When we first heard about the coronavirus coming to North America in early 2020, we had no idea how it would take over so many aspects of our lives. Suddenly, we needed to stay apart to prevent infecting each other. Friends and family were separated. Jobs were re-organized and often became work-from-home positions or ceased to exist. Life as we knew it felt like it came to a screeching halt.

We all had different coping mechanisms to help get us through. Many of us tried new hobbies or went back to old ones. Some of us got into baking, especially sourdough bread, because we suddenly had spare time. Some began side businesses, while others retired. Our WRJ District scrambled to be there for each other by hosting schmoozes, Zoom events, and using our Facebook page to feature things we could do from home and ways to maintain our mental health.

Now, as we hopefully crawl out from the worst of the impact, we are beginning to re-engage in our new realities. Vaccinations and lower infection rates allow us to interact in person again. While this recent Thanksgiving weekend may not have been the same as before the pandemic, it was a time that many were able to be together and enjoy their celebratory traditions. Chanukah comes up on the tail of the weekend, as if the Festival of Lights were leading the way back to being able to be together.

May the light from our chanukiyot brighten our days (and nights) as we again see family and friends. We look forward to being able to get together in person as the Northeast District at our upcoming District convention in March 2023. In the meantime, I hope that we can continue to recover from this pandemic and that we move into 2022 with a positive outlook. Until then, I wish you all a healthy and safe holiday season.

B’shalom,

Alissa Woska
North Country Reform Temple, Glen Cove, NY

Join WRJ for an interactive opportunity with Cantor Ellen Dreskin, to find out more about how the musical settings of our prayers influence our views on faith, God and spirit.

Click here for more details.

Register here.

The Israel Education Committee presents a fun-filled afternoon with cooking and dancing with Luisa and Seth Narins. We will learn how to make magluba, a traditional Middle Eastern upside down dish consisting of vegetables, rice, and chicken. While our magluba is cooking, Luisa will teach us a dance to the pop song Silsulim by Static and Ben El. The choreography for the dance was created by Gadi Bitton, one of the leading Israeli folk dancing choreographers. Small group discussions will follow!

Register here.

There is still time to nominate someone!  Do you know women who are changemakers? Do you know women who are dedicated to advancing the roles of other women and creating a safer and more just world?

Please nominate someone and share this opportunity with your wider circle. As women who have been at the forefront of change for more than a century, WRJ wants to recognize the next generation of innovative women. Think outside the normal channels and nominate those who inspire you to do and be better.

We look forward to reading numerous applications!

WRJ moved its website to a new platform on August 1. Some content has been moved to a new webpage. You can use the search function, the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner of each webpage, to locate content that has been moved.

Note: The link to our homepage is still wrj.org/northeast, but links to our other webpages have changed and may need to be updated by your Marketing & Communications team.

The WRJ Shop will continue selling traditional Uniongrams and Goldengrams, but it is phasing out other notes and products. Check shop inventory here. Product orders may be placed by calling 212-650-4050 or by emailing info@wrj.org.

It is easy to make your voice heard. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism has created a series of forms that you can use to contact your legislators in the U.S. Congress. Please support these important initiatives for women's health, voting rights, and racial justice.

Urge your senators to make the promise of democracy real for us all

Last November, despite the pandemic and a patchwork of barriers to the ballot box across the country, more than 159 million Americans voted in the 2020 elections, the highest rates seen in over a century. However, some elected officials want to roll back this progress by creating more barriers to vote. The right to vote is fundamental in a democracy and we must ensure that elections are accessible for all. The For the People Act (H.R.1/S.1) is a broad bill, that among its provisions, will protect the freedom to vote by establishing national standards for federal elections and ensuring that voter registration and voting options are equally accessible across the United States.

Get all the details here.