed hope and send our light forward by a donation via The Schechter Institutes, Inc. www.schechter.edu/donate or

via Masorti Olami: Support Our Work (masortiolami.org)

Jewels in the Crown is an opportunity for your Sisterhood to be honored for exceptional programming and participation.

See below for information and application.

Application and supporting materials must be submitted to Women’s League by

March 2, 2023.

For more information email: jewel@wlcj.org

Dear Friends,

Hi! As we are diving into our Chazak v’Ematz campaign I challenge each of you to be strong and courageous. Think out of the box for new ideas in how to raise Torah Fund dollars. There is a lot of change and unknown ahead of us, but I know we can all plow ahead. It will be a great year to celebrate the 80th year of Torah Fund. Please start by coming to our region Torah Fund event on October 23 at 8:00 PM ET/7:00 CT (See the flier above). It is free to everyone and all the Torah Fund dollars raised will go to each affiliate's goals. Plus, it will be a fun and entertaining evening.

There are many ways to celebrate Torah Fund’s 80th birthday. One way is to make

an extra $80 donation. Al those making an extra $80 donation will be recognized

at Convention.

Each affiliate should have received their pins. If you didn’t receive your pins

please contact the NY office. Please know I am available for questions or just to

talk about an idea. Also, I would love to attend your Torah Fund events if I am

available. Please send me an invitation and I will do my best to be there.

Be Strong!

Shalom,

Rebecca Goldwasser

CGLR Vice President of Torah Fund

rebeccatorahfund@gmail.com

New Digital Torah Fund eCards Available NOW:

Send a greeting with ecards and support Torah Fund! Make your gift more meaningful by using our ecards for every occasion!

Mi Sheberach for

Marlene Ostrow

CGLR Member Support

Susan Steinberg,

Southern Region President

Ruth Harris

InterContinental Region President

We wish them Refuah Shlemah - A complete and speedy recovery

***********************************************************************************

CGLR sends our prayers to those who

were in the path of Hurricane Ian.

************************************************************************************

Baruch Dayan HaEmet

With sadness we advise you of the passing of Sally Abbey z"l. Sally was a Past President of North Atlantic Region and past Leadership Institute Chair.

The funeral will be Thursday, September 29 at 11am ET at the Beth Olam Cemetery (also known as the Jewish Cemetery) on Wyatt Rd. in Middletown, RI. 

Shiva will be observed at the home of Sally's daughter Deborah Morgenthaler

12 Dagmar Place  Stamford, CT 06905

Thursday: 6:30 - 9:00 pm, with a service at 6:30 pm

Friday: 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm

Sunday: 1:00 - 7:00 pm with a service at 1:30 pm

Messages of condolence may be sent to Sally's daughters, 

Deborah Morgenthaler Waltmorgen@aol.com and Lisa James lsjames@cox.net.

We extend our condolences to Deborah and Lisa and their families and pray that they will be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Sincerely,

Debbi Kaner Goldich

President

If you would like to make a donation to Women’s League in memory of Sally Abbey please click here.

If you would like to make a donation to Torah Fund in her memory, please click here.

\If you're in the U.S. and wish to send a Torah Fund ecard, click here.

Hurray for Zoom! Why? Zoom has helped us connect with our Masorti women in Israel and Zoom can help you too! Currently WLCJ has three ongoing Israel programs:

Women’s Days of Study — an opportunity to learn and dialog with some of the best teachers in Israel. Each day has multi approaches to a theme chosen by committee of Israeli women with input by the WLCJ Israel Chair. Part of the funding for these three days (two in the winter and one in June) is raised on GivingTuesday, on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. 

Mothers of Olim — Monthly Zoom calls connect WLCJ members who have child/ren, grandchild/ren, favorite nieces or nephews who have made Aliyah, for emotional support, travel information and navigating life from a distance are some of the issues discussed.

The KKL (Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael) Grant program, Sichot beyn Achayot: Conversations between Sisters - MiDor L'Dor, is in its second year, sponsored by Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael (KKL). Plan now to attend any or all of the three free 1½ hour sessions: Thursday, October 20; Sunday, November 20, and Sunday, December 11, at noon ET.

REGISTER for ALL Three Workshops

Thursday, 10.20.22 at 12-1:30 PM ET/7-8:30PM Israel Time

Workshop One - MiDor L’Dor: Transmitting Our Jewish Values to the Next Generation

How do we connect to the next generation to make Judaism relevant for today and tomorrow? We will explore the various settings of educating our children: formal, informal, and in the family and community.

Speakers:

Prof. Alice Shalvi, Founder of Women's Rights Movement in Israel and Israel Prize recipient for her contribution to education 

Shira D. Epstein, Ed.D, dean, William Davidson Graduate School of Education, JTS

Rabbi Nathalie Lastreger, Kehilat HaMinyan HaMishpachti, Kfar Vradim, Upper Gallilee

Amy Skopp Cooper, director of the National Ramah Commission, US

Aliza Zeff, Director and Head of School, Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim

REGISTER for Workshop One

Sunday, 11.20.22 at 12-1:30 PM ET/7-8:30PM Israel Time

Workshop Two - MiDor L’Dor: Revering and Honoring the Generations Until 120

How do we maintain value and meaning in our lives at every age? We will discuss the importance of self-care, as well as ideas for caregivers, as we honor the generations that gave us our Jewish values. 

Speakers: 

Prof. Alice Shalvi, Founder of Women's Rights Movement in Israel and Israel Prize recipient for her contribution to education

Rabbi Judith Hauptman, Professor Emerita of Talmud and Rabbinic Culture, JTS

Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz, accredited Hospital Chaplain/Spiritual Caregiver, Jerusalem

Rabbi Tracee Rosen, Hospital Chaplain, Phoenix, Arizona

Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green, Pastoral Caregiver and Educator, Kfar Saba 

REGISTER for Workshop Two

Sunday, 12.11.22 at 12-1:30 PM ET/7-8:30PM Israel Time

Workshop Three - MiDor L’Dor: Taking the 100-Year Journey from Bat Mitzvah to Egalitarianism

How did the first bat mitzvah lead to the expanded roles for Jewish women, both in the synagogue and the community? We will explore how things have changed in the last 100 years and ponder what the next 100 may bring. 

Speakers: 

Prof. Alice Shalvi, Founder of Women's Rights Movement in Israel and Israel Prize recipient for her contribution to education

Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz, JTS Chancellor and Irving Lehrman Research Professor of American Jewish History

Saralee Schrell-Fox, educator and chazzanit, Jerusalem

Rabba Dikla Druckman-Sherzer, Fuchsberg Center, Jerusalem 

REGISTER for Workshop Three

Have you thought about having a region — twin Kehilah program as part of your spring region training conference? Several regions have: Florida Region, Garden State Region, North by NorthWest, Southern Region, and International North East Region. Zoom can also offer more intimate meetings — coffees, teas, tours, bingo games, or mitzvah projects.

All of these programs raise our understanding of each other — our common issues we all share as Jewish women and our differences — living 6,000 miles apart in different cultures.

On pages 112 and 113 of your new WLCJ Calendar Diary, you will find the Region/Israel Special Relationship Masorti Congregations. As individual contact people change, either Diane Friedgut, our WLCJ Israel Liaison, or I will be happy to help you find names of the contact person from each Kehila.

So, use Zoom to your advantage! And say Hurray to the new relationships we will form with our sisters!

With best wishes for a Shanah of health, joy and peace,

Ellie Kremer

WLCJ Israel Chair

ellieventnor@gmail.com

Parashat Vayeilech

Submitted by Rabbi Margie Cella, WLCJ Educator, mcella@wlcj.org



Moses is now 120 years old; God has told him he will not cross over the Jordan. Joshua will lead them in his place, and God will go with them as they enter the land, destroying the nations before them. Moses exhorts them not to be afraid (chizku v’imtzu, the plural form of our Torah Fund theme). Moses calls Joshua to him, charging him in the sight of all the people to lead the nation in his stead.

The text then tells us that Moses wrote this Torah and gave it to the priests; he instructed them to gather the nation once every seven years, on Sukkot, to read it, making sure it was passed on to the next generation.

God then commanded Moses and Joshua to come to the tabernacle together so that God could officially give Joshua his charge; Moses also charged him once again, this time with the words now familiar to us: hazak v’ematz – be strong and courageous. We can only imagine the weight of the awesome responsibility that was being placed on Joshua’s shoulders. Like Joshua, we, too, need to be strong and courageous as we pass on our Jewish values to the next generation.

God instructed Moses to write one last poem and teach it to the nation; this poem will stand as a witness against them in their future, when they turn away after other gods. Finally, Moses gave the Torah to the Levites, telling them to place it in the ark along with the two sets of tablets.

The parashah ends with Moses reading this newly-written poem to the people. The words of this poem appear in next week’s parashah, Va’etchanan. 

September 2022

Tishrei 5783

Women’s League for Conservative Judaism and Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs volunteers have been working together for over a year in an effort to help our Sisterhood Affiliates, Men’s Clubs and Synagogues improve how we support various constituencies that find us less than fully inclusive of their individual differences. We want all our members to feel included and we believe the Inclusion Resource Guidebook that our volunteers developed and will be put on the WLCJ website has something for everyone-identifying areas we can and want to improve.

While we focused on a few specifically identifiable groups, we realize there are others. We all have members who are financially distressed during this time of the Pandemic. Sometimes those members feel less than fully included. We all have members with little reason to feel they are treated differently but that does not mean they do not. We want all our members to be included and feel included.

Please consider that most of us think we are doing everything we can to make everyone feel welcomed: until we really talk to some of our members who consider themselves marginalized. The truth is we can do this better. We know you will be looking forward to hearing more about this innovative program cosponsored by WLCJ and FJMC.

Our guidebook will be released soon. Stay tuned for more details in the next few weeks! Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 5783! 

L’Shalom,

Karen Winer

WLCJ Inclusion Committee Co-Chair

Fran Hildebrandt

WLCJ Mishpachah / Inclusion Chair

Debbi Kaner Goldich

International WLCJ President

Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields

Executive Director WLCJ

We are all stewards of this beautiful planet and remarkable bodies of  water. Both need our sustained, loving care to clean up a year marked with sins against the environment.

Please consider hosting a Reverse Tashlich program with your Affiliate Sisterhood and/or Synagogue sometime in this year of 5783. Organize a clean-up of the shoreland or paths along a lake. If you would like more information please contact, our CGLR Environmental Chair, Gail Neustadt at gail.neustadt@gmail.com.

Remember to send pictures of your event to Laurie B. Davis at Lbd715@gmail.com !

Sunday, October 2, Individual Reverse Tashlich Events throughout WL and CGLR

Sunday, October 23 @ 7:00 pm CDT / 8:00 pm EDT (Zoom) - CGLR Torah Fund Event-Celebrating 80 Years of Torah Fund's Global Growth

Monday, October 24 @ 7:00 pm CDT / 8:00 pm EDT (Zoom) CGLR Membership Workshop for Membership Vice Presidents /Chairs

Wednesday, November 16 @ 7:00 pm CDT / 8:00 pm EDT (Zoom) - CGLR's Comedy Central present: Just for Laughs



Thursday, November 17 @ 7:00PM ET - WL Reads interviews Randy Sue Meyers, author of the book, Fashion Orphans.