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Dear Friends,

I saw a rainbow recently and it reminded me of this week’s Parashat Noach. We all know the story of Noah whether from synagogue, Hebrew School or popular childrens’ songs, but Noach is not really a simple children’s story. It is a powerful allegory about humanity, our responsibility to one another, our capacity to do evil or good, and ultimately - about hope.

Noah is introduced at the beginning of the parsha as a “righteous man, blameless in his generation”- Tamim hayah b’dorotav (Gen.6:9). In other words, he was a ‘good’ man relative to the society around him.The Torah describes God’s anger at the depravity of mankind at that time. Va’timale ha’aretz hamas, “the earth was filled with violence” (Gen. 6:11). Here we see a world of lawlessness and rebellion, in which people fight, steal, and destroy. Indeed, various rabbinic interpretations explain hamas as connoting theft, murder, sexual sins, and kidnapping. Picture a world filled with lawlessness where God seemed to have no other alternative but to destroy the world entirely. Only Noah was willing to stand up to the evil around him. It is for this reason that God chose Noah and commanded him to build the ark and save his family from the coming flood.

God then commands Noah to bring seven pairs of every clean animal (which will later be used as sacrifices) and two pairs from every unclean animal into the ark to be saved as well. 

Noah finishes his ark just as it begins to rain. The rain continues for forty days and forty nights and is then followed by a swelling of the waters for another 150 days. Finally the waters begin to recede, but this takes another forty days. In his search for dry land, Noah releases a raven and two doves and when the second dove does not return, Noah realizes the land is dry. God instructs Noah and his family to emerge from the ark and they celebrate with animal offerings. Noah and God make a covenant or promise - brit - and God sets a rainbow in the sky as a sign of this covenant. “When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Gen. 9:14-15)

The rainbow, it seems, is a way for God to remember the covenant not to destroy the earth. Of course God will still become angry with us humans, every so often, and perhaps desire to destroy the world again, but the rainbow is God’s reminder of His promise to not destroy the world.

In chapter nine, God introduces laws that will regenerate and reorder society. First God blesses Noah and his family and tells them Pru Urvu U’milu et ha’aretz.(Gen.9:1) “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” God then gives man dominion over all the beasts of the earth, the birds of the sky and fish of the sea. However, there is a prohibition not to eat the flesh of a living animal. The creature must first be slaughtered. God then prohibited the shedding of human blood. The Torah goes on to emphasize the sanctity of human life. Shofech dam h’adam, Ba’adam damo yeshafech, ki b’tzelem Elohim, asa et ha’adam, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in His image did God make man” (Gen. 9:6). ‘By man’ does not mean an individual can kill another. As the Etz Hayim commentary says, “Punishment is now the responsibility of humankind. A judiciary must be established to correct the condition of lawlessness that prevailed before the Flood. Murder is a crime against society” (page 51).

The rabbis of the Talmud expanded these few laws into what has been termed the “Noachide Mitzvot”. These seven laws, that God gave to all of humanity, include basic moral requirements needed for any society:

1. Courts of Justice and a legal system must be established
2. Prohibition of idolatry
3. Prohibition of adultery and incest
4. Prohibition of blasphemy (cursing God)
5. Prohibition of murder
6. Prohibition of robbery
7. Prohibition of eating the flesh cut from a living animal

The rabbis taught that God provided these universal laws for all mankind to follow. The Noachide laws delineated humanity following the flood from the lawless violence prior to the flood, which brought God to the point of destroying the world. The Noachide laws stand as a testament to the Jewish belief in the need for the rule of law to protect all peoples.

So, the next time you see a rainbow in the sky, I hope you will remember the significance of God’s covenant with Noah and the Noachide Laws given to all mankind and remember also to say the following special blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֶלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְקַיָם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ

Baruch ata Adon-nai Elo-heinu melech ha’olam zocher ha’brit v’ne’eman bivrito v’kayam b’ma’amaro.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to God’s covenant, and keeps God’s promise.

Shabbat Shalom,

Marilyn

P.S. Don’t forget to register for our upcoming INR program which will feature acclaimed author, Maggie Anton. You may remember her books, Rashi’s Daughters. Maggie will be discussing her newest book, The Choice next week on November 2, 2022. See the flyer below for all the details.

Marilyn Cohen

Region President

inrpresident21@wlcj.org

Read more about this book by following this link:

The Choice: A Novel of Love, Faith and the Talmud

Paperback now available! Buy the e-book at:

https://payhip.com/b/XBOmh

Check out Maggie's Blog to see what she's up to

Our programs are a benefit of your membership in your local affiliated Sisterhood/Women's Group or as an Individual Member of Women's League for Conservative Judaism

Our 2022-2023 Chazak v'Ematz Campaign

Be Strong and Courageous

Have you noticed that whenever the Holidays come, they come too quickly, and are over too soon? We’ve just had our first week without a chag, so we’ve had a chance to catch our breath, put the good dishes away, and resume regular activities. For me, that meant sending in a few more checks for Torah Fund donations for my own shul. Mazal tov to Women's Network of Temple Beth Tzedek, Williamsville, NY, for reaching their goal this early in the year! Because the reports have been slow in coming from the Torah Fund Office, I don’t know how everyone else is doing, but I am confident everyone is trying their best – as always. I will forward the reports as soon as they become available.

It was wonderful to have some surprise donors step forward and to see so many women wearing their pins. Remember that all donations, large and small, matter. Thank you to all who make a difference in the lives of our students who will soon be our rabbis, cantors, scholars, and educators.

Giving is easy! Send your checks/cheques to your local Torah Fund Chair. 

Donate online in the US: Donate to Torah Fund (jtsa.edu) and send ecards using this link: Torah Fund eCards – Send an eCard to a loved one. (jtsa.edu) 

And in Canada, start on the ecard site and then if you wish, you can add funds and make an extra donation, just click here: Canadian eCards – Torah Fund eCards (jtsa.edu)

Please remember to use the ecard site in the country in which you reside, not the recipient’s country. Ecard purchases do help our affiliates reach their goals. Paper cards are available, as always, from local Torah Fund Chairs.

Please consider donations to the special Spaces campaign and in honor of the 80^th anniversary of Torah Fund.

As year-end approaches, please remember that donations to Torah Fund can be made through donor directed funds or retirement accounts. Please promote these vehicles as ways donors can support Torah Fund. However, it is very important to note that If a donor is making a donation via a financial or other institution, then:

1. The check needs to be made payable to the Jewish Theological Seminary (if in the U.S.) or to the Jewish Theological Society (in Canada), with a notation on the memo line and in any accompanying cover letter or acknowledgment, that the funds are meant for Torah Fund. (Please note that in the US the Jewish Theological Seminary is the over-arching organization for Torah Fund, and the tax ID number used for Torah Fund is from JTS, which is why financial institutions must issue the check to JTS rather than to Torah Fund.)
2. The donor should send a brief email to torahfund@jtsa.edu informing the staff to expect a donation of X amount from X institution. Knowing in advance helps the staff be on the lookout for such a check.

Also, please be sure to leave time for processing. The Torah Fund office is short staffed, and fiduciaries take time to issue the checks. If you are looking for a deduction for this tax year, start early.

Your generosity is appreciated!

Questions? Comments?

Contact Me!

Linda Boxer

INR Torah Fund VP

INRTorahFund@gmail.com

Women of the Wall: Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan - Wednesday, October 26 @ 12 AM ET

Women of the Wall's first Rosh Chodesh service of the new year is almost here! Join us Wednesday, October 26, at 12AM ET as we celebrate the new month of Cheshvan. Israeli elections are around the corner, but voting isn’t the only way to make your voice heard. Praying with Women of the Wall means using your voice to advocate for equality and pluralism at our holiest site, creating a brighter future for all. See you there!

Creating Your Sisterhood Archives - Thursday, October 27 @ 7:30 PM ET

Archives tell stories, document people, and are your recorded memory. They form an important part of your community, culture, and history. They can be a source of pride, awe, and understanding of who and what you are for future generations. They are how your Sisterhood Affiliate can Live for Forever!

This 7th session in the “How to Live Forever” series will present a Step-by-Step on how your Sisterhood Affiliate can tell its story and share its memories with past, current and future members and the community.

Join us for this workshop when Cory Schneider, Women’s League Archives Chair and Past International President, presents a multitude of information and ideas on how your Sisterhood Affiliate can “live forever” by collecting, creating and sharing their history.

Recordings of past sessions are available on the Women's League website.

Young or old, active or inactive… 

Your Sisterhood Affiliate has a story to tell!

Avner Moriah Program - Monday, November 7 @ 7 PM ET

Women’s League is thrilled to share that we have partnered with internationally renowned Israeli artist, Avner Moriah, to bring a special evening of incredible art to our members! You will meet the artist and then have the opportunity to shop his website: 

avnermoriahprints.com using a discount code which was created just for our members. Each of you can enjoy a 20% savings off the entire website! This exclusive offer will not only allow you to get a sneak preview and to build excitement for the main event, it will serve as our trial run. 

DISCOUNT CODE: WL2022

Watch Avner Moriah at JTS Women's League Pavillion video below (click on the image):

WL Reads - Thursday,

November 17 @ 7 PM ET

WL Reads Co-Chairs,Merle Carrus and Susan Farber interview Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Fashion Orphans, on November 17th. Join us for an engaging virtual conversation about this novel and Ms. Meyers’ writing process.

The next WL Reads Dates are listed below. Click on the Date for more info and to register early. We hope you can join us:

• Sunday, January 8
• Thursday, April 27

Download Hebrew version of the Flyer HERE

Sunday, 11.20.22 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM ET

Workshop 2 - 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

Sunday, 12.11.22 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM ET

Workshop 3 - 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 Jewish Center, Jerusalem

Personal Conversations  Thursday, December 1 @ 1 PM ET

Topic: Eager to Travel Again? Learn What’s New in Jewish Heritage Travel, Around the World

Presenter: Rebecca Stern, with Gil Travel Group (with offices in Philadelphia, New York and Tel Aviv).

More information closer to date.

Programming Idea of the Week

Kosher Charcuterie is a Thing!

Charcuterie is an undeniable trend these days and as a lifelong cheese-and-crackers enthusiast, I welcome this trend.

But charcuterie is about much more than eating delicious food. It’s the design element that I love--setting up the board so that it looks as attractive as possible by labeling different cheeses, fanning out rows of crackers, strategically placing colorful dried fruits and jars of delicious jams for guests. Most of all, I love the hosting element since serving a board feels incomplete without a group of people to enjoy it...

Weekly Words of Torah

Parashat Noach - October 29, 2022

Parashat Noach ends with the story of the Tower of Babel. The people who originally all spoke the same language, decide to try to build a tower so high, so that they can reach the heavens. Eventually the people began to speak all different languages, and had difficulty communicating, and so were not able to build their tower. Do you ever feel like you are speaking English, but you are speaking a different language from the people around you – and just seem to constantly be miscommunicating? Sometimes it is because of the lingo or dialect, or sometimes it is because of a generational difference. It seems like an abbreviations dictionary is needed to decipher text messages sometimes. We are in good company. God confounded the speech of the builders of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9) and scattered the people across the earth. Therefore, the next time you find yourself feeling like you are in an Amelia Bedelia book, (remember the children’s series by Peggy Parish?) Chazak v’Ematz – Be Strong and Courageous!

Makom B'Yachad

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

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

Join Zoom Meeting: 

https://zoom.us/j/630830287

Meeting ID: 630 830 287

Password: 875936

Special Program during Makom B'Yachad:

Wednesday, November 9 - Join Cory Schneider as she will be presenting about her weaving program to make a Tallit

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

WLCJ 5783 Calendar Diaries in Pocket & Planner Sizes

Calendar Diaries are available in TWO SIZES. 

Pocket Size: 4x6in. Planner Size: 8.5x11in. Both available to ORDER NOW.

PrezNet

Join the WL PrezNet

Toby Maser

PrezNet Moderator

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

Jewels in the Crown Returns to Convention 2023

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

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

Ukrainian Jewish History; Rethinking the Pharisees; Carol Gilligan at JTS; and More

Nazis, WWII, and the Middle East + Janet Yellen's Rise to Power

Schechter's Ongoing Hybrid and Zoom Courses

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

WOW Merchandise

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

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. 

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.

You’ve seen how informative and inspiring Never Is Now is. So, we’d like to invite you to be one of the first to sign up for this year’s edition of the largest annual summit on antisemitism and hate — and save at least 20%!

11,000 people joined us virtually last year and we are excited to welcome thousands more this year as we come together in person on November 10 for Never Is Now 2022 at the Javits Center in New York City.

For more information and registration: Click here.

Click on the button to visit website for summer events:

INR of Women's League for Conservative Judaism