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The WAVE Newsletter
January 5, 2024 ~ 24 Tevet 5784
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Wishing you and your loved ones a year
of
Peace, Health, and Happiness.
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Dear Central Great Lakes,
Across the globe, we time traveled. An amazing virtual journey across 39 time zones, one country after the next from the Chatham Islands to New Zealand, Australia, China, the United Arab Emirates, and to cities across America. We rode a wave of enthusiastic cheers, punctuated by brilliant fireworks, bells ringing, and car horns blasting. With variations of New York’s iconic crystal ball drops, we signed off on 2023 and landed in 2024!
After that sensory overload, it’s wonderful to simply hear the silence, a stillness and a peace that Elijah once defined as G’d’s calming voice. These still moments after the raucous celebrations are our personal oasis where we can seriously reflect on this year we just welcomed, feel the hope and the possibilities it offers, and realize the good we can create as we fill these fresh pages of our life’s journal.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z”l, notes that every year “we search out new ways of allowing prayer to speak to our souls, learning to our minds, and mitzvot to our lives.” This secular year, 2024, is open to the countless possibilities of these new ways. We need only to seize these opportunities to enable us to shine our light. The operative word is “seize!”
So, we really shouldn’t delay. The new secular year beckons with countless possibilities just waiting for us to discover. Grab those versatile, stylish, must-have slip-on Sketchers, your Apple Watch at the ready to count your first 10,000 steps, your Power Bar of choice, your WL water bottle, and of course, your iPhone, its where you left it, attached to your hip. You’ve got this!
Where do we start? Where’s our map to keep us on a productive pathway? Let’s go to our text!
In this week’s parsha, Sh’mot, a sweeping Cecil B. DeMille-like, narrative, we witness how clarity of purpose can lead to inspired action. Yes, we meet Moses and watch him evolve into a forceful leader, but as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks notes, there is also a counter narrative.
We’re introduced to see six extraordinary women who dared to act with quiet courage and without whom there would not have been a Moses: Yocheved, Moses’ mother; Miriam, his sister; the midwives Shifra and Puah, Pharoah’s daughter, and Tzippora, Moses’s wife. Moved by a deep commitment to do the right thing and an understanding of the consequences if they did nothing, they seized the moment and dared to act.
So, we have some inspirational guidelines for 2024!
If we look closely at our WL and CGLR calendars as well as the wlcj.org website, we can easily chart countless opportunities that are ours to seize -- an amazing array of weekly programs that can enrich our lives and strengthen our resolve to be of service to our community. Let’s check out some of these possibilities.
Coming up today, we have an invitation to attend a Leadership Institute, January 28 – 30 in Boca Raton, FL. Please note: The deadline is today, January 5. (See more information below.)
Let’s keep scrolling through our calendars and the WL website. There are on-going opportunities to learn Hebrew, become a Bat Mitzvah, study, and pray with our sisters in Makom B’Yachad, and attend a master’s class series. There also are opportunities to be part of unique, not-to-be missed programs as well.
Come take a virtual trip to Israel and join us for an informative conversation on the Israeli conflict with our region’s sister kehilah, Hod V’Hadar, Sunday, January 14;
11:00am ET / 10:00am CT. They will also share their amazing efforts to help countless Israelis displaced by the war. RSVP to cglrpresident21@wlcj.org for your zoom link.
Are you keeping up? Hydrate, there’s more…
Consider registering for Kehilah: Navigating Civil Rights: The Journey Begins, Monday, January 15, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and explore the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Registration information can be found below this newsletter.
We’re very excited about our CGLR Spring Conference 2024, Beyond the Eclipse…Sisters Strong; April 7 to 9. Our Sisterhood Affiliate of Adath Israel Congregation in Cincinnati, Ohio, will host. We will install our Officers for 2024-26, celebrate our Valued Volunteers, recognize our Torah Fund awards recipients, honor affiliates’ milestones, provide extraordinary workshops and take in an eclipse along the way! How good is that!
In February, we’re gathering virtually for informal conversations: Affiliate Presidents on Wednesday, February 7, and Membership VP and Chairs on Monday, February 12. Mark your calendars.
And it’s only the beginning of the countless possibilities that are available to help us be all that we can be as Conservative Jewish Women, to be of service to our Jewish community, and to embrace our responsibilities as stewards of our Jewish traditions for the generations that follow us.
So, in the months ahead, let’s agree to keep our Sketchers at the ready, stay hydrated, remain perpetually curious, and seize all the opportunities that will enable us to enhance our life story and make our lives a blessing.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy 2024!
Pam
Pam Schlosberg
CGLR President
cglrpresident21@wlcj.org
847.433.7546 (h); 847.691.8991 (c)
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Very Special CGLR Program
Sunday, January 14
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Important Per Capita News | |
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Reminder: Per Capita due January 10, 2024
If payment was already made, thank you very much.
During this season, we are all thinking about our brothers and sisters in
Israel and hoping for a miracle of peace. WLCJ is our space to be
together as Jewish women as we stand alongside our beloved State of
Israel. Your per capita supports all the programming, education and
guidance that WLCJ provides all its Sisterhood Affiliates and members.
Please make checks payable to:
Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
520 8th Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10018
Thank you for your continued affiliation with Women’s League for Conservative Judaism.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact
Linda Steinhorn ( oralin330@aol.com ) or Janet Kirschner ( jkirschner@wlcj.org )
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We continue to send our prayers for those who suffer in Israel and the Ukraine. | |
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A Prayer for Israel in this Time of War
by Rabbi Naomi Levy
God, our Strength and Protection, we pray for the State of Israel in this
devastating time of war, shock and grief. Our hearts are breaking, God. We pray
for the lives of the innocent civilians who have been heartlessly kidnapped by
Hamas, bring them home, watch over them, God. We pray for the lives of the
soldiers who have been taken captive, we pray for their safe return, shelter them,
God. We pray for the souls of the innocent victims who were brutally slaughtered.
Send comfort and strength, God, to the grieving. Send healing to the injured, and
strength and wisdom to their doctors and nurses. We pray for all our brothers and
sisters in Israel in this time of tragedy and crisis.
Watch over Israel, God, spread Your shelter of peace over the land and over all
our brothers and sisters who live there. Shine Your light upon Israel’s leaders,
officers and advisers, help them to overcome all divisiveness and to act with
clarity and determination. Protect the men and women who defend Israel, let them
be safe and may they be victorious over the Hamas terrorists who attacked our
people. Watch over them, God. Hear their prayers. Bring peace, God. Let it rain
down from the heavens like a mighty storm. Let it wash away all hatred and
bloodshed. Peace, God, please, God.
God of the brokenhearted, God of the living, God of the dead, gather the souls of
the victims into Your eternal shelter. Let them find peace in Your presence, God.
Their lives have ended, but their lights can never be extinguished. May they shine
on us always and illuminate our way.
Amen.
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A Prayer of Peace for the People of Ukraine
by Rabbi Naomi Levy
G-d, our hearts are with all the people of Ukraine,
Its president, Volodymyr Zelensky,
And with our Jewish brothers and sisters in Ukraine
200,000 souls
Who crouch in fear
As the sound of sirens and bombs pierce the air.
Synagogues once filled with songs of celebration
Have become makeshift shelters.
Echoes of the Holocaust reverberate.
The memory of the one and a half million
Martyred Ukrainian Jews.
G-d, we pray that the panic in the streets of Ukraine
Will give way to the sound of children playing,
And the sound of sirens will give way to songs of hope.
We pray that the world community will unite
And cause the Russian army to retreat.
We pray for no more violence
Or bloodshed
And we pray that diplomacy
Will be the path to peace.
Hear our prayers, G-d,
Hear the prayers of the mothers and fathers,
the prayers of the children
longing for safety.
G-d, our Shelter,
Bring peace.
Let it rain down from the heavens like a mighty storm.
Let it wash away all hatred and bloodshed.
Peace, G-d. Please, G-d. Amen.
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Please consider extending a sense of renewed
hope and send our light forward.
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Find more Israel-related resources on
the WLCJ website.
We now have a webpage with all the resources collected. Please go to www.wlcj.org and click on the Resources menu and then on Israel.
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Save the Date Now and Grab Your Sunglasses! | |
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When the sun and moon align in a rare eclipse,
And April winds fill the air --
It’s time to join your CGLR sisters in Cincinnati
For an experience beyond compare!
Central Great Lakes Region
Spring Conference 2024
April 7 – 9
Beyond the Eclipse…Sisters Strong!
Hosted by:
The Affiliate of Adath Israel Congregation,Cincinnati,Ohio
After months of emotional darkness, come join us in the light of our Spring Conference 2024! Together, we’ll strengthen our resilience, sharpen our perspective on the world around us, and stand strong as women of shared values.
Conference Highlights:
- Installation of Officers for 2024-2026
- Recognition and celebration of our Region’s Valued Volunteers, Affiliate Milestone Anniversaries, and Torah Fund Award Recipients
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A unique range of workshops including: a discussion of the book, Genius of Israel, a close look at the duet of music and prayer; a Shabbat candle craft; an examination of the many facets of mental wellness; plus the Jewish traditions surrounding the moon, and so much more.
- An off-site visit to the Holocaust & Humanities Center in Cincinnati,
and we'll experience a rare eclipse, too!
Special Dates:
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Hotel Registration Now Open at Embassy Suites by Hilton Blue Ash and closes March 25
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Conference Registration opens February 14 and closes April 1
Questions – Please contact Conference Co-Chairs:
Marlene Ostrow - mostrow@wlcj.org
Wanda Pitzele – wmpitzele@icloud.com
Join us as we create our dreams, steer our stars, and
take in an eclipse along the way!
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Torah Fund Stands with Israel Program
Sunday, January 21 at 12 PM CT / 1:00 PM ET
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2023-24 Torah Fund Campaign | |
Torah Fund Legacy Society | |
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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!
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Torah Fund supports programs and scholarships for the five Conservatives/Masorti global institutes
of higher education.
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Scan Code
to send E-Cards --->
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BETH EL SISTERHOOD
INVITES THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION
Rosh Chodesh Shevat Program (Zoom Only)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 7PM ET
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MY SOUL IS FILLED WITH JOY: A Holocaust Story
Karen Treiger
After 18 years of practicing law in Seattle, Karen Treiger felt a call to explore the story of her in-laws, Sam and Esther Goldberg. Treiger was educated at Barnard and NYU Law School --where she was editor-in-chief of NYU Law Review. The result of her three-year inquiry is the widely praised book, My Soul is Filled with Joy: A Holocaust Story. Treiger is an accomplished speaker, sharing her story of hope after the Holocaust. She is currently working on a second book about her own family.
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CGLR Archives - We Need Your Help! | |
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We want to spotlight your Affiliate/Sisterhood’s events and programs and give your Affiliate Sisterhood a Shout Out in The WAVE.
Please send us your flyers and photos! And please invite Pam, CGLR President, to join you, too!
Please share your Affiliate's events and programs with us. The next full issue of The WAVE will be published on Friday, January 5, 2024!
Flyers are due by 1:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday, January 2.
Please send your copy to Laurie Davis at LBD715@gmail.com.
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Mi Sheberach
for
Alyssa Volkov, Ariella Ylena bat Rachel Devorah,
is the daughter of Rhonda & Dave Cohn. Rhonda is a Past CGLR President.
and
Ellen Kaner Bresnick, WLCJ Kehilah Co-Chair
We wish them a Refuah Shlemah - a complete and speedy recovery.
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Baruch Dayan HaEmet
for
Corrine Kapor, age 95, passed away on December 19, 2023, beloved wife of the late Leo Kapor, caring sister of Zelda (Louis) Jacobs, Past President of the OK (Ohio-Kentucky) Branch (now CGLR), 1984-1986.
Zelda's home address is 448 Wellesley Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45224.
Mary Lou Bonow Finesilver z"l, of Younstown, Ohio, mother of Marshall (Candace) of Hawaii, Diane and Beth; and the apple of her eye, her granddaughter Katie of Hawaii and was Past President of the former Ohio-Kentucky (OK) Branch now CGLR from 1976-1978.
Harold Veloric z"l, father of Lori Snow, WLCJ Vice President and International Torah Fund Chair. Lori is Immediate Past President of Mid-Atlantic Region and current President of her Sisterhood Affiliate, B'nai Jacob in Phoenixville, PA.
May their memories be for a blessing.
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Shabbat Message: Embracing Renewal and Reflection in the Light of the New Year
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This week, as we step into the new secular year, many of us will use this time for deep reflection and renewal. The shortest day has passed —Shabbat in Washington, D.C. already starts five minutes later than last week — and slowly, the light increases, reminding us of the endless cycle of growth and rebirth. It's a perfect moment to talk about resolutions and self-care, especially in the context of our Jewish traditions and this week’s Parashah.
Shemot, the first Parashah in the book of Exodus, marks a significant transition. It's a story of a new beginning, much like our New Year's resolutions. It speaks of the Israelites' journey from oppression to liberation and prompts us to consider our personal journeys and how we can improve ourselves in the coming year.
In this context, let’s think of our resolutions not just as goals or tasks, but as steps toward personal growth. This is a good opportunity to take a step back and examine challenges that we face. It could be stress and how we react to it, or perhaps we often neglect our own needs while caring for others. This year let's commit to overcoming these difficulties.
For me, self-care is a crucial aspect of this journey. It's often overlooked, but taking care of ourselves enables us to better care for others. As Jewish women, we often juggle roles in our families, communities, and professions. It's easy to forget that to nurture others effectively, we must first nurture ourselves.
Incorporating self-care into our daily lives is essential. It could be something as simple as meditating, taking a few minutes each day to breathe deeply, or engaging in a hobby that brings us joy. Remember, self-care isn't selfish; it's fundamental to our well-being, and allows us to be a better friend, spouse, parent, and colleague.
The winter solstice is a reminder of the power of light and the importance of patience. Just as the days slowly become brighter, our efforts towards self-improvement and care will gradually illuminate our lives. It teaches us that growth is an incremental process, and that's okay.
As we embark on this new year, let's embrace the lessons from Shemot. Let's embrace change and be courageous in overcoming our fears, insecurities, or old habits. Let's be like Moses, who, despite his initial reluctance, rose to lead and embrace his role in the liberation of his people. We too can lead and inspire in our own lives, in big and small ways.
Later this month, 25 women will move forward on their personal journeys at the first Women’s League Leadership Institute in four years. The training in this program has been instrumental to the growth and development of so many women. I cannot recommend it highly enough. There is still space available if you would like to make that choice for yourself and join us.
Register for WL Leadership Institute---FILLED
I wish all of you strength, patience, and light in all your endeavors. May your resolutions carry you forward and may your self-care practices fill you with renewed energy and joy. Here's to a year of growth, learning, radiance, and peace!
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Shabbat Shalom and Happy New Year!
Julia Loeb
WLCJ International President
jloeb@wlcj.org
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from WL Week
Tuesday, January 3, 2024| 22 Tevet 5784
To see the entire WL Week email, click here!
The website calendar is updated on a regular basis.
For upcoming calendar events, click here!
To read the Weekly Words of Torah from
Rabbi Margie Cella, WLCJ Educator, click here.
To read Rabbi Ellen's Reflections on the
Masorti Leadership Solidarity Mission to Israel, click here.
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Monday, January 15 at 6:30PM CT/ 7:30PM ET | |
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Navigating Civil Rights: The Journey Begins
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
Please join us on Monday, January 15, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as we explore the history of the Civil Rights Movement taking place in the 1950s and 1960s. It was an organized effort by Black Americans to end racial discrimination and gain equal rights under the law. Many people of conscience, from all races and faiths, including the Jewish community, were a part of this movement.
This is the second program in a series that will examine in depth the Civil Rights Movement. Each program is a standalone program which can be attended individually or as part of the series. At the end of the series Women’s League will sponsor the trip Voices of Change: A WLCJ Civil Rights Pilgrimage. ALL WLCJ members are invited to attend these programs, regardless of whether they intend to participate in the trip.
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January 20, 2024
10 Shevat 5784 –
Parashat Bo
Each year, the members of Affiliated Sisterhoods celebrate the 1918 founding of Women’s League by Mathilde Schechter with a special Shabbat service. Women’s League provides readings, divrei Torah, and suggestions to help create a meaningful commemoration and Shabbat experience
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Leadership Institute
Sunday, January 28 - Tuesday, January 30, 2024
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Women’s League for Conservative Judaism – committed to developing skilled and dedicated leaders – invites you to attend an inspiring Leadership Institute that will expand your skills as a leader and enhance your knowledge as a Jewish woman while strengthening your connection to Women’s League, your sisterhood, your community, and Klal Yisrael.
Join International President Julia Loeb, Executive Director Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields and Lead Trainer Carol Simon at our FIRST LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE IN FOUR YEARS ON
JANUARY 28-30, 2024,
AT B’NAI TORAH CONGREGATION,
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE?
A multi-day workshop that will enhance your personal style of communication with interactive exercises and role-playing. Discover tips and techniques for using language that motivates, stimulates and encourages women to volunteer.
An opportunity to network with other women, master goal setting, time management and team building. Learn the secret of keeping yourself challenged.
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WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS?
The Leadership Institute’s unique format allows participants to build a personal program to expand Jewish knowledge and leadership skills.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
$299 includes materials, programming, and meals. This fee does not include hotel or transportation to B’nai Torah.
Registration for the hotel ranges from $249-$279 + tax per night, double occupancy.
The learning and sense of community created during the Institute comes both from the shared experiences during the formal program and the unstructured time together at the hotel. To facilitate this, we strongly urge local participants to stay with the rest of the group at the hotel.
Your Region, Sisterhood/Affiliate or your rabbi might have scholarship money to help cover these costs. Don’t forget to ask!
Register by January 5!--Filled
Space is limited and fills up quickly.
Our next Leadership Institute will be held in July 2024 on the West Coast (exact dates and location TBA)
The leadership Institute team,
Carol Simon
Margie Miller
Debbie Lempert
Illene Rubin
EMAIL
irubin@wlcj.org
Illene Rubin
Leadership Institute Logistics Chair
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For WLCJ Individual Members
חג שמח
SAVE THE DATE
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
7:30 p.m. Eastern Time Zone
Individual Members
In Conversation
A Virtual Meeting
The first of a series of virtual events to create connections!
REGISTER
Gift a Women's League Individual Membership to a friend/family!
GIFT A WLCJ MEMBERSHIP
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Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
11:00 AM CT / 12:00 Noon ET
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/630830287
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
Password: 875936
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Want to sing, teach, help with technology, and more during
Daily Psalm Study, and Kaddish?
Sign up here to lead a part in Makom B'Yachad.
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SAVE THE DATES
WL Reads programs
coming up:
The Choice by Maggie Anton
Sunday, February 11, 2024, 1 PM ET
Exile Music by Jennifer Steile
Date and Time TBA
Karen Block
WL Reads Chair
kblock@wlcj.org
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Key to Calendar:
CGLR Events
WLCJ Events
Affiliate Events
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2024
Sunday, January 7 - Congregation Beth El Ner Tamid, WI - Teen Conversation on Anti-Semitism - 5:30pm CT / 6:30pm ET
Sunday, January 14 - CGLR's Kehillah, Hod V' Hadar - A Conversation with our Sisters helping Israeli's displaced by the Gaza War. - 10:00am CT /11:00am ET
Wednesday, January 10 - CGLR Board of Directors Meeting - 7:00pm CT / 8:00pm ET
Wednesday, January 10 - Beth El Congregation Sisterhood of the South Hills, PA - Rosh Chodesh Shevat Program, My Soul is Filled with Joy: A Holocaust Story by Karen Treiger - 6:00pm CT / 7:00pm ET (Zoom Only)
Monday, January 15 - WL Kehilah - Navigating Civil Rights:The Journey Begins - 6:30pm CT / 7:30pm ET (Zoom)
Saturday, January 20 / 10 Shevat 5784 – WL Shabbat Parashat Bo
Sunday, January 21 - Torah Fund Stands with Israel Program - 12:00 noon CT / 1:00pm ET (Zoom)
Sunday - Tuesday, January 28 - 30 - WL Leadership Institute, Boca Raton, Florida
(in person)
Wednesday, January 31 - WLCJ Individual Member Conversation - 6:30pm CT/ 7:30pm ET (Zoom)
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Wednesday, February 7 - Ezra Habonim Niles Township Jewish Center Book Discussion, Poisoned Passover by Susan van Dusen - 1:00pm CT / 2:00pm ET (Zoom)
Sunday, February 11- WL Reads "The Choice" by Maggie Anton - 12:00pm CT / 1:00pm ET (Zoom)
Wednesday, February 14 - Registration opens for CGLR Spring Conference, Beyond the Eclipse
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Central Great Lakes Region Board | | | | |
