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News from the Northeast
December 1, 2020
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This eblast is sent from northeast@wrj.org.
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Message from Sharon Sobel
President, WRJ Northeast District The Essential Credentials
What secret have you been hiding from your sisterhood or district board? If an investigative reporter attended one of your meetings, would she uncover some scandal from your past, a mysterious misalliance, or the smallest suspicion of a murder? And if she did, would anyone pause to notice?
Surely not. The business of our sisterhood meetings is all about the planning of events, the support we give to our synagogue members and community, and the many ways we fundraise and allocate monies wisely. We sit through hundreds of such meetings, spending as much time organizing local activism as deciding the color of the tablecloths at our annual membership dinner.
But something remains missing, untold, and unsung. We are women of talent and skills, educated, actively employed, fully involved in other organizations. Sometimes these are recognized by our sisterhood and WRJ communities, but often they are not – for could it matter if you are a teacher or a lawyer or a doctor? When the discussion is about how many menorahs to order for the Judaica shop, is it helpful to mention that you are a marketing analyst, or worked in advertising, or are an accomplished artist? Why are we surprised when the expert we seek is sitting at the meeting table, or on a Zoom call?
This year, fraught with disappointments and deprivation, also revealed strengths we scarcely knew were available. As we transitioned to remote programming, our women have brought unexpected talents to the virtual table and have made it possible for us to do what we could have hardly imagined a year ago.
These are our essential credentials, so important to the success of our sisterhoods and district, that they should no longer remain in the background of our identity. We will applaud when you announce that your granddaughter has taken her first steps, but will applaud even louder when you also happen to mention that you have thirty years of experience in technical support, for this will allow sisterhood to take its next steps.
Welcome to the table. You, and the women who surround you, are committed to the same community and goals, each with something remarkable to contribute. Together, and possessed of such awesome talents, we are stronger.
Best wishes for a joyous Hanukkah, and a 2021 full of optimism and hope.
Sharon Sobel
Temple B’nai Chaim, Georgetown, CT
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Judaism & Civil Society
The Dr. Fritz Bamberger Memorial Lecture Series Part of HUC Connect Online Learning
Tuesday, December 1, 2020, 6:30 p.m.
American Jewry: Where Do We Go From Here?
Tuesday, December 8, 2020, 6:30 p.m.
Arguing about Immigration
Tuesday, December 15, 6:00 p.m.
The Supreme Court in Transition
Tuesday, December 22, 2020, 1:00 p.m.
Thinking Jewish in a Changing America
Sunday, December 6, 2:00 p.m.
Rock Painting Party Join this rock-painting party with the Sisterhood of Temple Beth-El (Providence, RI) for light and warmth with friends and family. Gather your rocks and prepare to spread the joy. Get the Zoom link on Yammer. (Yammer membership is required to access the Zoom link.) Wednesday, December 9, 7:00 p.m.
Dealing with Pandemic Fatigue Michael Golderg, PhD, will talk about how to deal with lockdown during the winter months. Sponsored by the Sisterhood of Congregation Sha'aray Shalom (Hingham, MA). Registration in advance is required. Please send your name and email address to priceimage@mac.com and the Zoom link will be sent to you. Sunday, December 13, 8:00 p.m.
Many Candles, One World Produced by the Tony Award-winning team of Yael Silver and Carmine Entertainment, this event will feature Chanukah music and traditions from around the world, showcasing acclaimed choirs, cantors, and special celebrity guests. Sponsored by the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the event will be broadcast in partnership with Central Synagogue on their YouTube channel.Monday, December 14 & 21, 6:00 p.m.
Every Voice, Every Vote: Georgia Phone Bank Join the RAC for one or both Monday nights of phone banking with partner organization Reclaim Our Vote, to contact low propensity voters of color in Georgia. Co-sponsored by WRJ and NCJW.
Tuesday, December 15, 8:00 p.m.
'Recipes Remembered' and Candle Lighting The Film, Fiction & Fine Wine Group is hosting the WRJ Chanukah candle lighting and presenting June Feiss Hersh, author of Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival, a compendium of stories and recipes gathered from more than 150 Holocaust survivors. The book is also available from Amazon. REGISTER HERE. You can order the book, inscribed by the author, HERE.Monday, December 21, 7:00 p.m.
Book Discussion: The Girl From Berlin Ronald Balson will join us for a discussion of his book, The Girl From Berlin. This author talk is free, and open to everyone, but you must REGISTER IN ADVANCE to receive the Zoom link. Presented by the Sisterhood of Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont & Emanu-El. December Calendar on Yammer WRJ will add new events to its monthly calendar on Yammer. See the WRJ December calendar (Yammer access required). Northeast Upcoming Events Webpage
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Watch "Many Candles, One World" Promo Video.
For details, see the December 13 event listed above.
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News from WRJ Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Grants – December 4 Deadline Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), through its YES (Youth, Education, & Special Projects) Fund, has announced a pilot grant called the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiative to allocate funds to support programs, projects, and initiatives beyond Reform institutions that are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the Jewish community. This initiative is in response to encouraging creative approaches to today’s society. A typical grant will be in the $5,000-$10,000 range and grant applications are due at the close of business on Friday, December 4, 2020.
For more information on the DEI Grant, please contact Natalie Boles at nboles@wrj.org.Hebrew Reading Crash Course – January 2021 Have you always wanted to learn Hebrew but never had the time? Are looking for a refresher class? WRJ is gauging interest in on-line Hebrew classes that would begin in January 2021. Pamela Feldman-Hill will lead this 8-week intensive course via Zoom. Participants will be learn to sound out and read Hebrew words.Offered by WRJ in partnership with the National Jewish Outreach Project, who have taught more than 250,000 North American Jews how to read Hebrew through their innovative Hebrew Reading Crash Courses.
Learn more and tell us if you are interested in participating.
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Fried Women's Conference
March 12-14, 2021 The 2021 Fried Women’s Conference will be held as a virtual conference, as was the 2020 conference. No packing, no travel, no hotels required – so easy. Fees will be nominal. We encourage you to put it on your calendar. MORE DETAILS HERE.
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Other News Tuesday, December 15, 8:00 p.m. This workshop will provide Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion tools and help you begin thinking about how to incorporate this work into your community and beyond. From the RAC. REGISTER HERE.Adventures in Jewish Studies Podcast Series 1 and 2 are available. Popular episodes include "Rethinking Black Jewish Relations," "Origins of the Jews," "The Marvelous Mrs. Carroll," "Are Jews White?" and more. Listen now.
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URJ Summer Camp for 2021 URJ camps are accepting registrations for Summer 2021. Some sessions are already all booked up! Get the details for URJ camps in the Northeast District:
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| | | District News Mazel Tov
To the Newly-Installed Northeast District Executive Committee
We welcome our new and continuting officers and area directors!
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| RAIHN Social Acion Project Our social action project to provide children's books to the Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network was a resounding success! Read the appreciative letter we received from RAIHN. Thank you to everyone who donated books before, during and after our November convention.
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Online District Speakers We are pleased to announce that speakers from the Northeast District may be arranged for online Zoom meetings.
There is no cost to your sisterhood or women’s group for a district speaker.
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WRJ has created an ONLINE PROGRAMMING GROUP on Yammer.
Look there for online events, and post your sisterhood’s online events there.Looking for a chronological list of online events?
Check UPCOMING WEBINARS on the Northeast District website. Did you miss a Zoom session?
Check RECENT WEBINARS on the Northeast District website. Looking for other programs?
Check ONGOING RESOURCES on the Northeast District website.
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| Calendar and Other Resources
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| Calendar December 4 WRJ DEI Grant appliation deadline
December 10 Hanukkah First Candle
January 1 New Year's Day
Save the Date March 12-14 Fried Women's Conference
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| | Keep in Touch
with WRJ Northeast
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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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| Northeast District Photos
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Together we can make a difference
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| Tools & Resources Northeast Resources
WRJ Resources
WRJ Programs
Other Resources
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| | Request an Online Speaker
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Your sisterhood is entitled to a district speaker without expense to your sisterhood.
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| Did You Know... December is National Human Rights Month December recognizes National Human Rights Month. This month and every month to follow, everyone in the United States is encouraged to come together and stand up for equality, justice, and the dignity of all humans. December is a time to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international document stating the fundamental rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. These rights include freedom from discrimination, the right to equality, and the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
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| The Board of the Northeast District of Women of Reform Judaism
Wishes You a Happy Hanukkah
and a Wonderful New Year!
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The next eblast will be sent on January 5, 2021
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