Shalom!
Was it only a few weeks ago that we began 2022, fresh with a promise of a new start and endless possibilities? It was a time to reboot and commit to: creating that new vision board, organizing those closets, creating a new twist for our challah, hydrating better, and adding a few more steps to the daily 10,000. A great start!
But events this past Shabbat underscored that life is on a fragile, challenging trajectory at best.
Once again, a shrill human, collective cry was heard from Jews around the world this past Shabbat. Just as the light of the Havdalah candle was extinguished, we began to hear of an openly anti-Semitic, full-of-hate incident unfolding. A Rabbi and three members of the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas were being held hostage.
Once again, there was palpable spirit of heaviness.The reality of hateful and anti-Semitism was front and center.
Once again, we watched in disbelief. There were no words. As the drama unfolded, the hostages escaped physically unharmed; the anguish calmed. Now what?
If only there was a guidebook for these moments with the next steps clearly defined, the route clearly illustrated on our personal GPS, and a delicious healthy trail mix in our backpacks to nourish us along the way.
The course we took in our Jewish communities was one of collective gratefulness.
We were grateful for those who worked tirelessly, placing their own lives at risk to help those who were at risk; grateful that the hostages were safe, and most of all that the grateful that the tragic drama closed. Long after Shabbat, we continued to collectively whisper: “Thank you, Hashem.We refocused with hope and faith and gratitude. That’s the Jewish Way.
Life is challenging and filled with remarkable, often radical surprises.The hardest reality is that our journey is one of uncertainty. The trajectory of our lives is plotted not so much by consciously organizing and planning, though there’s definitely a place for that.The pathway forward is by living, fully and -- you know my next statement -- saying, “Yes” to life. That’s the Jewish Way.
Despair is not a part of this affirmation.
This week’s parsha, Yitro, includes the rich narrative of the giving of the Ten Commandments and our covenant with G-d. Embodied in the dynamic verbs and nouns, we hear again who we are and who we will be in the world. Our covenant is a bond of belonging and collective responsibility.
Throughout the thousands of years of our history, a tapestry of unspeakable challenges, we survived. We are as Rabbi Sacks z”l described, a people touched with infinity. Each tragedy our ancestors faced was turned into a blessing. We know how to find reservoirs of hope, courage ,and resilience. And as a Jewish community, we move forward, together.
As Jewish Conservative women, we have a unique role to play in this collective – in sustaining hope, in embracing life with a joy grounded in faith. We are a light in this world and model the best of Judaism by the life we choose to lead -- living with purpose and engaged in the continuum that is our Jewish heritage.
Yes, we walk a spiritual path but with practical feet and a deep purpose to help sustain Judaism Strong today and for generations that will follow us. Together through Women’s League, we have countless opportunities to engage in projects focused on repairing the world, performing acts of loving kindness, learning through Masorti Days of Study. Please visit www.wlcj.org to see all the possibilities open to us to work together, grow stronger together, live with purpose, and to be a blessing.
Shabbat Shalom,
Pam
Pamela Schlosberg
Central Great Lakes Region President
Women's League for Conservative Judaism
847.433.7546 (h); 847.691.8991 (c)
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Per Capita due January 30, 2022!
Women’s League for Conservative Judaism offers choices for payment:
1. Check from Sisterhood or Synagogue bank account
2. Bank Check Payment - a check written and mailed by your bank
3. ACH Pay - a type of electronic bank-to-bank payment in the US
4. Money Order in U.S. dollars
Since there may be a fee charged by your financial institution, we encourage you to talk with a representative about the options and which one may be best for your organization. We need the following information sent to percapita@wlcj.org at the time you send your payment.
· Name and Region of your Sisterhood
· The address, city and state of your Synagogue
· Per Capita year that you are paying (ex. 2020-2021)
· Amount of payment and number of members (update database if needed)
· Which payment option you will be using
· A Sisterhood contact name, email address and phone number
All checks should be payable to Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
If you pay by ACH, you will need the following information about the WLCJ Bank account:
Name on Account: WOMEN’S LEAGUE FOR CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
Routing Number: 021000021
Account Number: 815643713
Thank you for continuing your affiliation with Women’s League for Conservative Judaism!
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Torah Fund supports programs and scholarships at the five Conservatives/Masorti global institutes
of higher education.
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Central Great Lakes Region is well under way in raising funds for Torah Fund. We are halfway to our goal.
There are many ways to support Torah Fund besides giving to the general campaign, B’Yachad. You can support Torah Fund by giving to the Spaces Campaign. The Spaces Campaign is a special effort to support specific projects at Jewish Theological Seminary and Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. The project at JTS is raising money for a Women’s League Study Space in the new undergraduate residence hall and the project at Ziegler is titled Women’s League Institute for Gender Bias and Harassment. You can give to the Spaces Campaign online just as you would give for the B’Yachad Campaign.
If you would like to ensure the future of Conservative Judaism even after you are not here, you can become a part of Torah Fund Legacy Society. There is no minimum amount to be a part of the Legacy Society and no extra money cost to you presently. Leaving a Legacy shows our children and grandchildren what was important to us and can help ensure that these organizations continue long after we are gone.
If you need a card for a baby naming, in memory of someone, or to congratulate anyone think about sending a Torah Fund e-card. They are only five dollars per card and your affiliate will get credit.
However, you decide to support Torah Fund our future Rabbis, Cantors, and Educators are incredibly grateful. Their schooling is expensive and continues to rise. Again, I thank-you all for your dedication to Torah Fund.
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Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca Goldwasser
CGLR Vice President of Torah Fund
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Happy Hanukah • Debra Band Art; Mazal Tov • Debra Band Art; All Purpose Rainbow Design • Debra Band Art; Condolence Card, Psalm 23 • Debra Band Art
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Torah Fund Event January 24, 2022 at 8pm ET |
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A Special Request to Sisterhood Affiliates |
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A Message from
Fern Schwartz,
CGLR Education VP
Last September, Ellen Kaner Bresnick and Julia Loeb, Women's League Education Co-Vice Presidents, put together an Education Program Booklet that was very well received by all sisterhood affiliates. Ellen and Julie decided to gather information now and create a second book to help carry us through more ZOOM meetings and more restrictions for in-person programs.
They would like all regions and sisterhood affiliates to submit suggestions for great programs that you have run or have heard about and that could be included in WL’s Program Booklet II. This will be distributed to all sisterhood affiliates as a planning tool.
I’m reaching out to all our CGLR Presidents, Education and/or Program Vice Presidents for your suggestions. Please think of some of the programs you have run for your sisterhood affiliate or that you have attended. Did any one stand out?
If so, please write up as much information about it as you can. Or speak to the Education and/or Program Vice President about the program’s details and write something together to submit. The write-ups should be about 1/2 column - one column in length on a two vertical column 8 1/2 x 11 page. You can always pull out a copy of the last booklet to get a sense of how in-depth these write-ups should be. The last booklet is posted on the WLCJ
When preparing your descriptive summary please follow the format below.
Thank you so much for doing this in a timely and complete manner as they are trying to publish this second booklet in the next few weeks —some time in February.
Please write your report in paragraph form, rather than a list format with numbers. Send your write-ups and program suggestions to Ellen Kaner Bresnick: ebresnick@wlcj.org. Any questions, please contact Ellen.
FORMAT
Try to get as much of the information as possible. You might have some of these where you are unable to answer some part of this. Just do your best to be as complete as possible.
Your name and position if you have one.
Name of Program you are suggesting for inclusion in the booklet
Where was it presented - When was it prevented? Name of sisterhood affiliate and /\region. Address where presented.
What type of program is it? Who is it designed for?
What was the intent of the program? Its purpose. Give a few paragraphs on this. Why do you think it is an important program? What is its goal?
How was it publicized? Cost? Please do not give copies of publicity as we do not have room for it. You can provide very valuable information from the publicity. Just put this information into the body of a paragraph.
What materials were or are needed to present this program?
Was this program part of a larger initiative or program that already was started or was it a stand-alone program.
Who is a contact person a sisterhood/affiliate can get in touch with that knows about this program or ran this program? (Name, email, phone number, etc.) Be sure that you contact this person ahead of time for permission to be contacted by other sisterhood affiliate WLCJ members.
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Shalom,
I am Cynthia Lerner, and have been on the CGLR Board for several years. I am currently a member of the Board of Directors WLCJ, Ways and Means VP for Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah (BHBE) Sisterhood, Immediate Past President of BHBE Sisterhood, past CGLR Membership VP and currently CGLR Membership Services Chair. In addition to my Sisterhood responsibilities, I am the Ritual VP at BHBE, co-chair of the Strategic Planning Committee and a member of the Covid-19 Task Force.
Through Sisterhood, I indulge my love of knitting every Tuesday morning with other Sisterhood members; during the warm days of spring and summer we managed to meet outside, now, alas, we are back on zoom. I also love to read and am involved with three book groups.
Living in Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb just north of Chicago, I zoom frequently with my family, Josh, Sam, Katie and 26 month old Ben, and Rachel, AJ and 19 month old Charlotte (whom we lovingly call Charlie). I am blessed to be able to visit Ben and his family in nearby Skokie, and have just returned from a week’s visit to Boston with Charlie and her parents.
One of my favorite volunteer duties is helping produce the Purim Spiel for BHBE, which we hope might actually be in person this year!!!
If your Sisterhood has need of Membership Services, please email me!
Shabbat Shalom,
Cynthia
CGLR Membership Services.
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What's Happening Around the Region |
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Mishebeirach
(Prayer for Healing)
for our dear CGLR Sister,
Ruthe Goldstein, Risha Leah bat Brindle,
who is now in Hospice. Ruthe is a Past CGLR Treasurer and very active member of Congregation Shaarey Zedek Sisterhood, Southfield, MI.
Her address is Ruthe Goldstein
c/o Commerce Care Center
100 Decker Road, Walled Lake, MI 48390
Private Phone: 248.977.0823
All prayers, cards/emails & calls welcomed.
Please add Ruthe to your Mishabeirach Lists.
Baruch Dayan HaEmet
We are saddened to advise of the passing of
Saul Saulson z'l beloved husband of Marjorie Saulson, Past Michigan Branch President and a member of the Torah Fund Cabinet Member,
.
Messages can be sent to Marjorie at
26662 Scenic Drive, Franklin, MI 48025 or
May Marjorie and her family be comforted among the mourners Zion and Jerusalem.
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Why are we the Chosen People?
This week's parashah, Parashat Yitro, is one of the busiest and most dramatic of the Torah. It has a little something for everyone - lessons in leadership from Moses’ father-in-law, receiving the Ten Commandments at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and, for Philadelphia football fans, Adonai declaring to the people that he, "bore you on Eagles’ wings." But I really want to focus on a few specific aspects.
In Exodus 19:5, Adonai says, "Now then, if you obey faithfully and keep my commandments, you shall be my treasured possession among all the peoples." In Hebrew, the word for treasured possession is "סְגֻלָּה segulah." "Am segulah" is sometimes translated as the chosen people. But what does that mean? What are we chosen for?
Being chosen is something I think about a lot in my family. All of us are strongly connected to Conservative Judaism. My children work in the Conservative Jewish world – one is a rabbi, one is a cantor, and one is a youth director. One daughter–in-law is also a cantor/rabbi, and one son-in-law works for Ramah. My husband is also on the board of USCJ. People have asked me: how did that happen?
The truth is that I am not sure. Like many of you, I sent my children to synagogue preschool. They felt comfortable there, and even made lifelong friendships. The shul became my "Cheers", where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. In different ways, we all felt a calling and responsibility to serve.
So, what does that say about being among the chosen? Many scholars agree that it is not arrogance or innate characteristics that make us better than other peoples. The same parashah that introduces “segulah” also introduces the world to the Ten Commandments. Perhaps chosen means that it is our responsibility to lead and show the rest of the world the example of striving for a life of morality and service.
It is in this way that we, the devoted volunteers of Women’s League, serve as our movement’s Chosen People. It is through our dedication and service that we shine a light on what service to the community and a passion to grow and learn means to Conservative Judaism. May we all continue our sacred mission and go from strength to strength.
Shabbat Shalom,
Terri
Terri Hartman
WLCJ Personnel Chair and
WLCJ International Board of Directors Member
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Parashat Yitro Exodus 18:1-20:23
Haftarah Ashkenazim: Isaiah 6:1-7:6 and 9:5-6
Haftarah Sephardim: Isaiah 6:1-13 - January 22, 2022
Parashat Yitro is named for Moses' his father-in-law, who visited Israel in the desert, praising God and bringing a sacrifice when he heard about all thatHashem had done to redeem Israel from slavery. Seeing that Moses was overwhelmed by trying to judge all the matters brought to him by the people, Yitro suggested he set up a system of judges to be rulers over thousands, then hundreds, fifties and finally tens: the first judicial system! The Israelites then journeyed to Sinai, where they witnessed Moses going up to receive the 10 Commandments from Hashem, amidst clouds, thunder, lightning, and shofar blasts.
In Isaiah’s prophecy from the haftarah, dated approximately 724 BCE, he experiences a vision of God sitting on a throne, surrounded by angels who fly around singing God’s praises. Isaiah is instructed to foretell the doom of the nation, and, ultimately, the redeemer that will come to sit on the throne of David and rule in peace.
The parshah begins with the establishment of a system of justice and ends with the revelation at Sinai; the haftarah reverses the order, beginning with revelation and ending with the establishment of justice. In Exodus, God recounts carrying the people of Israel “on eagle’s wings” (10:4)”; in Isaiah’s vision, God is surrounded by angels that have 6 wings each (6:2). The angels declare God holy (6:3); God says that Israel will be a “holy nation” (Ex. 19:6). Both the people of Israel and Isaiah are afraid to look upon God; Mt. Sinai was עשן, filled with smoke (20:15); so was the Temple for Isaiah (6:4). Mt. Sinai trembled (19:18), as did the walls of the Temple in Isaiah’s vision (9:4). The people heard God’s voice at Sinai (19:9), as did Isaiah (19:8).
Isaiah received a personal revelation of God; and we are enjoined to envision ourselves personally standing at Sinai. The opportunity for each of us to have a personal encounter with Hashem is still offered to us today; we encounter the Divine daily through prayer and study.
submitted by
Rabbi Margie Cella
WLCJ Educator
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Makom B'Yachad
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday
12 PM Noon ET / 11 AM CT
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
Password: 875936
Save the Date:
Wednesday, January 26, 2022 -
Makom B’Yachad
will be at 11 AM ET
Want to sing, teach, help with technology, and more during Daily Psalm Study,
Pirkei Avot, and Kaddish?
All are welcome.
We have many available spots to fill.
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Consulting Services Workshop #2:
Exploring Leadership
Sunday, February 22nd @ 7 - 8:30PM ET
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Questions?
Contact
Renee Ravich
Consulting Services Chair, Sisterhood Support Chair
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This program is open to anyone interested in learning about Leadership possibilities.
Looking for new leadership for your Sisterhood affiliates but not sure what to do? Women’s League is offering two workshops presented by our Consulting Services team and open to all members.
A Women's League training program to support all regions and Sisterhood affiliates by the Consulting Services of WLCJ.
Coming soon:
2nd Workshop: Exploring Leadership -- finding alternatives to the traditional leadership structure.
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Jews in Film -
Somewhere Over The Rainbow - the Jewish Connection to Movie Musicals
Mondays: Jan 24th, Feb 28th, March 21st @ 3 PM
Jews in Film, a Women's League education program; Somewhere over the Rainbow – The Jewish Connection to Movie Musicals of the 1930s.
Join Lois Silverman as she presents how Jews and their music have influenced American music and especially American musical theater. This truly American art form attracted the talents of the greatest songwriters of the pre-rock era who between them wrote the musical and lyrics for practically all the great musicals of the ’30s and ’40s.
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WL Reads - Thursday, January 27th @ 7 PM ET
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WL Reads co-chairs Merle Carrus and Susan Farber will be interviewing Elyssa Friendland, is the author of four novels. Her latest, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, was a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, a Book of the Month selection, and a Skimm Must Read. It is currently in its fourth printing.Friedland teaches novel writing at Yale, from which she graduated. She also has a juris doctor degree from Columbia Law School. She lives in New York City with her husband and three children. Join the author and WL Reads co-chairs this January 27th.
Zoom link will be sent upon registering.
Questions? Contact
Merle Carrus or Susan Farber
WL Reads Co-Chair
OR
Susan Farber
WL Reads Co-Chair
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Joint Program of WLCJ and WOW: Who Owns the Western Wall? - Sunday, January 30 - 12 PM ET
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Registration Deadline: January 24th
Questions? Contact:
Lori Snow
WLCJ Event Chair, WLCJ WOW Liaison
or
lllene Rubin
Chair, World Community Engagement
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Key to Calendar:
WLCJ Events in Black ~
CGLR Events in Blue
Monday, January 24, 3PM ET Jews in Film-Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Monday, January 24, 8PM ET Torah Funds Stands with Israel
Wednesday, January 26, Noon ET Masorti Women's Day of Study-Women Face Challenges through Study, Reflection, Renewal and Sharing
Thursday, January 27, 7PM ET WL Reads- "Last Summer at the Golden Hotel" by Elyssa Friendland
Sunday, January 30, 12PM ET WLCJ & WOW-Who Owns the Wall?
Monday, January 31, 7:30PM ET Mishpachah: The Modern Jewish Family-POSTPONED
Sunday, February 6, 2:30PM ET CGLR Creative Judaic Arts Event-Zentangle
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Sunday, February 13, Noon ET Masorti Women's Day of Study-Women Face Challenges through Study, Reflection, Renewal and Sharing
Sunday, February 22, 7PM ET Consulting Services Workshop #2: Exploring Leadership
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Central Great Lakes Region Board |
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Executive Committee:
President
Pam Schlosberg
Communications
Laurie B. Davis
Education
Fern Schwartz
Membership
Gilda Schwartz
Program
Robin Beth Lash
Torah Fund
Rebecca Goldwasser
Secretary
Sandy Carleton
Treasurer
Wanda Pitzele
Financial Secretary
Marjorie Maxwell
Parliamentarian/ IPP
Fran Hildebrandt
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Board of Directors:
Communication/
Social Media
Paula Ferguson
Communication/Website
Rachel Ferber
Education/ Israel
Open
Membership Service
Cynthia Lerner
Member Support
Marlene Ostrow
Presidents Council
Laurie B. Davis
Program/Books
Renee Kaplan
Creative Judaic Arts
Lynda Abraham-Braff
Spring Conference
TBD
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Nominating
Fran Hildebrandt
WLCJ Board Representing CGLR
Rebecca Goldwasser
Fran Hildebrandt
Robin Beth Lash
Cynthia Lerner
Wanda Pitzele
Pam Schlosberg
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Communication VP/ Wave Editor
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