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News from the Northeast
May 2, 2017 | |
Message from Betty Weiner
Vice President, WRJ Northeast District
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Ah, Spring! The birds are chirping, the flowers are out, and the leaves are budding on the trees. What a glorious time of year! May is filled with holidays of celebration, remembrance, and honoring including Shavuot, Israel Independence Day, Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim, the Israeli national holiday that commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem after the June 1967 Six-Day War), Victoria Day in Canada, and Mother's Day. Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Like many other Jewish holidays, Shavuot began as an ancient agricultural festival that marked the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest. In ancient times, Shavuot was a pilgrimage festival when Israelites brought crop offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem. Later on, the rabbis connected Shavuot with the giving of the Torah. Today, Shavuot is a celebration of Torah and education. It is a time to express one's commitment to Jewish ideals and Jewish life. As a result, it is a time when many congregations have Confirmation celebrations. What ideals and values do you want to commit to? How can you do it? At this time of year, we can dedicate ourselves to remembering and honoring those who have come before us and those who have given their lives for us to be free. We can celebrate significant times and special people in our lives. Here are two suggestions.- Send a card to a special person in your life and support women in crisis at the same time by making a donation to the Jewish Women's International's (JWI) Flower Project. WRJ is partnering with the JWI in this effort. To learn more, go HERE.
- Donate to WRJ's YES Fund HERE.
May your days be filled with the beauty of Spring. Betty Weiner
Temple Beth Shalom
Needham, MA
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Long Island Area Event Wrap-Up
Saturday, April 29, 2017 Time to Connect, Share and Learn Together –
Jewish Genealogy: Trace Our Connections
On Saturday, April 29, we gathered at Temple B'nai Torah in Wantagh, NY, for our Long Island Area Day. We came together for a wonderful morning service led by Patti Nacht and Stephanie Jacobson. With lottery seating at lunch, we all got to meet new friends from around the district. Over lunch, we chatted about successful programs that we have had at our individual sisterhoods. We had a very interesting and inspiring talk on researching our geneaology with local expert, Nolan Altman who included great sources of information and how to deal with issues such as changes in names and incomplete historical records.
The following day, the District board met to work on planning for the upcoming year. Plans are well underway for our Kallah this coming October, our Northern and Massachusetts Area Events, and even our next District Convention in 2018.
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WRJ Scholarships for HUC-JIR Students It was a great pleasure to attend the HUC-JIR scholarship dinner in on April 22. WRJ sponsors two students each year at each of the three HUC-JIR campuses – New York, Los Angeles, and Cincinnati. We met the two rabbinic students who are being sponsored by WRJ at the New York campus this year, two lovely young women – one from Florida and one from Long Island. We chatted with them in the school lobby while enjoying hors d'oeuvres, and then went downstairs for a lovely dinner. By the way, WRJ does not only sponsor women students; one of the men at our table was a previous WRJ scholarship recipient. Also at our table was Kadie Black, WRJ’s new Development Manager. All of the students were bright, personable, and enthusiastic… an auspicious sign for the future of Reform clergy. And many attendees – not just “our” scholarship recipients – were extremely appreciative when they heard that we were from WRJ… a reflection of the importance of WRJ’s generosity and commitment to the school. Vivian Blumstein, NE District President & Carol Chaykin, NE District Area Director
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Each year, more than 45,000 women and children will spend Mother’s Day in domestic violence shelters. To deliver light to these women, WRJ is partnering with Jewish Women International (JWI) for the annual Flower Project, and can use your help to make as big an impact as possible.
For each $25 contribution you make to the Flower Project, JWI will mail a Mother’s or Father’s Day card to any loved one you would like to honor. Proceeds from each card help send flowers and financial literacy resources to over 200 domestic violence shelters every year on Mother’s Day, as well as support resources that empower women and girls. This outreach reminds women that they are loved and appreciated, as mothers and individuals.
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Calendar
May 1 – Yom HaZikaron - Israeli Memorial Day
May 2 – Yom HaAtzma'ut - Israeli Independence Day
May 10 – Happy Mother's Day!
May 14 – Lag B'Omer
May 21-31 – Women's Mission to Israel
May 22 – Victoria Day (Canada)
May 24 – Yom Yerushalayim
May 29 – Memorial Day (U.S.)
May 30 – Shavuot
Save the Date... September 9, 2017
Northern Area Event
Buffalo, NY October 27-29, 2017
Northeast District Kallah at Dolce
Norwalk, CT
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| Or Ami Applications Are Open
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Has your sisterhood or women’s group presented a program or project that deserves recognition for being impactful, inclusive, or inspirational? Consider applying for a WRJ Or Ami Award!
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| Book a SpeakerYour sisterhood is entitled to a District Speaker once every two years, without expense to the sisterhood, and a speaker from WRJ in alternate years. Please submit your requests with 6-8 weeks' lead time.
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| WRJ Outreach Grants Available
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WRJ is excited to announce that we will provide outreach grant funds of up to $1,000 to WRJ sisterhoods or women’s groups to fund programs within their communities that reach out to interfaith families and non-Jews. These grants, made possible by a grant from the National Center to Encourage Judaism (NCEJ) are designed to encourage and enhance learning about Judaism and to engage participants in Jewish life. The emphasis will be on programs that can be replicated.
Click HERE for more information and to apply.
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Did You Know....
Jewish Moms
"There is no single vision of the Jewish mother. Jewish mothers are biological and adoptive, stepparent, single parent, and honorary. They are all ages, races, and nationalities. In addition to parenting, which in itself is a 24/7 commitment, individually and collectively, Jewish mothers, as do non-mother Jewish women, play a key role in Jewish life, emotionally sustaining families, contributing to community, and bringing home the ‘bacon.’
"This complex, more than double duty of raising children as well as contributing to so many other aspects of daily and communal life is captured in the verses from Proverbs 31, known by the phrase Eshet Chayil, A Woman of Valor. The woman described in these verses is a shrewd business woman, oversees household servants, is selfless in her service to others and her charitable givings, a skilled craftswoman, and adored by all especially her children. Given this list, not surprisingly, the verses begin by pointing out that finding such a woman is hard to do and if you find one, know that her value is above that of rubies!"
Excerpt from "Celebrating Mothers Jewish Style," Rabbis Without Borders, 2016 To read more, click HERE.
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| Happy Mother's Day
It's a day to celebrate us all as women, whether we are moms, grandmoms, daughters, sisters, or all of the above. Take the time and tell somebody how much you appreciate that they are in your life.
Sunday, May 14
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| Celebrating Lag B'Omer
Sunday, May 14 Celebrate Lag B'Omer by lighting bonfires and getting haircuts!
Learn more HERE.
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| Shavuot begins at sundown on Tuesday, May 30 For recipes, activities and more information, CLICK HEREWondering why we eat dairy for this holiday?
Learn more HERE.
Chag sameach from the Board of the Northeast District of Women of Reform Judaism!
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| The next e-blast will be sent on June 6, 2017
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| | | Women of Reform Judaism | 633 Third Avenue | New York, NY 10017-6778 US
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