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Dear Friends,

I would like to wish all the women of Shaare Zedek, Montreal a hearty Mazal Tov on their most extraordinary Sisterhood Shabbat service which took place this past Shabbat. I had the pleasure and honour of being in attendance and witnessing history being made.

With Dorothy Tonchin and her team of sisterhood women, for the first time ever, they lead services for the entire congregation. Following an unbelievably, wonderful Shacharit, several women lead the Torah service, read part of the Torah and all of the Haftarah, presented an overview of the Parsha as well as giving an excellent sermon. They also lead many readings, prayers, and then Dorothy lead the whole Musaf service, after which they topped it off with a delicious luncheon for the whole congregation.

I felt so proud and honoured to witness all their accomplishments. It was the first time their congregation had allowed women to lead the service in its entirety and the pride and joy on all their faces was palpable. In contrast to this week’s Parashat Bamidbar, in which only men over twenty years who could go to war were counted in the census, the women of Shaare Zedek Sisterhood were counted in spades! Todah Rabah to Shaare Zedek Sisterhood for your wonderful hospitality and warmth and Kol Hakavod on your accomplishment! May you all go from strength to strength!

Shabbat Shalom,

Marilyn Cohen

Region President

INRPresident21@wlcj.org

I would like to highlight a few important items. Please refer to the flyers and articles below in this newsletter for all details and registration links:

1.   Calendar Diaries – Order your Calendar Diaries now for next year. They will be provided at Convention to those who attend. In addition, all Canadian Calendar Diaries will be given to the Canadians attending to take back to their respective communities.

2.   Convention 2023 – If you cannot come in person, please attend virtually. Important workshops, speakers, installation and B’not Mitzvah ceremonies, Judaic handicraft instructions, etc. will be presented. Convention is an amazing resource for your own affiliate/sisterhood.

3.   Even if you are not attending Convention, your affiliate or you, personally, can support our Social Action initiative called “The Shifra and Puah Project” – giving the gift of a healthy birth to the women in Uganda.

4.   Please support the Virtual Ad Journal for Convention 2023. There are many opportunities to give accolades to our Sisters. Whether it be for having served on the International Executive Committee, International Board, Region Board or an upcoming term for which they will be installed at Convention in July. And then there are those affiliates who will be receiving Jewels in the Crown Awards which we should be hearing about in the very near future. Both Linda Steinhorn of Buffalo and Doreen Bornfreund of Toronto will be installed on International Executive Committee and Corinne Hammerschlag, Ruth Shapiro and Marion Tully will be celebrating B'not Mitzvah's at Convention! We have much to celebrate! Click Here for the Virtual Ad Journal

5.   The annual Torah Fund event sponsored jointly by Shaare Zedek and Shaare Zion Beth El Sisterhoods in Montreal will be held on Tuesday May 23rd on Zoom featuring a conversation with Rabbi Ayelet Cohen. Please see the flyer below for more information and to register. All region members are invited.

Shabbat Shalom,

Marilyn

Refuah Sheleimah

We would like to wish Marion Tully a Refuah Sheleimah and a speedy return to good health. 

If you wish to include her in your prayers, Marion’s Hebrew name is Miriam bat Esther.

We would like to wish Dorothy Tonchin a Refuah Sheleimah and a speedy return to good health. If you wish to include her in your prayers, Dorothy's Hebrew name is Dobrish Yehudit bat Sara.

Our 2022-2023 Chazak v'Ematz Campaign

Be Strong and Courageous

Have you been attending the Torah Fund Stands With Israel programs? The one this past week was, as usual, excellent. It featured Tal Itzhakov, the Cultural and Press Attaché, Embassy of Israel in Mexico, and Rabbi Cheryl Peretz, Associate Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies who presented a special D’var Torah. The highlight of the presentation, to me, was listening to Yerushalayim Shel Zahav / Jerusalem de oro (Jerusalem of Gold) in both Hebrew and Spanish. Take a few minutes to watch this uplifting video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2UyZUzd9-I Tal talked of Jewish life in Mexico. Her next posting will be in Madrid. Perhaps she will be back to share her view of Spanish life and how they compare to her prior post in Pensacola, Florida and Mexico. These programs are free to Torah Fund Donors. Watch for the next session and sign up.

Torah Fund, the dedicated tzedakah of Women’s League, reaches across the five institution of higher learning that are supported by this endeavor. All donations, large and small, are appreciated. Every dollar is used wisely to help our students achieve success. The Chazak v’Ematz campaign is drawing to a close. Please don’t forget that donations must be received in the New York Torah Fund Office by June 30th. For our Canadian sisters, please remit your donations to the Jewish Theological Society a few days earlier so they can be processed and submitted in a timely fashion.

There are many options for meaningful giving. Please consider an afterlife gift to the Torah Fund Legacy Society. Lean more here: Torah Fund Legacy Society - Jewish Theological Seminary (jtsa.edu) The goal of 80 Torah Fund Legacy Society Members to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Torah Fund is in reach. If you are thinking about joining this special group, please reach out to learn more and complete the process.

Please consider an extra gift of $80 in honor of Torah Fund’s 80th anniversary. Giving is easy. Send your checks/cheques to your local Torah Fund Chair or use the online links.

In the US: Donate to Torah Fund (jtsa.edu) Send an ecard to celebrate joys and sorrows:

Torah Fund eCards – Send an eCard to a loved one. (jtsa.edu)

In Canada, start with the ecard platform and add an additional gift: Canadian eCards – Torah Fund eCards (jtsa.edu) It took a lot of time and effort to create the Canadian online platform. Our Canadian sisters are asked to make use of this option for online giving.

Remember to use the ecard platform from your home country, no matter where the recipient lives. Remember to enter the name of your own affiliate so proper credit can be given.

Paper cards are available from local Torah Fund Chairs.

Thank you for your generosity.

As always, if you have questions or comments, please contact me.

Linda Boxer

INR Torah Fund VP

INRTorahFund@gmail.com

Calendar Diaries are available for pre-orders.

All orders will ship before the end of June.

Pocket Size = $11.00

Planner Size = $26.00

Contact the office for quantities over 10. 

405-870-1260

All those who are attending

 Convention will receive their Calendar Diaries at Convention.

For those in Canada, you will also receive your Calendar Diaries at Convention, or from someone who is attending Convention.

Join us in Schaumburg, Illinois this July 16-19,

for WLCJ Convention 2023!

In the Torah Portion, Terumah: Exodus 25:1-27:19   God tells Moses to collect donated materials to build a dwelling place for God called the Mishkan or Tabernacle. God describes how to build all the things that will fill the Mishkan - the ark, table, menorah, and sacrificial altar, and the Mishkan’s walls and curtains.

The Shifra and Puah Maternity Center in Uganda was “built” in July 2018, due to the efforts of an Israeli nurse and midwife, Ilana Shemesh, who wanted to improve the maternal and infant mortality rates in Uganda.

Through donations, this center serves the women of Mbale and its neighboring villages and has a multi-denominational clientele and staff of Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

All services provided by the center are completely free of charge to encourage women to come in for prenatal, birth and post-partum services rather than going through their pregnancies unassisted. The center is dependent on donations. That’s where we come in.

March 8th was International Women’s Day, a National Holiday in Uganda. Help us support the women of Uganda and the work that was started in 2018. With your donation, or your Sisterhood’s donation, we can help maintain and improve the degree of health and wellbeing of the women and their babies of Abayadaya, Uganda.

Here is the recent category added:

• $126.00, you can cover the costs of mosquito netting and Malaria treatment and medications - Pitocin, iron pills and infusion solutions; for all pregnant women to prevent stillbirths, prematurity births, and poor fetal growth for an entire MONTH.

Here are just a few other examples of what we can help cover with your donations:

• $18.00, you can cover a woman’s cost to get an ultrasound during her pregnancy and to have her baby delivered at the Center.
• $36.00, you can cover the costs of the sanitary napkins necessary after each delivery for an entire MONTH.
• $72.00, you can cover the costs of the laundry service to keep the sheets, towels and gowns clean for each delivery for an entire MONTH
• $108.00, you can cover the MONTHLY costs of supplying each mother with three sets of baby outfits and one blanket; otherwise, they only have rags to wrap their baby in.

These are just a few examples of what we can do with your donations. With your donation, whatever the amount, you will help greatly.

You can go to the Women’s League website, click on the Convention 2023 Special Project button at the top menu. From there you'll be able to donate by category or by amount. Thank you for your support of GIVING THE GIFT OF A HEALTHY BIRTH.

Best,

Ellen & Randy

Ellen Grossman

WLCJ 2023 Convention 2023 Social Action Project Co-Chair

elkie17@gmail.com

Randy Schwartz

WLCJ 2023 Convention 2023 Social Action Project Co-Chair

rschwartz@wlcj.org

Join Women of the Wall as we welcome the month of Sivan - the month in which we celebrate receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai - Sunday, May 21! The Torah was given to ALL Jews, and as such we will continue to ensure that all Jews can access the Torah scroll at our holiest prayer site.

The Ordination ceremony will be Livestreamed via Facebook Live, starting at 5:00pm Pacific Time. If you are unable to attend in person, we welcome you to click here to watch online. (You do not need to have a Facebook account in order to watch.)

Pre-Convention Women’s League Reads Book Discussion

Golem Girl: A Memoir by Riva Lehrer

Monday, June 5, 8:00pm ET / 7:00pm CT / 6:00pm MT / 5:00pm PT on Zoom facilitated by Rachel Kamin

The vividly told, full-color memoir of an artist born with disabilities who searches for freedom and connection in a society afraid of strange bodies. A longtime faculty member of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Riva Lehrer is currently an instructor in medical humanities at Northwestern University and will join us in-person at the WL Convention in Schaumburg on July 18. Read & discuss Golem Girl before the Convention and bring your copy to Schaumburg to get it signed by the author. 

This program is using a NEW method of registration through our Members Portal. To view more instructions as to how it works, click on the image below to view the tutorial.

Weekly Words of Torah

Parashat Bamidbar – May 20, 2023

Parashat Bamidbar begins the fourth book of the Torah, the book of Numbers, Sefer Bamidbar. The Children of Israel have been wandering in the desert, on their way from Egypt to the Land of Israel. This week’s Torah Reading is a census of the people. In addition, we read a description of how the people were organized as they traveled. These are very relatable topics, since as members of a Sisterhood affiliate, we often are evaluating who is part of our organization, and figuring out how to best organize our priorities, and what each member of the Sisterhood affiliate does. Creating a system of organization is very important for a group to function properly. Our Torah reading teaches this important lesson. May your Sisterhood affiliate organize itself efficiently, so that each sister is seen as valuable to the entire group. Chazak v’Ematz - Be Strong and Courageous! 

Makom B'Yachad

A virtual service for our WLCJ Sisters to recite Mishaberach, the Prayer for Healing, recite the Psalm of the Day, study and recite Kaddish together.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

9 AM PT; 10 AM MT; 11AM CT; 12 PM ET

Join Zoom Meeting:

 https://zoom.us/j/630830287

Meeting ID: 630 830 287

Password: 875936

Want to sing, teach, help with technology, and more during Daily Psalm Study, and Kaddish?

Project Stock the Shelves

Your contribution will help reduce food insecurity among our neighbors

If you’ve been shopping recently, you can’t help but notice how much the cost of food has gone up. Please consider contributing a Kosher item to your pantry collection this month.

Debbie Bettan

Social Justice Project Chair

dbettan@wlcj.org

Karen Block

Social Justice Co-Chair

kblock@wlcj.org

Ardis Wexler

Social Justice Co-Chair

judgeardis@aol.com

PrezNet

Join the WL PrezNet

Toby Maser

PrezNet Moderator

WLCJ-FJMC Inclusion Resource Book

We are not accepting mail-in order forms for this item as of now. Please place your order online or by calling (405) 870-1260.

#StandUpToJewishHate is a new campaign to educate everyone in the United States about the rise of antisemitism and mobilize people outside the Jewish community to help us address growing hate and intolerance. We need to drive home the message that Jews make up just 2.4% of the U.S. population but are the victims of 55% of all religious hate crimes. Foundation to Combat Antisemitism and a wide coalition of Jewish and non-Jewish groups are asking as many people as possible to post and share #StandUpToJewishHate on social media, using the blue square emoji on your phone, as a simple but powerful unifying symbol of solidarity. During the campaign, you will see the blue square taking up 2.4% of TV and digital screens, billboards and social feeds to call attention to the disparity between the Jewish population size and scale of hate that Jews face, both online and in person.

Here are a few actions you can take to #StandUptoJewishHate and join this national movement:

• Post and share #StandUpToJewishHate — and/or # with a blue square — an emoji already available on most mobile devices — on your social media channels, email signatures and text messages, alongside a message of support against hate and intolerance.
• Speak up and share your personal story with antisemitism.
• Follow the #StandUpToJewishHate campaign at @StandUpToJewishHate on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to keep up-to-date with #StandUpToJewishHate and learn more about antisemitism.
• 
  

Together, we can educate and empower more people to join us as we Stand Up to Jewish Hate.

The cost for the weekly questions email and hard-cover book is currently $99. For more information and to receive a $10 discount click below:

Women's League for Conservative Judaism gets a donation by using the link.

Cory Schneider

Archives Chair & Consultant

Past International President

Administrator, Torah Fund Legacy Society

cschneider@wlcj.org

WLCJ App

We brought back the WLCJ App.

It's available for download on all devices (iPhone/iPad/Google Play/Android).

WLCJ Website

The Women's League website now is available in all languages.

Visit our website: www.wlcj.org

Be a part of our society of Kolot BiK’dushah, which is our way of recognizing our members who have acquired skills as either baalot tefillah (prayer leaders) or baalot kri’ah (Torah readers). 

Do you know of another Sisterhood Affiliate member you would like to nominate?

More information on how to available on our website:

https://www.wlcj.org/member-services/services-to-members/kolot-bikdushah/

Author Conversations from The JTS Library; Twilight in Rabbinic Sources; and More

Weekly Highlights and Happenings at AJU

Schechter's Ongoing Hybrid and Zoom Courses in Jewish Literature, Philosophy, Art and History

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!

Dear Torah Fund Leadership Team,

During this 80th anniversary year for Torah Fund, all $80+ donations will be reported and recognized by the Torah Fund office. Please share with us any 80th anniversary events happening in your Region or sisterhood. Also, we would appreciate it if you would forward any invitations, flyers or articles to us so we can share the updates.

Margie and Rita

Co-chairs of the Torah Fund’s 80th anniversary

Margie Miller              Rita Wertlieb

Mmiller@wlcj.org     Rwertlieb@wlcj.org

All prices include regular shipping (with tracking, 2-4 weeks). Express shipping costs an extra $20 per item.

For the past six years, Keshet and USCJ have worked together to deliver Keshet's Shivyon Project cohort for USCJ-affiliated synagogues. 

Keshet, in partnership with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), is launching the Shivyon Project cohort for USCJ-affiliated synagogues on February 28! The Shivyon project is a year-long cohort-based opportunity for synagogues that want to focus on creating organizational change in order to better support LGBTQ+ community members and staff. Through the Shivyon Project, a synagogue will gain access to in-depth education, practical training, coaching, skills, and knowledge to spark long-lasting change from congregational policies to the individual experiences of your community’s participants and staff. Check out Keshet's website to learn more and sign up.

If you have questions, please ask Fran Hildebrandt, fshildebrandt@gmail.com.

Young Professionals Poland Trip

Ramah Israel and Reshet Ramah are partnering to create a meaningful Poland experience for adults in their 20s and 30s. Please fill out the form below if you are interested in this opportunity. 

Dates organized by Ramah Israel and Reshet Ramah to participate in a Poland trip are:

• August 20-27, 20023
• December 24-31, 2023
• May 19-26, 2024

If you are not in this age cohort, click here for information about another adult Poland trip led by Ramah Israel.

The Nefesh B’Nefesh JNF 2022-2023 Ma'alot Grant Program

Go to this LINK for the Ma'alot Grant information. It has details about the application plus a special offer from Rabbi Paul Freedman. He will be delighted to call you if you wish more information.

Is your synagogue considering a Mission to Israel in 2022 or 2023?

Our colleague, Rabbi Paul Freedman (nina_f@netvision.net.il) can offer resources including offers from Masorti Movement, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center, and Nefesh B’Nefesh with its new Campus (located in the Kiryat Leumi, next to the Jerusalem Supreme Court). Some suggestions translate into budgetary reductions for your Mission especially with the NBN Campus.

New format for our EMagazine - Today’s Israel

Our EMagazine Today’s Israel, has a new format with fewer articles and an emphasis on photos. In this first issue there are three examples describing what Rabbi Paul’s partners, Nefesh B’Nefesh, Masorti and JNF are doing. Without their support, none of the above would be possible. We need your input with suggestions for future issues. Here is the Link. 

Save the Date: September 10, 2023

6th Annual Reverse Tashlich

Add the largest Jewish Community Waterfront Cleanup to your 2023 programming. Register as a community or individual to stay up to date!

Introducing: The Repair the Sea App: Click HERE to Watch Video

Join our international community virtually on the Repair the Sea app.

Reshet Ramah Poland Journey

May 20-26, 2024

Designed for rising Jewish leaders ages 22-30*

On this six-day journey through Poland, our community will explore the cities of Warsaw, Lublin, and Krakow; hold each other up in Zbylitowska Gora—the Children’s Forest, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Treblinka; volunteer in cemeteries and local communities; meet with Jewish and non-Jewish peers; thank some of the families of Poland’s Righteous Among the Nations; and celebrate Shabbat in Krakow with the revitalized Jewish community and the work of the JCC Krakow.

We will work to fulfill our generation’s responsibility to remember, rebuild, and retell.

Please reach out to Adina Scheinberg, National Ramah Program Director, at adina@campramah.org with any questions. 

Don’t miss this new website – ExploringJudaism.org – where people like you can share personal and meaningful Jewish wisdom and reflection in addition to insight on practical living through the lens of Conservative/Masorti Judaism.

ExploringJudaism.org is a digital home for the Torah of Conservative/Masorti Judaism. While the name of this stream of Judaism was born well over a century ago, in the contemporary world Conservative Judaism is expressed through connection, community, and the creation of meaning.  This lens on Judaism is rooted in the idea that Judaism grows with us, that we’re guided by process, and that there is beauty in the balance.

Click on the button to visit website for additional events:

INR of Women's League for Conservative Judaism