What's New
What's New in the District
WRJ NE Area Day
Massachusetts and Rhode Island Sisterhoods, October 29, 2011
Sally Huebscher and Paulette Black co-chaired this wonderful day. The day began with Shabbat services at Beth El Temple Center, Belmont, MA. Following services, we enjoyed a delicious lunch and WRJ 101 presentation by Abby Fisher (a sisterhood member of Beth El Temple Center), and an amazing afternoon of baking challah together. Sally Huebscher taught us how to prepare the dough, braid challahs several ways, and assisted us in baking challahs of all sizes. The participants also brought home dough to bake at home. The stories shared and the wonderful aromas made this such a great sisterhood experience. Many thanks to all who attended this special day of sisterhood bonding and baking.
Paulette Black and Sally Huebscher
Northern Area Day Weekend
The first WRJ/NE Northern Area Weekend was held in Rochester, NY June 4-5, 2011 and hosted by WRJ at Temple B'rith Kodesh (TBK). The theme of the weekend was entitled, "Caring for Ourselves and Tikkun Olam" and about 60 women attended.
One must take care of oneself before being able to care for others and the world. The keynote speaker, Jan Fink a WRJ member at TBK and temple president, addressed this perfectly. Workshops followed titled, "Relax with Yoga," "You are What You Eat, Really", "Who Am I? Moving Through Life's Stages", and "Our Spiritual Being".
Everyone studied Torah together and then had fun with Midrash through artistic expression, writing, playacting or discussion. Each group told of its activity for the evening program following dinner. Sunday workshops were more global: Domestic Abuse and Violence, Poverty in Our Midst, Be Green: Sustain the Planet and Interfaith Connections: How Do They Really Matter?
The plenary session was truly the highlight of the weekend. Another first - a program on obstetric fistula - a WRJ initiative in conjunction with Religions for Peace. An ob/gyn introduced the film "From Despair to Dignity", the story of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. After viewing this short film, she explained and illustrated through a power point presentation, this extremely sad situation suffered by thousands of young girls. There is hope as corrective surgery can be performed. However, none of these girls could ever hope to afford the fee. Through contributions to the Fistula Foundation, many have been cured, given a new dress, learned some basic skills and have returned to their families and villages. There was not a dry eye in the group after seeing and hearing about the suffering of these young girls.
Here are some comments on the weekend: Enjoyed It All; Inspiring, Stimulating; Fabulous Conference. This is my third and by far the best; Knew it would be a great experience; the topics of the workshops drew me to attend; presenters were all professional and well informed; and I love WRJ events. Many said that they would try to do a program on fistula as well.
Click here to view photos from the weekend.
90th Anniversary Celebration of Holy Blossom Temple Sisterhood
The weekend of June 11th and June 12th, 2011, Holy Blossom Temple Sisterhood celebrated its 90th Anniversary. The weekend began with the Saturday morning Service, where Sara Charney read Torah and sisterhood board was called to the Torah for an Aliyah. Following services and Kiddush, Blair Marks, our guest for the weekend, led a Torah Study session. Following the study session, HBT Sisterhood installed the incoming board. On Sunday morning, Blair led a Leadership workshop for the board. In the afternoon, we celebrated the anniversary with "High Tea" and honoured our past and present with a candle lighting ceremony. Past presidents lit candles to celebrate each decade. The present decade candle was lit by the current president, Ruthe Schipper. All in all, a full weekend.
Click here for photo highlights from the weekend.
For much more on the anniversary weekend, click here to visit the HBT website.
"Connected in Connecticut"
On April 1st through April 3rd, 2011 the WRJ Northeast District "Connected in Connecticut" at our biennial Board Retreat. The weekend was attended by board members, sisterhood presidents and incoming sisterhood presidents throughout our district. Connection was the theme and with the help of Rabbi Jaimee Shalhevet, Associate Rabbi of North Shore Synagogue, we connected through Shabbat services, creative Torah study, our YES Fund fundraiser, creating Miriam's cups, and sharing meals. Our president, Abby Fisher, facilitated an interactive leadership workshop with the help of our Vice Presidents Patti Nacht, Robin Sobol and Trina Novak. We connected in so many intangible ways, and were inspired to continue our work for our Sisterhoods and WRJ.
Click here for photo highlights from the retreat.
Northeast District Biennial 2010
On the weekend of October 8-10, 2010, 125 women descended upon Albany, New York to attend the Northeast District Biennial. Led by Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, Songleader Debra Winter, and WRJ's First Vice President Blair Marks, the biennial offered women opportunities to attend a variety of workshops and social functions. Following the theme "Opening Our Hearts, Revitalizing Our Souls", programming was offered in the areas of WRJ Nuts & Bolts, Critical Issues and Social Action, Leadership Development, and Spirituality.
Rabbi Elwell led us in prayer and through thought provoking Torah Study. She also led 3 fabulous workshops over the course of the weekend. Debra Winter worked with the Biennial Choir and led us in two spirited song sessions.
Blair Marks updated us about the latest tools available to sisterhoods from the WRJ website, and led workshops on Strategic Planning and Conflict Resolution. She also presented the new Membership materials to the entire delegation.
On Saturday evening, we installed our new President, Abigail Fisher, as well as our new board. We honored and thanked our Immediate Past President Michele Levy.
There were many more highlights to the weekend as you will see through the pictures and stories in the spring District Newsletter, and now you can click here for a few photo highlights.
And now, we want to share with you all about the awards our sisterhoods received in several different categories at our recent Northeast District Convention in October.
For the list of winners of the Kol Hadash Awards, click here.
For complete details of these winning programs, click here.
For complete bios on our Women of Valor winners, click here.
