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Did you miss the August newsletter? You can read it here.

Calendar

Spotlight on Advocacy and Voting:
Voting as Social Advocacy
What Can Sisterhoods Do? Postcarding Events
Where to Find WRJ Advocacy Materials

It's Bake Sale Time

Upcoming Events

Holiday Wishes & District Resources

September is Self-Care Awareness, Suicide Prevention, and Hispanic Heritage Month

For dates with **, registration information is available under Upcoming Events

September 15 **
Buffalo, NY Area Day

September 15
Special Holiday Edition Eblast

September 21
International Day of Peace

September 22
Last Day to Order from Sweet Seidner's Bake Sale

September 22 **
Jewish Broadway in NYC

September 22
First Day of Autumn

September 26
Hot Topics, Cool Conversations, District Schmooze

September 29 **
Global Reform Movement Commemoration of October 7th

October 2
Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset

Save the Date

October 11
Yom Kippur begins at sunset

November 5
Election Day (US)

January 11
Albany, NY Area Day

March 15-16
District Retreat
Berkshires, MA

One of the simplest way to influence the direction of your government is to vote. By voting, you influence the type of person that will (hopefully) represent your wants and needs. In addition, different laws and policies may be presented to the community for approval. Here are the four simple steps to make your Voting Plan:

"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting."
                 --- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

"You’ve got to vote, vote, vote, vote. That’s it; that's the way we move forward."
                 --- Michelle Obama

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."
                 --- Margaret Mead

"The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it."
                --- John Lewis

US Election Day Is November 5.
Make Your Election Plan Now!

submitted by Michelle Rosen, VP of Social Advocacy, WRJ Northeast District
and President of the Sisterhood of the Sisterhood of B'nai Israel in Southbury, Connecticut

My sisterhood hosted two very successful postcarding events over the past two months.

The first was held in conjunction with several other URJ affiliated synagogues. As Connecticut (CT) does not have a RAC (Religious Action Center), we joined with another synagogue to form a coalition of URJ affiliated CT synagogues. Together, we have been emailing other synagogues and having ‘Zoom’ meetings specific to supporting the ‘RAC’ and the ‘Get Out the Vote’ initiative. The goal was to not only have our synagogues be involved but to assist other synagogues in writing postcards and hosting events. Several people have shared with us that they successfully replicated our event.

The second postcarding event focused on ‘Reproductive Rights.' We showed the film ‘Under G-d’ and had a fabulous speaker, Dawn Tendler. Dawn was instrumental in protecting reproductive rights in Connecticut. She is a prior owner of an abortion clinic and shared with us stories of her career and struggles. We then wrote and sent 180 postcards to people in Florida asking them to help protect ‘Reproductive Rights’.

Want to bring one of these programs to your sisterhood? These sites can help.

WRJ Advocacy Guides have options for individuals and groups to get more involved in reproductive rights and gun violence prevention advocacy. Email advocacy@wrj.org if you have any questions about where to start. 

View the Advocacy Guides here! 

Get yummy sweets AND support the YES Fund! It's a win-win! 

Send holiday treats to family and friends as a lovely surprise! Or maybe send them to students who are away from home for the holidays?

Or you could also treat yourself? You deserve a treat too!

If you need assistance placing your order or for shipping to Canada, please contact Sweet Seidner's at SweetSeidners@gmail.com or 203‑850‑7711.

September 5 7:00pm
Livestream

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Our Abortion Stories: 7 Stories of Heartbreak, Courage, and Hope 

Join in via livestream for a night of storytelling brought to you by the creators of Lip Service & writing class radio, Temple Beth Am, and the many sponsors working to ensure that Reproductive Freedom (Yes on 4) wins on election day in Florida. 
 
The livestream event is made possible by the generosity of the JKMS Williams Family Foundation.

Click here for more details and for registration.
You will receive the link in an email before the event. 

September 15
Noon - 3:00pm

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Buffalo Area Day at Temple Beth Zion in Buffalo, NY

Join Immediate Past President Sara Charney and Northeast District's First Vice President Marsha Moller to have an afternoon learning about WRJ engagement, board communication, leadership, sisterhood, and lunch. This event is open to all WRJ Northeast members.

Click here for more details and for registration.

September 18 & 25
7:00pm - 8:00pm

URJ Microaggression and Upstander 2-part Workshop

This workshop will be interactive and focus on common microaggressions that community members from a wide range of marginalized backgrounds experience. Microaggressions are a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized, group such as a racial or ethnic minority.

Click here for more details and for registration.

September 22 at 11:00am
Museum of Broadway, Manhattan, NY

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Jewish Broadway in NYC

MORE SPACES NOW AVAILABLE!

Click here for registration.
This link works best with Chrome or Firefox. You should automatically receive a confirmation email. If not, please email us to help you.

September 29 at 1:00pm
Online

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A Global Reform Movement Commemoration of October 7th

Join the Reform Movement around the world as we come together to commemorate one year since October 7th, 2023. 

This event marks the beginning of our season of memory, a time for reflection and renewal as we approach the High Holy Days. Through shared stories, inspiring messages, and communal ritual, we will honor the experiences of the past year and set our intentions for the future.

This online gathering will offer a space for connection and solidarity, featuring content and texts that you may also use during the upcoming month of holidays and remembrance.

This event is in partnership with the ACC, ARJE, ARZA Canada, ARZENU, CCAR, HUC, IMPJ, IRAC, WRJ, and WUPJ

Click here for registration.

Did your sisterhood do something you would like to share? Or maybe you are having an event that you would like to invite other area sisters to join? Please email us at wrjneblast@gmail.com. We love to share good ideas with each other.

The Northeast District Board wishes you a lovely autumn.

Your sisterhood is entitled to a district speaker
at no cost to your sisterhood.

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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The next eblast will be sent on Sunday, September 15, 2024.

Send event listings, photos, and articles to wrjneblast@gmail.com by September 20,2024
for inclusion in the October 1 eblast.