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Dear Friends;

What drama we have in this week’s Parashah, Ki Tisa. It begins with the collection of a half shekel, from every adult male, which served as a census of the people. We also learn of the final details for the completion of the Sanctuary including the special oils, incense, spices, furnishings and artistic accoutrements needed for the service. The parashah then describes two of the most powerful stories and images in the Torah - the incident of the Golden Calf and Moses’ breaking of the Tablets containing the Ten Commandments. It is hard not to conjure up those images in Cecil B. DeMille’s depiction of these events in the movie The Ten Commandments. Moses had left the people to ascend Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God. He was on the mountain for forty days and nights but the Israelites, feeling abandoned, panicked when left alone. They persuade Aaron to fashion an idol in the shape of a Golden Calf, in order to have a tangible god to worship through sacrifices, dancing and merriment. God tells Moses this is a “stiffnecked people”. “Now, let Me be, that My anger may blaze forth against them and that I may destroy them, and make of you a great nation” (Ex 32:9) But Moses argues with God and entreats him not to destroy the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

When Moses comes down the mountain and sees what the people are doing, he is the one who blazes with anger. He smashes the Tablets, burns the calf, grinds it into dust, mixes it with water and makes the people drink it. He commands the Levites to punish the wrongdoers and then re-ascends the mountain where God creates a new set of tablets and where Moses again pleads for his people. “If I have gained Your favor, O Lord, pray, let the Lord go in our midst, even though this is a stiffnecked people. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own!” (Ex 34:9) Eventually, God does forgive the people, and Moses returns, with a second set of tablets, unaware that his face is now radiant.

I am intrigued by this term ‘stiffnecked’, as was Rabbi Yitzchak Nissenbaum z"l. The argument, paraphrased by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l, that Rabbi Nissenbaum attributed to Moses was as follows:

“Almighty God, look upon this people with favor, because what is now their greatest vice will one day be their most heroic virtue. They are indeed an obstinate people… But just as now they are stiffnecked in their disobedience, so one day they will be equally stiffnecked in their loyalty. Nations will call on them to assimilate, but they will refuse. Mightier religions will urge them to convert, but they will resist. They will suffer humiliation, persecution even torture and death because of the name they bear and the faith they profess, but they will stay true to the covenant their ancestors made with You. They will go to their deaths saying Ani ma’amin, “I believe”. This is a people awesome in its obstinacy – and though now it is their failing, there will be times far into the future when it will be their noblest strength.”

It is striking to me just how accurate Moses’ foretelling seemed to be. We, as a people have throughout history refused to assimilate, refused to convert and we continue to do so to this day. Chazak, Chazak, v’Nitchazek, - Be Strong, Be Strong, May We Be Strengthened… B’Yachad, Together.

SAVE THE DATE:

Our next INR region program will be on March 9, 2022 at 7:30pm. This will be an enlightening presentation, on “Jewish Gangsters in America”. See our flyer below for details and to register for the Zoom invitation.

And be sure to "Save the Date" for our Virtual Spring Conference on Sunday June 12, 2022! The Conference Committee is hard at work planning a wonderful day full of great sessions and speakers for us all.

GOOD AND WELFARE

Wishing a Refuah Sheleimah to Rachel Anderson, President of Women's Network of Temple Beth Tzedek in Buffalo, NY.

Shabbat Shalom,

Marilyn Cohen, INR President

[email protected]

To date, our region’s contributions to the 2021-2022 B’Yachad campaign has reached nearly $20,000! Thank you to all who have donated. All contributions, large and small, b’yachad, together, make a difference for the students in the five seminaries of the Conservative/Masorti movement.

Of course, we continue to have available the traditional ways to donate to Torah Fund. For those who prefer to write a check/cheque, please be sure to send payment to your local Torah Fund chair. To share times of joy and sorrow, paper cards remain available. Again, contact your local Torah Fund chair to obtain cards.

For those who prefer to make donation or send cards online, there are now two platforms available:

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

In Canada: https://torahfundecards.jtsa.edu/canadian/

Please note that the Canadian platform requires that you first send an ecard for $5 and then you will be able to make an additional donation, if you so desire. Immediate tax receipts are emailed to you. These receipts are acceptable to each country’s taxing authority. If you need help, let me know. I can walk you through the steps of online giving.

Torah Fund is much more than just our giving today. Our dollars today educate our future rabbis, cantors, scholars, and educators. However, we can ensure that Torah Fund exists well into the future by participating in the Torah Fund Legacy Society. No gift is too small and, certainly, no gift is too large! For more information: Torah Fund Legacy Society - Jewish Theological Seminary (jtsa.edu)

Questions? Problems? Contact me:

Linda Boxer

INR Torah Fund VP

[email protected]

presents

HELENE HERMAN on:

But They Were Good to Their Mothers:

Jewish Gangsters in America

Wednesday March 9, 2022 @ 7:30 PM

This lecture addresses a seldom-covered aspect of the darker side of the immigrant experience, delving into the rise and fall of Jewish gangsters who dominated crime from the 1920’s until the end of WW2. Beyond exploring famous crime figures (e.g., Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky) and organizations (e.g., Murder Inc., The Brownsville Boys), we will learn about some lesser known but quite fascinating characters.

email Adele Weinstein @ [email protected] by 12 PM on 3/9/2022 to register

Helene Herman recently retired as President of a 400+ member lifelong learning club. She is a lecturer for adult learning programs at multiple universities on a variety of historical and cultural topics. Helene has over 30 years of executive experience in global marketing, and holds a B.A. in Anthropology from NYU. She is the Sisterhood President at Temple Beth Torah Sha’aray Tzedek in Tamarac, Florida.

Helene generously offers her lectures to affiliates of Women’s League for no fee. All she asks in exchange is that we make donations to Torah Fund, the dedicated philanthropy of Women's League for Conservative Judaism. INR, as a region, will be making a donation in Helene's name. If you wish to voluntarily contribute as well: In the US, you can donate online here. In Canada please mail donations to: Jewish Theological Society, 100 Elder Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5G7. Be sure to include the name of your local affiliate for proper credit.

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

What: A Few Good People!

For: The INR Communications Team!

Requirements: Prior experience working with Constant Contact is not absolutely necessary but is a plus - training will be provided.

If you are interested or know of someone who might be a good “fit”, please contact Joan Lowenstein at [email protected].

Thank You!

For more information/registration, see the detailed fliers below.

Or - click anywhere on the calendar and it will take you to the WL Week where you can "click" on each individual program!

TUESDAY,

MARCH 29TH

7:30 PM - 8:30 PM 

KICKOFF EVENT

Questions?

Contact

Corinne Hammerschlag

Environment Co-Chair

[email protected]

or

Lymor Wasserman

Environment Co-Chair

[email protected]

Cory Schneider

Archives Chair and Consultant

[email protected]

Tel. 717-574-1807

Women’s League Archives: Join Us in Our Quest!

Exciting things are happening with our Women’s League archives. The Board of Women’s League voted to permanently loan our archives to the Jewish Theological Seminary. This is fabulous since it will insure our historical items will be stored and catalogued properly and will be more accessible to our members as well as the public.

During the next few months, we will be transferring all of our archival material (and there is a lot) to JTS. And you can help! We want to make sure we have everything needed from Women’s League international, our branches and regions to tell our story. Do you have hidden away somewhere meeting minutes, branch/region directories, brochures, newsletters, event information, memorabilia, creative handcrafts? Photographs?

We are asking you to search through your files, albums and boxes of materials and gather them together. Please label the pictures with a date, what event, who the people are, and where are they. Please label other items with their story (if not told in the item). Then send it on to Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields at 627 Bowne Road, Ocean Township, NJ 07712. For questions, contact Cory Schneider.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Also, watch for information on three new How to Live Forever zoom presentations: Collecting and Organizing Your Sisterhood Archives, Collecting and Organizing Your Region Archives, and Writing Your Organization’s Story.

Upon reading the Women's Health Resolution, please cast your VOTE. To vote, click on the button below and it'll take you to a doodle website. 

All you need to input is your name and email to cast your vote.

Karen Cuker

Public Policy & Resolutions Co-Chair

[email protected]

Marlene Oslick

Public Policy & Resolutions Co-Chair

[email protected]

To the Membership of WLCJ,

PLEASE VOTE!

The Resolutions and Public Policy Committee has approved the following Women’s Health Resolution (2022). This resolution passed the WLCJ Executive Committee and was offered to our membership for comment in WL Week. The Resolutions Committee, which drafted this resolution, reviewed all the member comments and made some changes and clarifications which the committee deemed appropriate and which enhanced the spirit of the resolution. 

Now we are asking the 40,000 members of WLCJ to vote yes or no on this resolution. If passed, this resolution becomes an official position of Women’s League and a part of our historical archive. 

Further, our hope is that our Sisterhoods will develop programming and projects inspired by this resolution.

Please take a moment to read the WLCJ Women’s Health Resolution (2022) and VOTE.

Thank you,

Marlene Oslick and Karen Cuker,

Public Policy & Resolutions Co-Chairs

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

For more information: [email protected]

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

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

12 PM Noon 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                      

Dial by your location: 

+1 929 205 6099 US (New York); 

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose); 

+1 647 558 0588 (Canada); 

+972 55 330 1762 (Israel); or

find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abkdqsxzJq

WOW Merchandise

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

Four Mothers - $250

Garden of Eden - $225

Spirit of Israel - $250

Siddur - $36

Challah Cover - same design as our Garden of Eden tallit - $72

our copy should address

Tell us about YOUR Sisterhood 

event coming up!

The Transformative Power of Grief; Our Opening Season; Torah Study in Our Beit Midrash; and More

Only a few spots left for February in-person art classes

Schechter's Winter 2022 Hybrid and Zoom Courses

More events, go to: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/upcoming-events/

INR of Women's League for Conservative Judaism