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News from the Northeast
November 1, 2022
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This eblast is sent from northeast@wrj.org.
Please add this address to your Contacts so you won't miss our news.
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In This Issue (These links may not work on some devices)
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Message from Carol Chaykin
Vice President, WRJ Northeast District
I am furious! Recent anti-abortion laws violate our right to make reproductive choices in accordance with Jewish law and tradition.
A month ago, we began reading Genesis, as we do every fall. Did you notice, in the second chapter of Genesis,
Then God fashioned the man – dust from the soil – and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so that the man became a living being. [Genesis 2:7]
Adam’s life as a “living being” begins with that first breath. And so it is with us. Our lives begin when we breathe our first “breath of life” – after we have emerged from our mother's body.
The distinction between fetal life and human life is made clear in Exodus:
When [two or more] parties fight, and one of them pushes a pregnant woman and a miscarriage results, but no other damage ensues, the one responsible shall be fined, according as the woman's husband may exact; the payment to be based on reckoning. But if other damage ensues, the penalty shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.... [Exodus 21: 22 ff.]
If the woman dies, the penalty is death – "life for life." But if the woman miscarries, the penalty is a fine. The loss of the fetus is not treated as the end of a human life; fetal life is not the same as human life. This is the consensus of our sages and rabbis, including Rashi and Maimonides.
Accordingly, if a pregnancy threatens the mother’s health, then an abortion is required, even in Orthodox communities. This is in accordance with the Jewish value of pikuach nefesh, the preservation of human life. The potential life of the fetus is secondary to the actual life of the mother.
The ability and the right of a woman to end a pregnancy is rooted in Jewish law and tradition. Denial of that right is an attack on Jewish religious liberty. It is our responsibility – as Jews – to fight for safe and legal abortions.
Carol Chaykin
Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, New York, NY
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Your Vote is Your Voice
Election Day is just a week away in the U.S. On Tuesday, November 8, voters will elect representatives at the federal, state, county, and city levels. It is essential that you vote in this midterm election.
It took years of marching, protesting and fighting, and three constitutional amendments (the 15th, the 19th, and the 24th) to give everyone the right to vote. Use your right. It may be difficult to fit it into your schedule, but voting is not only an important and valuable civic right, but also a civic responsibility.
Voting is also one of the few chances you can have a direct impact on your community. Make sure your voice is heard! Exert your power!
5 Reasons You Should Vote (Even If You Think It Doesn’t Matter) - Every vote matters; many elections are won by small margins.
- People fought for the right to vote for a reason.
- Elections have consequences that affect your life every day.
- Voting is an opportunity for change.
- The community depends on you!
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| Upcoming Events ~ All events are virtual unless otherwise noted ~
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Tuesday, November 1, 8:00 p.m.
Sisterhood Leadership Webinar:
So You're the Leader... Now What?
Are you a rising leader or the new president of your women’s group? Do you want to sharpen your leadership skills? Join Laurel Fisher and Sherri Feuer, past sisterhood and district presidents, for tips on how to be a STAR sisterhood president.
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Tuesdays, November 1 | 8 | 15, 4:30 p.m.
Zoominars with Moment Magazine
Moment Magazine will hold three Tuesday afternoon Zoominars. Click the date to get the details and registration form.
- November 1 Is There Such a Thing as a Bad Jew? The Confluence of American Jewish Politics and Identity with Emily Tamkin and Dan Raviv
- November 8 Jewish Joke Edition with William Novak
- November 15 After the Midterms: Now What? And What’s the State of Our Democracy? Hosted by Robert Siegel
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Thursday, November 3, 8:00 p.m.
New Year, New Commitment to Our Health with Sharsheret WRJ welcomes Melissa K. Rosen, director of Training and Education at Sharsheret, for a conversation about personal, family, and community health. Jews of Ashkenazi descent are ten times more likely than the general population to carry a BRCA mutation that raises cancer risk. Learn how to determine hereditary cancer risk and how to manage and mitigate it – not only breast cancer, but other cancers and illness in general.
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Thursdays, starting November 3, 8:00 p.m.
JWA Book Talks
Join the Jewish Women's Archive for its winter series of virtual conversations with leading authors to explore Biblical reimaginings, resilience, caregiving, and the dynamics of abuse.
- November 3: Author Liana Finck turns her keen eye to the Old Testament in Let There Be Light: The Real Story of Her Creation, reimagining the story of Genesis with God as a woman, Abraham as a resident of New York City, and Rebekah as a robot, among many other delightful twists.
- November 17: One Hundred Saturdays shares the remarkable story of Stella Levi, whose conversations with writer Michael Frank bring to life the world of Jewish Rhodes, the deportation to Auschwitz that extinguished most of her community, and the resilience of the woman who lived to tell the tale.
- December 1: Author Alicia Jo Rabins' musings on parenting in Even God Had Bad Parenting Days can help any caregiver see beyond day-to-day living with young children to recapture a sense of wonder at the process of raising small humans.
- December 15: Author Elana Sztokman's book When Rabbis Abuse provides an analysis of the dynamics of sexual abuse in Jewish culture, and what the community can do about it.
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Sunday, November 6, 4:00 p.m.
Heroes of the St. Louis
Many people are familiar with the tragic story of the MS St. Louis, whose nearly 1000 Jewish passengers were turned back to Europe in 1939. But few are aware of the bravery of the ship’s captain, Gustav Schroeder, who was declared a Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, and of Morris Troper and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Learn about their tireless efforts to rescue the passengers.From the Sousa Menedes Foundation.
Registrants will receive a link to the film When Canada Said No: The Abandoned Jews of the MS St. Louis.
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Monday, November 7, 7:30 p.m.
Virtual Mussar: Generosity/N'divut
The Hebrew word for generosity, n’divut [נדיבות], derives from the root n.d.v. [נ ד ב] having to do with willingness. In contemporary Hebrew, the word for a volunteer is mitnadev [מתנדב], from that same root. Therefore, unlike tzedakah which is a Jewish obligation based in justice, generosity comes from a place of an open and willing heart.
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Sunday, November 13, 1:00 p.m.
Say Farewell to Anat Hoffman Anat Hoffman has been the inspiring and visionary leader of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), the legal advocacy arm of the Reform Movement in Israel, for over 20 years. She will step down from her position as IRAC's executive director on November 21, 2022. Join us as we thank Anat and celebrate her during this Zoom event.
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Sunday, November 13, 1:00 p.m.
Living Traditions: Women’s Songs in Endangered Jewish Languages Common misconception: Only men wrote in Jewish languages until the 20th century.
The HUC-JIR Jewish Language Project’s groundbreaking online exhibit, “A Millennium of Jewish Women’s Voices,” proves this wrong through women’s literature, prayers, letters, and songs from the 11th to 21st centuries in 15 languages. Join us to see and hear some of these astonishing cultural treasures.
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Monday, November 14, 7:30 p.m
Thanksgiving: Paying It Forward
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai asked, “What is the good a person should cherish most?” Find out how our greatest thinkers have responded to this question, and give some answers of your own!
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Monday, November 14, 8:00 p.m
Frankly Feminist: A Fiction Anthology
Join Susan Weidman Schneider, Lilith’s editor in chief, and Yona Zeldis McDonough, Lilith’s fiction editor, in conversation as they present Lilith’s new and first-ever fiction anthology, Frankly Feminist. Susan and Yona will share how the anthology came to be and introduce some of its authors, stories, characters, and themes for exploration.
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Thursday, November 17, 12:45 p.m.
What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?! Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) was based on scholarly research of the New Testament and its contemporary history. While the early Christian narrative is central to the film, echos of Rabbinic material with parallel themes and ideologies can be detected throughout the film as well. Rabbi Tamar Duvdevani, PhD, will discuss some of these sources and their "traces" in a few of the most unforgettable (and funny!) scenes of the film. From HUC's Fall Library Series.
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Thursday, November 17, 7:00 p.m.
Hootenanny: A Celebration of Jewish Music
WRJ is a proud sponsor of this concert to benefit URJ Eisner Camp and URJ Crane Lake Camp scholarships. The concert will feature contemporary Jewish music and leading voices of the Reform Movement. Congregation Rodeph Sholom, 7 West 83 Street in New York, NY, will host the event.
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Sunday, December 4, 10 a.m to 3 p.m.
In-Person Holiday Craft Fair Just in time for Hanukkah! Congreagation Kol Haverim invites you to attend its 17th annual holiday craft fair. In person at 1079 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, Connecticut.
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Seeking Tribute Tree Sponsorships It has been a Northeast District tradition to have a Tribute Tree on display at our conventions. Leaves are added to the tree at each convention to mark contributions honoring various attendees. There have been several trees over the years, and we have a new one for our next convention.
The new Tribute Tree was created by two of our members, Diane Heiman and Kathy Francos, in the form of a gorgeous quilt – with a tree at its center and the names of sponsoring sisterhoods and individuals on its borders. You may have seen a preview of our new Tribute Tree at our last in-person convention, but it will sprout leaves for the first time at our 2023 convention in March.
There is still room on the quilt for a few additional sponsor names. Your name or your sisterhood’s name can be added to our new Tribute Tree as a sponsor for a donation of $360. This is a wonderful way to show your support of the Northeast District and your pride in being a part of this special organization.
Checks should be made payable to the WRJ Northeast District and mailed to Marsha Moller, 160 Dawson Drive, Needham, MA 02492.
Sponsorships must be received by Thursday, December 22, 2022.
The Northeast District would like to thank the sisterhoods and individuals who have already become sponsors of our new Tribute Tree.
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| Northeast District Photos
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The Women’s Organization of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue (New York, NY) enjoyed dinner on the roof of the synagogue on September 21. After dinner, the women wrote get-out-the-vote postcards that were supplied by the RAC.
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The Temple Isaiah Sisterhood (Lexington, MA) decorated the bima for Sukkot. After the holiday, the produce was sent to Food Link, a community organization that collects and delivers food to community organizations serving people in need throughout Eastern Massachusetts.
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Call to Action:
Reform Movement Initiatives
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Phonebank with the RAC
The Religious Action Center makes phonebanking easy! No experience is necessary. Each evening will start with a brief overview of the script and phone calling tools. You do not have to be present for the entire evening. All you need is a smile and the willingness to speak on the phone.
- November 1 Phonebank for Abortion Rights in Michigan with EVEV and WRJ
- November 2 Phonebank with Florida Rising
- November 2 Kentucky Phonebank to Protect Abortion Access
What's Next?
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A Selection of U.S. Initiatives It is easy to make your voice heard. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) has created a series of easy-to-use forms for contacting legislators in the U.S. Congress. Please support these important initiatives.
You can display each form by clicking its image.
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Tell Congress and President Biden to retore asylum
| |  | Urge Congress to close the "Boyfriend Loophole"
| |  | Help protect and expand abortion rights in your state
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| If this email is clipped, click "View Entire Message" at the end of the eblast to ensure that you have not missed any important updates and information.
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News from WRJ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Grants Available Last chance to apply. . . .
Grant applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 3, 2022.
For a third year, WRJ will be allocating funds to support programs, projects, and initiatives in institutions that are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the Jewish community. Grantees typically receive between $5,000 and $10,000 to facilitate the goal stated in the application.
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Online Holiday Auction: Donations Needed!
Hanukkah will be here before we know it, and WRJ's Holiday Auction is right around the corner. In order to make this auction even better than last year, we are asking you to donate an item or an experience to our online auction.
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Deborah Lipstadt Receives Jane Evans Award
The 2022 Dr. Jane Evans “Pursuit of Justice” Award was awarded to Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt. Sara Charney and Rosanne Selfon, respective current and past WRJ presidents, made the presentation on October 20. The award is presented to outstanding leaders who further Reform Judaism and humanitarian causes. Ambassador Lipstadt serves as the U.S. Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism. Her accomplishments include spearheading the creation of the Institute for Jewish Studies at Emory University, receiving numerous teaching awards, publishing extensively, and winning the case Irving v Penguin Books Ltd, in which she was sued by a Holocaust denier for libel.
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Reproductive Health and Rights
WRJ is a leading advocate for reproductive rights and health and continues to oppose state and federal restrictions that limit access to birth control and safe abortion services.
WRJ has compiled some resources that you can use to promote reproductive rights and ensure the health of all women.
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| | | WRJ Goes to Israel
May 7-15, 2023 Join tour leader Shari Robins for a week-long journey to Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Masada, and more. Participants will immerse themselves in ancient Jewish history and modern-day Arab/Jewish coexistence.
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| Blogs from WRJ A WRJ YES Fund Grantee Story
WRJ YES Fund Grantee FundaciónJudaica developed a woman's community leadership class with their grant. Read more about the program and its impact on one of its participants, Berenice Arce, who serves as a leader in the Reform Jewish community in Argentina.
None of this would have happened if I had not had the opportunity to train and share with my peers in the (Women's Community Leadership Training Program) provided by Fundacion Judaica through the support of WRJ. I offer my deepest gratitude." - Berenice Arce
Parashat Nitzavim
In her blog, Blair Marks, a past president of WRJ, asks what happens when someone knocks on our gates? Do we throw them open with a wide welcome, even for a stranger, or do we slam them shut?
Her response to this rhetorical question is that she is "afraid that all too often, in truth, it’s the latter. We say we are inclusive, and we want new people to join our community, but when there’s a real opportunity to welcome newcomers, we revert to erecting barriers – unintentionally though it may be."
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Grow a Good Citizen With midterm U.S. elections fast approaching, sign up to receive a free package of activities and resources to help kids ages 4-8 understand the power of voting and how they can make a difference. From RJ on the Go.
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Kraus Immigration Justice Mini-Grants The Religious Action Center is now offering immigration justice mini-grants to URJ congregations in the United States and Canada. The grants are intended to support projects advancing immigrant, refugee, and asylum seeker justice.
Applications must be submitted by November 18, 2022.
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Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards for 2023 Each year the Helen Diller Family Foundation awards $36,000 to each of fifteen Jewish U.S. teens for leadership and engagement in initiatives making the world a better place.
Do you know an exceptional teen leader in your community?
Applications must be submitted by December 22, 2022.
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Available from CCAR:
Longing: Poems of a Life by Merle Feld What do we long for as we carry the traumas of our past and look into the future? In Longing: Poems of a Life, acclaimed poet Merle Feld presents a collection of deeply personal poetry reflecting on the realities of family, isolation, abuse, coming of age, love, and guarded hope. Feld opens forbidden doors and long-shuttered windows, peering through the lattices of memory at moments of anguish, breaking, blessing, and surviving.
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Exhibit Opens on November 8
How Jews Became Citizens
The exhibition tells the story of the Jewish people’s path toward citizenship in Europe. The exhibit will showcase rare books and historical documents, taking a geographical approach to discussions around European Jewish emancipation—the process through which Jews obtained rights – from the 17th to 19th centuries.
The Center for Jewish History is located at 15 West 16 Street, New York, NY.
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| Calendar and Other Resources
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| Calendar November is Hunger Awareness Month
November 1 Sisterhood Leadership Webinar
November 3 DEI Grant Application Deadline
November 6 Daylight Savings Time ends
November 8 Election Day (U.S.)
November 11 Veterans Day (U.S.), Remembrance Day (Canada)
November 14 WRJ Auction Donation Deadline
November 17 Hootenany – URJ Camp Benefit
November 24 Thanksgiving Day (U.S.)
November 25 Native American Heritage Day (U.S.)
November 28-December 4 WRJ Auction
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| Request a District Speaker Your sisterhood is entitled to a district speaker at no cost to your sisterhood.
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| Useful Links District Resources
WRJ Resources
Other Resources
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| New sisterhood presidents and women's group leaders! Please complete the LEADERSHIP INFORMATION FORM so that we can update our records and keep you informed with news, events, advocacy alerts, and more.
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| Donate to the District Make a gift to WRJ Northeast District Fund (NDF) to say thank you, happy birthday, mazel tov, or to send get well wishes or condolences to your family members and friends. An acknowledgment will be emailed to each person whose email address is provided.
The NDF enables the Northeast District to support our sisterhoods, women’s groups, and individual members.
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| Did You Know? One of America’s most iconic gum brands was originally
a Jewish-owned tobacco business. . . .
In 1891, Morris Chigorinsky, a Russian Jew, emigrated to the United States. Chigorinsky assumed control of the American Leaf Tobacco Company in the early 1900s. In 1938, a decision was made to save the company from certain bankruptcy by starting a new penny candy business, Topps Chewing Gum, Inc.
At end of WWII, Topps Chewing Company launched Bazooka Bubble Gum. The gum played on the nation’s post-war patriotic pride in the wake of the Allies' victory via its name (derived from the rocket-propelled weapon invented and deployed by American troops) and through its red, white, and blue packaging.
In 1953, Topps Chewing Company changed its packaging by including small comic strips starring Bazooka Joe, a young boy who wore a black eye patch and engaged in various adventures with his friends. The wrappers also featured fortunes. In 2012, Bazooka discontinued the inclusion of comics in favor of “brainteaser” wrappers.
Today Bazooka bubble gum is sold in many countries, often with Bazooka Joe comic strips translated into the local language.
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| | The WRJ Northeast District Thanks Those Who Have Protected Our Countries
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| | Happy Thanksgiving to Our Sisters in the U.S.
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Share this newsletter by using one of the "Share this" icons at the top of the newsletter.
The next eblast will be sent on Tuesday, December 6.
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| | | Women of Reform Judaism | 633 Third Avenue | New York, NY 10017-6778 US
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