October 6, 2023 ~ 20 Tishrei 5784

Chag Sameach Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

President's Message

Dear Central Great Lakes,

What is: 366 feet tall, 516 feet wide, fits 20,000 guests, features a 580,000 square foot LED exterior, and has an interior with over 160,000 speakers that immerse you in the moment? Additional clues: Within the entire hollowed out area, you can fit the Statue of Liberty, base to torch. Its exterior glows in the dark with a panorama of shapes that

includes a smiley emoji!

No, this is not a riddle or a groan-eliciting Dad Joke. Want to guess?

The Answer: It’s the Sphere, the newest marvel in Las Vegas and promoted as a once-in-a lifetime adventure. Depending on the event, for an admission fee that can range from $45 to $950, you’re promised a life-changing, immersive, two-hour experience!

While visitors are flocking to this massive bauble in search of a life-changing

experience, pause and circle back with me to a moment in contrast. It’s brought to you

by the beauty of our Jewish tradition. Let’s walk back to our sukkahs.

Here for the past week, we enthusiastically intertwined our lives with this fragile

structure as we embraced the mitzvot of dwelling in booths. And in so doing, we found a personal, immersive space where we could pause before the year moves into a full

swing, not-stop, ever-forward gear; a place to reflect, to look at the stars, and to have

those life-changing “Ah hah” moments. And in recreating the impermanent existence of

the Israelites in the wilderness, we were made aware once more, of life’s delicate,

unpredictable nature.

Unlike the Sphere, our hut-like structure didn’t take years to construct – only a few

hours, unless you’re hammer and nail challenged. Unlike the Sphere’s extraordinary

design, our succah required only 2.5 walls, which weren’t permanent, and a roof of

organic material (S’chah) to provide shade during the day and allow us to see the stars

at night. Nothing extraordinary or luxurious – this temporary dwelling of ours.

That’s okay – we’re supposed to be a bit uncomfortable. Paradoxically, we’re also

prompted to be happy, “…You shall rejoice in the festival…and you shall be akh

sameah, “only (or exclusively) joyous.” (Deuteronomy 16:13-15). 

This is one of the reasons each succah reflects the artful skillset of family and friends

who decorated the entryway, walls, and tables. We’ll find everything from banners,

Israel posters, and hand-crafted objects created from gourds, fruit, and autumn leaves

to lights and bright, multi-colored paper garlands. These interiors will never be featured

in the pages of Architectural Digest, yet the total effect is magical, light, and engaging.

Even now as we count down to Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, we linger a bit

longer in the sukkah as a place to center our joy, z’man simhateinu. The challenge this

year is to enter these last chagim and the days forward with joy.

The vulnerabilities of our existence: wars, natural disasters, social unrest, and the pain and suffering that follow in their wake, make it challenging to find any joyous chord. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove advises, however, that it’s precisely because of the uncertainly of the day-to-day that we need to embrace life for all it has to offer, to be ever-aware of, and to be grateful for, each moment – especially when life gives us no promises.

So, how do we respond to life’s realities? How we live our lives in the next year, the year after that, and the year after that, is up to each of us. As Conservative Jewish women and as part of CGLR and WL, the opportunities that we have to live a life of purpose and be all that we can be each day is always within our reach.

Please take a few moments to read through this newsletter. Keep your calendar at the

ready so that you enter what you want to participate in. Below, you can find a world of programs and events that enable you to: study Hebrew, learn to read the siddur, attend master classes -- this year on Women's Voices raised in text from Tanakh to Modern Madras, connect with our sisters in Israel and with the Women of the Wall, engage in social action /social justice initiatives from antisemitism to sustainability, and so much more.

Check out CGLR’s opening program on Sunday October 15: Barbie and the

Empowerment of Women in CGLR Leadership. Come, be a part of the discussion; join

a workshop; register!

In a world of uncertainty, we have choices every moment: to find hope in joy, to

embrace opportunities, to grow as leaders, to make a difference, and to enjoy the

unique friendship that is born of shared values. We have opportunities to BE and to DO

and to SING our song together. It’s a good thing!

May the new year bless us with the courage and strength to seize each day, to lead a

life of service, and make our lives a blessing.

Chag Sameach & Shabbat Shalom,

Pam

Pam Schlosberg

CGLR President

cglrpresident21@wlcj.org

847.433.7546 (h); 847.691.8991 (c)

We invite you to come and explore the issues raised through an unexpected source - this summer’s blockbuster movie, Barbie. 



Beneath this modern Barbie’s deep pink plastic coating, we discovered some rather serious, unexpectedly weighty issues: 

·       How do we value ourselves?

·       Why is it important for us to know our value, to recognize our value and to be recognized as valued? 

These are serious, persistent issues that we now read about in diverse platforms, from Forbes Magazine to books on the New York Times Recommended Read Lists.

As part of CGLR, this value challenge impacts everything we do and every interaction we have, whether as members-at-large or as members with a formal leadership title and portfolio. We’re all in this together.

So, let’s talk about all of this on Sunday, October 15!

We have a dynamic program at-the-ready for you.

· Keynote speaker, Margie Miller, Co-Chair Leadership Institute, WLCJ International Past President

· Workshops for VPs of: Education/Program, Membership and Torah Fund

· Workshop for Affiliate Sisterhood Presidents

· Leadership Workshop for all CGLR members, led by Carol Simon, Co-Chair Leadership Institute, WLCJ International Past President

Check out the flyer below and register today, and get ready for an amazing evening of new ideas to make the year ahead successful.

Affiliate Sisterhood Presidents Coffee Chat with Pam

Wednesday, October 11

7:00 pm CT / 8:00 pm ET

Grab a cup of coffee and let's just talk for a bit. I would love to hear about how things are going and share some things going on in region.

Please let me know if you can join the chat.

RSVP: cglrpresident21@wlcj.org

Dear Sisters,

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday of Sukkot. It happens to be one of my favorite holidays. I love the fall, decorating the Sukkah, and having friends and family over to eat in our Sukkah. It is hard to believe that all the fall holidays will be over on Sunday at sundown. Then it will be time to buckle down and begin all our hard work for Torah Fund, our Sisterhoods, and other organizations that we are involved in. This coming week we have two programs for Torah Fund.-

Monday October 9^th is our next Torah Fund Stands with Israel program at 8:00 PM/ ET. These programs talk about what is going on in Israel and shows how Torah Fund supports Israel. See the flier below to register for the program. Next is our region’s opening program next Sunday October 15^th at 7:30 PM/ET. It is called Barbie and the Empowerment of Women in CGLR Leadership with Margie Miller past president for WLCJ as our keynote speaker. We will then have breakout sessions with one of them being Torah Fund training. I hope all affiliate Vice Presidents of Torah Fund or anyone who would like to learn more about Torah Fund will attend. We will discuss the nuts and bolts of Torah Fund and hopefully have time to discuss ideas for different kinds of Torah Fund events. Please bring any questions or suggestions to this session. See the flier to register and then choose Torah Fund as your breakout session.

I hope everyone enjoys the end of the holidays and has a great time dancing with the Torahs this weekend.



Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

Rebecca Goldwasser

CGLR VP of Torah Fund

rebeccatorahfund@gmail.com

Torah Fund eCards

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!

Torah Fund supports programs and scholarships for the five Conservatives/Masorti global institutes

of higher education.

New Scan Code --->

CGLR Affiliates - We want to shine this spotlight on you!

Please share your Affiliate's events and programs with us. The next full issue of The WAVE will be published on Friday, October 27. 

Flyers are due by 1:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday, October 24.

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

We mourn the passing of

Dr. Alice Shalvi , age 96,

called the mother of religous feminism in Israel,

who died on October 2,2023.

***************

We mourn the passing of

Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein,

a trailblazing U. S. Senator form California,

who died on September 29, 2023

***************

We mourn the passing of

Jason Gary Grossman z"l,

husband of Penny Grossman. 

Penny was a Past President of the former New England Branch and is a current member of the Torah Fund Cabinet. 

Messages of condolence may be sent to Penny at pennygrossman116@gmail.com.

We extend our condolences to the Shalvi, Feinstein and Grossman families and pray that they will be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

CGLR Convention Kippah to Wear Proudly!

This special Convention Kippah is made by our very own Wanda Pitzele, an award winning Master Bead artist. The stunning beads beautifully capture the blue of our CGLR logo. Only 90 will be made because the beads are no longer being made and the

color will remain irreplaceable!

These truly are one-of-a kind - just like CGLR! And,

they're truly a treasure - just like all of our CGLR Sisters!

Priority will be given to in-person CGLR delegates.

Our cost is $40 each,

Your purchase will help to support CGLR's Scholarship Fund.

These Kippot are Wanda's own design. She is a cherished artist, supplying many of WLCJ Affiliates' Judaica Shops for decades with her unique design and colors!

To order:

Email Wanda at: wanda.pitzele@icloud.com.

Payment: Either send your check (made payable to "CGLR") to Wanda Pitzele at 2885 Parkwalk Drive, Cincinnati OH 45239

or

"Zelle" your payment to Wanda at 630-289-3349

or

click the Paypal button below.

Since these are these busy days, here is an easy checklist to help you remember some key to-do's. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Pam

cglrpresident21@wlcj.org

____ Check your affiliate officer information on

 wlcj.org and, if needed, please complete it.

___ Identify a Sustainability Chair for your Board of

Directors.

___ Add your Sustainability Chair's name to your

wlcj.org Database; send to Pam, too!

___ Review the Jewels in the Crown requirements

and use them as a template for your activities.

going forward. Sustainability activities will be

a new requirement for award eligibility.

___ Send Pam your Calendar of Events and your Board

list.

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)

Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!

Open WL Week to Register for Classes-

Deadlines SOON!

"To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time for every purpose, under heaven."

These words are likely familiar, not from their original source in the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), but from the timeless song by The Byrds. I know I'm humming the tune right now, and you might be too. It's that time of year again, the season of Sukkot, which the Torah calls Z'man Simchateinu, the season of our joy.

Sukkot brings a flood of memories. In college, I ate in my first sukkah at Hillel in Chicago, where we sat in parkas because it was so cold. After I moved to Maryland, we bought a sukkah kit for our home right before my oldest was born and struggled to put it up. Now, years later, we have it down to a science and it goes up quickly. Each year we bring up the poles and canvas from the basement along with our box of decorations. As we take them out, it is like seeing old friends again: the biblical quotes and prayers on the canvas walls, the strings of plastic "cranberries,” fall gourds from the craft store and string lights that look like grapes that I found at Costco one year. They all create a cozy structure where we will spend time over the next week with family and friends, eating, laughing, shaking our lulav, and looking up at the stars through the bamboo roof.

But building and eating in a sukkah is only part of the biblical command. We are also commanded three times in the Torah to "be happy" on Sukkot. The mitzvah to be happy is continuous throughout the holiday.

Can you really force yourself to be happy, especially when life is full of challenges and uncertainties? This time of year, you can be happy that the kids are back in school, that the weather is cooling down, or that the long days of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah services are over (for at least another year). Looking at the bigger picture, though, the sages tell us that real happiness comes from wanting what you have rather than having what you want. During Sukkot, we are tasked with transcending the obstacles that show up in our everyday lives and appreciating our friends and family and the roof over our heads.

True happiness comes from giving to others and feeling valued. The more we contribute and show compassion to others and help build a caring society, the more happiness we bring to our lives and the world. Our tradition emphasizes that doing leads to feeling, not the other way around. By performing mitzvot and taking action, we can cultivate joy.

This year, during the holiday, consider volunteering to help someone close to you, someone outside your circle, or maybe even a stranger. And, as we build and eat in our temporary dwellings during Sukkot, it is also a good time to learn about those in our community that cannot afford housing. While we will use our sukkah for seven days, some in our communities live in makeshift dwellings year-round.

Understanding their challenges can deepen our appreciation of our own situations. Our Sichot Beyn Achayot, Conversations between Sisters programs this Fall will provide a chance to learn about these issues of helping the stranger, homelessness and volunteerism here and in Israel and will provide some suggestions for things that we can do to support those in need.

In the end, true happiness isn't just about acquiring more; it's about appreciating what we already have, connecting with others, and pursuing a life of service. After the intense introspection and personal soul searching of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot provides a time for togetherness and an opportunity to cultivate the skill of happiness, a journey that leads us to lasting contentment and fulfillment. If there is indeed “a time to every purpose, under heaven,” then let this season be one of authentic joy.

Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom.

Julia Loeb

WLCJ International President

jloeb@wlcj.org

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah

Submitted by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, WLCJ Executive Director, ewolintz-fields@wlcj.org



Simchat Torah is one of the most joyous holidays. Many synagogues have some very unique traditions - such as rolling out the entire Torah, and pointing out specific parts - even making it a scavenger hunt of trying to find certain sections, like the Ten Commandments for example. Everyone, including children below the age of b’nai mitzvah, receives an aliyah. There is joyous dancing with all the Torah scrolls, and some rabbis even do somersaults between hakafot, the dance processions with the Torah scrolls. People often have special drinks and snacks between aliyot. Special individuals are honored with the aliyah to complete the reading of the Torah, when we reach the end of the book of Deuteronomy, Sefer Devarim, the Chatan or Kallat Torah, and the aliyah when we begin reading the Torah once again, in Sefer Bereshit, the book of Genesis, called the Chatan or Kallat Bereshit. All these rituals are joyous and fun. I would like to suggest some other rituals that we should incorporate into the post Simchat Torah, after the holiday concludes, the next day. We should make it our responsibility to commit to incorporating Torah study into our lives. Torah is not just the Five Books of Moses, but anything related to Judaism; make studying something about Judaism part of your daily life. Create your own, personal interpretations of Torah. Another ritual to include in your life, post Simchat Torah, is to make sure we all make a contribution to Torah Fund, for it is our responsibility to support the future of Conservative / Masorti Judaism by supporting our five Conservative / Masorti Seminaries.

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.

שׂיחוֹת בֵּין אָחַיוֹת, Sichot beyn Achayot means “conversations between sisters.” This program is designed to foster a deeper mutual understanding between the members of WLCJ in North America, the Masorti women from Israel and Masorti Olami, and our communities around the world. It is designed to address the question, “How are we the same, and how are we different?” The theme of this year’s program is כּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עָרֵבִים זֶה בַּזֶה, Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Ba’Zeh, All of Israel is Responsible for One Another [BT Shevuot 39a] 

The three sessions will address this question by each concentrating on one specific issue that is both relevant and timely to us all and will include presentations from speakers from both sides of the Atlantic. Each workshop will also be followed by a Q&A session in which all attendees will be encouraged to participate.

Session One: Helping the Stranger: Mitzvot, Motivations and Methods

Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 12:00 PM CT / 1:00 PM ET

Session Two: Addressing Homelessness and Food Insecurity - Mitzvot, Motivations and Methods on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 11:00 AM CT / 12:00 PM ET

Session Three: Volunteerism: Mitzvot, Motivations and Methods - Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 11:00 AM CT / 12:00 PM ET

WL Sustainability

Picture yourself here three years from now - leading a service, delivering a d'var Torah, and chanting Torah.

THIS COULD BE YOU!

Here is your opportunity to become a member of the next Bat Mitzvah class. This three-year program, taught by Rabbis, Educators, and Leaders of the Conservative Movement, will meet once a month. Joining this class will not only enrich your knowledge of Judaism, but you will become a part of a special community of women with a common goal and bond.

Please let us know of your interest by emailing Toby B. Holtzman or Anne Schimberg.

Email Toby B. Holtzman at tbholtzman@wlcj.org.

Email Anne Schimberg at afkschimberg@gmail.com.

Thanks to a generous Grant from KKL-JNF/ Masorti Olami/Mercaz Olami, Women's League is grateful to provide a series of three Conversations Between Sisters.

Registrations through the members portal will be required to join each/all sessions.

שׂיחוֹת בֵּין אָחַיוֹת, Sichot beyn Achayot means “Conversations between Sisters.” This program is designed to foster a deeper mutual understanding between the members of WLCJ in North America, the Masorti women from Israel and Masorti Olami, and our communities around the world. It is designed to address the question, “How are we the same, and how are we different?” The theme of this year’s program is כּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עָרֵבִים זֶה בַּזֶה, Kol Israel Averim Zeh Bazeh, All Israel is Responsible for One Another [BT Shevuot 39a] The three sessions will address this question by each concentrating on one specific issue that is both relevant and timely to us all and will include presentations from speakers from both sides of the Atlantic. Each workshop will also be followed by a Q&A session in which all attendees will be encouraged to participate.

Questions? Contact: Rabbi Margie Cella, WLCJ Educator

mcella@wlcj.org

Key to Calendar:

CGLR Events

WLCJ Events

Affiliate Events

Monday, October 9 - Torah Fund Stands with Israel- An Educational Forum on the Current Dynamics in the Middle East and the Role of Our Jewish State

at 7PM CT/ 8PM ET (Zoom)

Wednesday, October 11 - Affiliate Presidents' Coffee Chat with Pam at 7PM CT / 8PM ET (Zoom)

Sunday, October 15 - Barbie and the Empowerment of Women in CGLR Leadership at 7PM CT / 8PM ET (Zoom)

Thursday, October 19 - WLCJ Bat Mitzvah Class first meeting at 6:30 PM CDT/

7:30PM EDT (Zoom,)

Sunday, October 22 - Sichot Beyn Achayot - Conversations Between Sisters--Session 1: Helping the Stranger: Mitzvot, Motivations and Methods at 12PM CT / 1PM ET (Zoom)

Tuesday, October 24 - Mathilde's Master Class First Class at 6:30PM CDT / 7:30PM EDT (Zoom)

Thursday, October 26 - NSSBE presents Great Jewish Families Who Shaped America with Leah Polin at 7:45PM CT (in person event)

Sunday October 29 - CBS presents "A Tribute to Jewish Women" at 4PM CT at the North Shore Center for Performing Arts, Skokie, Illinois (in person)

Wednesday, November 8 - EHNTJC presents Book & Author Event with Renee Rosen at 11:30AM CT (in person) flier above

Sunday, November 19, 2023: - Sichot Beyn Achayot - Session Two: Addressing Homelessness and Food Insecurity - Mitzvot, Motivations and Methods at 11AM CT / 12 PM ET (Zoom)

Sunday, December 10 - Celebrate Chanukkah with our Sisters at Kehillat Hod V'Hadar, K'far Saba, Israel at 11AM CT / 12PM ET (Zoom)

Sunday, December 17, 2023 - Sichot Beyn Achayot - Session Three: Volunteerism: Mitzvot, Motivations and Methods at 11AM CT / 12PM ET (Zoom)

Laurie B. Davis

Communication VP/ The WAVE Editor