Hello Angela,

Shanah tova u'metukah!

A good and sweet year!

We look forward to enjoying 5783 with you.

If you still haven't renewed your WRS membership or haven't joined us for the first time, please do. WRS membership for the current year began July 1, 2022 and ends June 30, 2023.

Here are easy ways to join WRS.

* Submit your payment directly to WRS online. Pay WRS

* Mail your renewal to WRS. Here's the membership form to send with your payment. Mail to WRS

* Join WRS when processing your Congregation Rodef Sholom annual membership.

If you have renewed your membership, thank you!  

We are so happy to have you with us in WRS.

If you haven't gotten to it yet, we are one sister short.

Here are just two reasons to join WRS.

Tikkun Olam Report

Programming Report

Heal Her Now

Scarves Project

In 2020, the Women of Rodef Sholom won a prestigious 

Or Ami Bronze Award from the Women of Reform Judaism for our "Heal Her Now Scarves" Tikkun Olam project. Beautiful hand-made silk scarfs were created, adorned with healing and loving prayers of El na, refah na la (Please God, heal her now). When a woman in our congregation has a very serious illness, she is presented with a Heal Her Now scarf as a gift from the Women of Rodef Sholom.  

We were recently informed that Rodef Sholom is running low on these scarves, and we want to replenish our stock. 

Join us on Mitzvah Day in person to create more of these meaningful scarves for members of our congregation or virtually to write cards from home together that will accompany the scarves.

REGISTER TO VOLUNTEER

At Rodef Sholom, we regularly participate in acts of tikkun (repair): tikkun atzmi (repair of our personal lives), tikkun kehilla (repair of our community), and tikkun olam (repair of the world). Mitzvah Day is one of our crown jewels of our tikkun efforts. Marin's social service agencies have come to rely on the tremendous outpouring of love and labor from Rodef Sholom congregants every October and throughout the year.



Our annual WRS Shabbat promises to be a wonderful evening filled with song, serenity, Shabbat, and sisterhood.

This year we are honoring the 50th anniversary of the first woman to become a rabbi and the 100th anniversary of the first Bat Mitzvah.

As with every Shabbat, we welcome the entire congregational community.

Please invite your family and friends.

Services will be held in person and virtually.

Look in the Rodef Sholom weekly e-newsletter for details.

The Rosh Chodesh Group

Tuesday, October 11

2:00pm - 3:30pm on Zoom

“Whoever blesses the moon in its time welcomes

the presence of the Schechina (female Devine presence).”

Rosh Chodesh marks the beginning of each month by the appearance of the new moon.

It's a time for women to gather joyfully to bond in sisterhood. We can study, discuss, present, ask questions, and express feelings in whatever combination we choose.

We are considering changes to the WRS Rosh Chodesh Group. If you have ever participated or you are considering joining our monthly get-togethers, we want your opinion. 

What direction do we want Rosh Chodesh to take?

What content would you like discussed and in what format?

 Instead of or in addition to presentations, we’re looking at a study guide with explanations and discussion questions. The guide might be used with participation from the group in combination with discussions of other topics.

Which day of the week is the best to meet, and what time is most convenient?

 Would you like to meet in-person, virtually, or in-person with Zoom to create a hybrid meeting?

Please join us on Tuesday, October 11 anytime between 2:00–3:30pm to give your opinions, preferences, and answers to these questions.  

REGISTER TO ATTEND

If you would prefer to give us your ideas by email, please use this address:

[email protected]

We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you to our Rosh Chodesh group.

The WRS Book Club will discuss

Her Hidden Genius

by Marie Benedict

The book selection for November:

November 7 - The Man who Sold Air in the Holy Land 

by Omer Friedlander

2022- 2023 One Bay One Book Selection

REGISTER TO ATTEND



WRS Board Meeting

Tuesday, November 1

7:00pm - 8:30pm on Zoom

Our Board of Directors meetings are the first Tuesday of 

the month and are open to all members. 

Send your name and email to [email protected] if you would like to attend this or future meetings.

WRS continues to recruit members to volunteer with several standing committees within our organization. If you are interested in sharing your talents with Membership, Programming, or Social Justice and Fundraising endeavors, please email your contact details to [email protected]. 

WRS Programming Team and

Social Justice Meeting

Tuesday, October 18

5:30pm - 7:00pm

This Team meets the third Tuesday of the month.

Help us develop and plan virtual programming for the coming months. At our September meeting, we will focus on planning for the Women of Rodef Sholom Shabbat Service. RSVP with your name and email to [email protected], and the Zoom link for the meeting will be emailed to you. If you attend a meeting, you will be added to the distribution list for future meetings. Join us! We are stronger together.

THANK YOU WRS PROGRAMMING TEAM:

Amy Friedricks, Denise Freinkel, Angela Giacomini, Laura J. Giacomini, Antoinette Golbus, Susan Goldwasser, Antoinette Grimes, BettyAnn Kram, Barbara Kraus, Sheri Langer, Jen Levine, Eileen Levy, Alissa Ralston, Fanny Stein.

What led you to get involved with the Women of Rodef Sholom?

I became involved when someone asked me to volunteer at the gift shop. I attended some board meetings as a gift shop representative and then volunteered on other committees.

What is your favorite memory from a Women of Rodef Sholom event?

The retreats are always a special time. Many meaningful memories. Especially Amy leading songs in the round room at Westerbeke.

In one word, what does Women of Rodef Sholom mean to you?

Community

What do you like to do for fun?

Play with my grandchildren

What song or genre of music energizes you? Or What book or poem inspires you?

Solid gold oldies

Who is your favorite Jewish woman and why?

So many. Ann Frank, her faith in humanity, Bella Abzug, her relentless pursuit of women’s rights, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice, Justice. Hannah Senesh, her bravery and fierce determination. Too many more to list  And My paternal grandmother who bore four children in abject poverty as my grandfather worked on the Panama Canal and only came back periodically. There was no furniture. They slept on the floor and were near starvation at times. She managed to raise them mostly as a “single mom”during very dark days.

Judy Frumkin

Co-Vice President of Membership

Judy was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio in a Conservative Jewish household. After meeting her future husband (now of 51 years) at Case-Western Reserve U., they began their lives together in Syracuse, NY. They have 2 sons: Daniel, living in Jackson, WY (with Emma and their 2 children) and Jeremy, living in Truckee, CA (with Sydney and their 2 children). After over 40 years on the east coast—it was time to move west! Michael and Judy live in San Rafael and Jackson, WY.

What led you to get involved with Women of Rodef Sholom? 

After moving to Marin in 2011, I knew that the best way to meet people and become part of the community was to seek a Jewish community. Having been deeply engaged in Reform synagogue life in Syracuse, NY, we immediately made a connection with Congregation Rodef Sholom. Starting with an opening event sponsored by WRS, going to a Women’s Seder, and a running group with Rabbi Elana, I was ‘in’. 

What is your favorite memory from a Women of Rodef Sholom event? 

The WRS Women’s Retreat, with Dan Nichols, leading us in song and prayer in the ‘Round’ house, making healing scarves for our congregation, being together in true ‘sisterhood’. 

In one word, what does Women of Rodef Sholom mean to you? 

Community

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? 

I’m an avid birdwatcher. Since I was 7 years old.

What is something that you do for fun? 

There is not just ‘one’ thing—birdwatching, hanging with the grandchildren, sailing, hiking, skiing, being with girlfriends, a day with a good book.

What song or genre of music energizes you? Or what book(s) or poem(s) inspires you? 

Our family are ‘Deadheads’—Grateful Dead…(our son Daniel produces and plays in a Grateful Dead cover band—The Deadlocks—in Jackson, WY). So many songs. And then there is James Taylor. Mary Oliver poetry—open one of her books, pick a poem—it will resonate the time, place, emotion.

Who is your favorite Jewish woman and why?

My mother—Arlene Cohen—a model for loving-kindness, Chesed, in action. And, my biblical heroine: Judith. Brilliant mind in solving the issue with a bad man…brave and gutsy.

 Read more about Rodef Sholom's social justice activities.

 Congregation Rodef Sholom's website

The Women of Rodef Sholom is a proud member of the Women of Reform Judaism and WRJ Pacific District (WRJ PD). Sign up for the WRJ PD's weekly "Chai Line."

Reform Movement Leaders Denounce the Supreme Court’s Decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Read here

WRJ “Advocacy Matters” Newsletter. Sign up here

WRS received Special Merit recognition on the WRJ Honor roll, for our generous contributions last year to WRJ’s YES (Youth, Education, and Special Projects) Fund.

Marin Organizing Committee (MOC)

Civic Academy

November 2022

MOC’s fall Civic Academy around a Living Wage is taking place in November 2022. More details to follow.

MOC consists of faith-based and nonprofit organizations that are working on social justice issues around renter protection, affordable housing, aging, and mental health within our community. Congregation Rodef Sholom is proud to be one of the founding members of MOC. 

To learn more, contact Judy Bloomberg at [email protected]

Visit the MOC website to learn more.