The WAVE Newsletter

February 2, 2024 ~ 23 Shevat 5784

Am Yisrael Chai!

President's Message

Dear Central Great Lakes,

I love Shabbat! It’s a gift that becomes more precious as life becomes more complicated because it allows us to embrace time and just be.

However, preparing for Shabbat, I’m not yet in that quiet state of mind. My mind plays the week's events here and in Israel like a video on a loop. I can still hear the inspiring survival stories that our sisters in our region’s Kehillah in Hod v’ Hadar shared two weeks ago with us. I wonder how they’re preparing for Shabbat; what is their mind replaying?

How are you holding up as you prepare for Shabbat? How are you responding to the drum beat of breaking news flashes on the war with Hamas or those special Inside News Reports giving an in-depth coverage to antisemitic gatherings in college classrooms or those spontaneous protests that appear even on major highways?

Breaking News is numbing no matter how often it intrudes. And it does intrude.

Trying to understand what’s happening in this world turned upside down and sideways is not easy, especially with antisemitism coloring our world with a black magic marker everywhere we turn. Antisemitism is not new, but its intensity is something we haven’t experienced in decades. The stories we hear and news updates we see are more like a re-release of the Jewish version of Groundhog Day, this time with improved audio/technical capabilities to intensify their impact.

Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue in NY points out that today’s challenges are firmly anchored in the past. Viewed together, they can provide a prism through which we see the present and provide a direction into the future. Let’s test this out.

Rabbi Cosgrove began his back-to-the-future trip with a stop in the early 60’s, when a swastika epidemic raged throughout Europe. It began when a newly rededicated synagogue in Cologne, Germany had swastikas and antisemitic graffiti splashed across its walls. Not long after that, synagogues were vandalized across Europe, South Africa, and more. According to an account in James Loeffler’s book, Rooted Cosmopolitans: Jews and Human Rights in the Twentieth Century, there were 2,500 incidents in over forty countries.

A flurry of activity followed. The World Jewish Congress called for a UN resolution condemning “manifestations of antisemitism.” A resolution was written but without mentioning antisemitism! Zionists were accused of engineering the whole swastika epidemic. The UN relentlessly assaulted Israel. And the world couldn’t accept the reality of a Jewish State at the ready to stand up for itself.

Round and round we go. Does any of this sound strangely familiar?

Glancing back reveals that today’s reality of challenges is a sort of continuum that may not allow us to quiet our minds. We see antisemitism and unrest throughout history. What we also recognize from this prism is how differently these challenges reveal themselves today. There is an intensity; voices of hatred are amplified in surround-sound by social media; the drum beat of news is deafening,

But, ever-hopeful, we can ask, What’s next? What can we do?

As Jewish women, the past is a call to action. It’s a call for us to be mentally agile so that we can pivot in a moment, respond to those life challenges that change in the blink of an eye and, most importantly, respond to those in need. It’s acting on the inspirational message our sisters shared in Hod ‘v Hadar – to do. The past encourages us to live life as a verb today. Nothing is new. It’s how we respond to “what’s next?”

Our responsibility is to be strong and ready to be present. It‘s what we are doing for those struggling in Israel now, it’s our outreach to the women of our sister kehillah, Hod v’ Hadar. Our support, they said, gave them strength. Our presence and caring gave them resilience.

The strength we have together, remembering our shared commitment to be of service, to be stewards of our beautiful heritage, and to make a difference is who we are. It’s how we embody the essence of this year's Women's League and Torah Fund theme: Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Ba Zev - we are responsible for one another. It’s what we are doing next. And remembering all of this is a beautiful way to prepare for Shabbat!

So, breathe bravely, quiet your mind, and make each day one of purpose and blessing.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Shabbat Shalom,

Pam

Pam Schlosberg

CGLR President

cglrpresident21@wlcj.org

847.433.7546 (h); 847.691.8991 (c)

Can We Talk?

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. 

Dear Sisters,

I just came home from Women’s League for Conservative Judaism’s Leadership Institute. It was an amazing time where I was able to make new friends and really do some introspective examination of what was important to me and how I would like to grow my leadership skills. During that time, we talked about what kind of legacy we would like to leave behind. When I think of my legacy, I want people to remember the importance of helping our community and the world we live in. One part of my community is my synagogue community and within it making sure we have wonderful spiritual leadership as well as Jewish educators. Giving to Torah Fund each year helps make sure that our future Jewish leaders have the scholarship money they need to obtain the education needed for these positions. I wanted my Torah Fund gifts to continue even after I was no longer part of this world, and I did this by joining Torah Fund’s Legacy society. 

Torah Funds Legacy Society was formed four years ago to help with the continuous giving even after one has left this earth. One can do this by making Torah Fund a benefactor of your IRA, life insurance policy, or an Israel bond. You could also make a bequest from your will or trust. It is best to consult your financial advisor or attorney. Just remember there is no gift that is too big or too small. After you decide, you will need to fill out a Bequest Confirmation form. Once the Torah Fund office receives your form they will send you an “Atid” (meaning future) charm to hang from your Torah Fund pin.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Shabbat Shalom

Rebecca Goldwasser, CGLR Vice President of Torah Fund

rebeccatorahfund@gmail.com

Torah Fund eCards

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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, February 16, 2024!

Flyers are due by 1:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday, February 13.

Please send your copy to Laurie B. Davis at LBD715@gmail.com.

I've been thinking a lot about strangers lately. Maybe it is because we are reading the Exodus story where the prophesy made to Abraham--that his descendants will be strangers in a foreign land--has been fulfilled. Now the Israelites have crossed the Reed Sea and are standing at the foot of Sinai to receive the Torah. Next week we read Mishpatim where one of the laws enumerated is that we should not "ill-treat a stranger or oppress him for [we] were strangers in Egypt." Or maybe it is because the news is filled concerns about "strangers” here in the U.S. and abroad (including about those who want to treat Jews as strangers who do not belong in Israel).

I wanted to share two stories that I read recently about how to treat and respect those oft-ignored strangers in our everyday lives. The first is from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z’’l, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain. He tells of how he often hosted dinner parties for dignitaries within and outside the Jewish community. At the end of the dinners, the guests often came up to him and his wife to thank their hosts, but one guest asked to be allowed to go into the kitchen to thank those who made and served his meal. This guest was John Major, a former British Prime Minister. 

The second story comes from Walter Bettinger, CEO of Charles Schwab. He talks about one of the important lessons he learned in a business strategy course in college. He had spent many hours studying for the final exam so that he could maintain his 4.0 average. When he arrived at the exam, the professor handed out a single piece of paper face down. When they were allowed to do so, the students turned the paper over. The other side was blank too. The professor said, "I've taught you everything I can teach you about business in the last 10 weeks, but the most important message, the most important question, is this: What's the name of the lady who cleans this building?"

This was the only exam Mr. Bettinger ever failed. The name of the cleaning woman was Dottie. He had seen her many times but had never taken the time to ask her name. He concludes his story with the lesson he learned: "It was just a great reminder of what really matters in life, and that you should never lose sight of people who do the real work."

Are there any "Dotties" in your community, your Sisterhood? Do you know the name of the custodian or security guard at your synagogue? The barista at Starbucks who serves you coffee? The woman who comes to Shabbat services and sits by herself in the last row? Often, as the saying goes, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.

I have been traveling the past few weeks and have met with members of our Sisterhood affiliates in Massachusetts and Connecticut and the East and West coasts of Florida. At each stop, I met many women whom I had never met before, but then became friends. Each stop involved much planning and organization and I so appreciate all the dedicated, kind women who made that happen.

On Sunday afternoon, 27 Women’s League members walked into B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, Florida for our first Leadership Institute in four years. Many of them were strangers at the beginning, but by the time they left on Tuesday, they had a strong bond and were planning how to stay connected and when they could see each other again. 

Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.

Take some time this week to get to know some of these people that you see every day who work hard to make your life easier and take some time to make a friend out of a stranger.

Shabbat Shalom!

Julia Loeb

WLCJ International President

jloeb@wlcj.org

from WL Week

Tuesday, January 30, 2024| 20 Shevat5784

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.

“Inside each of us is a natural-born storyteller, waiting to be released.” (Robin Moore) Join us when award winning storyteller, author, and teaching artist Judy Sima teaches us how to unleash our natural born storytelling skills. Some consider her to be the “Pied Piper of Storytelling in Metro Detroit”. Other people call her the “Fairy Godmother of Storytelling.” In this highly interactive, fun filled 90-minute workshop, Judy will gently guide participants through a series of exercises to help bring cherished memories to life and capture family or personal stories before they disappear.

Beginning with a list of memory joggers and an imaginary “snapshot,” participants work with partners to create stories to share with family, grandkids or as a springboard for writing their memoirs. A list of story starters and materials supply list will be provided when you register. 

Fran Hildebrandt

fhildebrandt@wlcj.org

WL Kehilah Co-Chair

Sisters in Faith: Advocating for Civil Rights 

“Even in the civil rights movement, there were so many unbelievable women. They never, ever received the credit that they should have received. They did all of the, and I cannot say it, they did all of the dirty work. Hard work.” — John Lewis

Who were those sisters in faith? What was their involvement in the Civil Rights Movement? Please join us on Thursday, February 8th, as we explore the activism of women during the 50s and 1960s as they worked toward a shared goal of equality. Explore with us the effect/s of Jewish and Black women activists of the movement then and now.

This is the third of four programs in a series that has been examining 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.

Fran Hildebrandt

fhildebrandt@wlcj.org

WL Kehilah Co-Chair

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.

Please join us to our next WL Reads selection, “The Choice” by Maggie Anton.

A powerful love story with a purpose: to challenge Jewish customs concerning women, marriage, and equality.

The award-winning author of "Rashi's Daughters", Maggie Anton, has written a wholly transformative novel that takes characters inspired by Chaim Potok and ages them into young adults in Brooklyn in the 1950s — a time of Elvis and Marilyn, communist scares and polio vaccines, postwar Jewish migration to Israel and America.

When journalist Hannah Eisin interviews Rabbi Nathan Mandel, a controversial Talmud professor, she persuades him to teach her the mysteries of the text forbidden to women though it might cost him his job if discovered. Secret meetings and lively discussions bring the two to the edge of a line neither dares to cross, testing their relationships with Judaism and each other.

Karen Block

WL Reads Chair

kblock@wlcj.org

Key to Calendar:

CGLR Events

WLCJ Events

Affiliate Events

Monday, February 5 - WL Kehillah: Turning Your Memories into Treasured Stories- 6:30PM CT/ 7:30PM ET (Zoom)

Wednesday, February 7 - Affiliate Presidents Chat with Pam - 7:00PM CT / 8:00PM ET (Zoom)

Wednesday, February 7 - Ezra Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation 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)

Monday, February 12 - Membership VP Chat with Gilda - 7:00PM CT / 8:00PM ET (Zoom)

Wednesday, February 14 - Registration opens for CGLR Spring Conference, Beyond the Eclipse

March

Laurie B. Davis

Communication VP/ The WAVE Editor