I am writing this article having just returned from Israel, as part of the WRJ Mission to Israel. I’ve almost caught up on my sleep and wanted to share some thoughts about the trip with you.
I was part of a group of 46 women – most of whom were members of WRJ, but not all. Since I have been part of WRJ for a while, I think I knew almost two-thirds of the women on the trip (some better than others). We came from all over the United States and Canada, and bonded over the course of the trip. The purpose of the trip was twofold: to see the sights of Israel, but also to visit with beneficiaries of the YES Fund. We were so busy that if I were to give you a detailed report of everything we did, this would be a VERY long article! So I will just tell you about some of highlights for me.
In Tel Aviv, we met with female rabbis who received grants from the YES Fund to help defray the costs of HUC-JIR (Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion) in Jerusalem. They talked about programs they are running, such as conversion programs, bar/bat mitzvah programs and interfaith programs.
In Remot Menashe, we met with mothers and daughters who are part of the Mother/Daughter Bat Mitzvah Project, which is partially funded by a grant from the YES Fund. In Israel, girls don’t usually have a “traditional” bat mitzvah. They have a party but are not called to the Torah. The Mother/Daughter Bat Mitzvah Project is trying to change this. These mothers told us how much the program has meant to them, especially since it has helped them become closer to their daughters.
Two of our activities stand out as personal highlights for me. When we visited Caesarea, five of us stood on the stage of the amphitheater and sang Eli, Eli. I had a difficult time singing, since I was choking back tears. It was wonderful to see people singing with us. Strangers were listening and taking pictures!
And last, we attended a Rosh Chodesh service with Anat Hoffman, Lesley Sachs and Women of the Wall. We met with Anat and Lesley the previous evening, and they told us what might happen. I was a bit nervous, since at times people have thrown chairs and rocks. Nothing like that happened, although some of the men stood on chairs to look over the mechitza (the wall that separates men from women) so they could yell nasty comments at us (but, since it was in Hebrew and we didn’t know what they were saying, it wasn’t so bad). Some women were blowing loud whistles and horns and yelling a lot. But that didn’t take away from the excitement and beauty of the service. One of our women helped lead the service, another chanted Torah and several were called up for aliyot. Anat tried to bring in a full-sized Torah, but that wasn’t allowed. However, she was able to smuggle in a smaller-sized Torah so we could have a service. Everyone used siddurim (prayerbooks), which were paid for with funds from the YES Fund! We got up VERY early to attend this service, but it was worth it – it was thrilling to be there.
All in all, it was a wonderful trip. I laughed. I cried (a lot!). I learned, and I am so glad that I was able to go. WRJ seems to do these trips every two years. If you have an opportunity to go, I would definitely recommend it.
Things will be quieter in our district this summer, but we will be working behind the scenes to provide good programs, beginning in the fall. Please read the monthly eblasts, follow us on Facebook and check out our website for information on what’s coming up. Meanwhile, I hope you all enjoy your summer.
Warmly,
Vivian
