Women of Reform Judaism

by Amanda Wachstein, NFTY-PAR Advisor (pictured with Rosanne Selfon, her mom, also known as Bubbio, and Mila) The best gifts in the world are the people in our lives and the moments we share together, especially when those people are our mothers, the women who have made us strong, resilient and loving. These women come [...]

Throughout its history, Women of Reform Judaism has supported the next generation of the Reform Movement. In celebration of WRJ’s Centennial and the significant role that WRJ has played in the life of NFTY, the current National Board members and a staff member of the North American Federation of Temple Youth share their reflections on [...]

I have discovered the fountain of youth… attend NFTY Convention! Our kids are AMAZING!  They come in all shapes and sizes, wear crazy clothes, and cling to each other like window stickers. They love being Jewish! They celebrate Shabbat with joy and exuberance. They pray and worship with reverence and intent. They sing and dance [...]

My name is Rachel Jurisz-Singh. Some of you know me by the name I use professionally – Jurisz – which is actually my maiden name. Yes, I am intermarried and my family is interracial too. Growing up I never thought I would choose to marry outside of my faith. I was always involved in my [...]

As I was leaving the JCC one night after a meeting where we discussed, among other things, how to reach new populations, I received a text from my son. Since he often sends me pictures of the cutest, most adorable, smartest grandchild on earth, I immediately read the message which said, “Ma, do we have [...]

by Kathryn Henning Every so often it hits us. You don’t know when it will happen or what you’ll be doing when it does, but it’s always a little bit of a shock to your system. You get this feeling in the pit of your stomach. It kind of bubbles up inside you and reminds [...]

“Click, click, click.” Nonnie, my beloved maternal grandmother, was never far away from her knitting bag. She carried it with her to the beauty parlor where, sitting under the dryer, she could knit uninterrupted for 20 minutes. She carried it to doctor’s appointments and movies—she could actually knit in the dark—turning out sweaters, scarves, and [...]

By Ellen Wagner Imagine you are a twenty-something newlywed with a full time job, busy making a life in a new city. A local Reform synagogue approaches you and your spouse with a plea for help. “Please help! The Temple youth group is in desperate need of adult supervision. We’ve heard you’ve got some experience [...]

Erev Shabbat Memorial Day weekend found me seated in the 115-year-old sanctuary of my home synagogue Congregation Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster, PA, for our confirmation service. Unlike other Reform confirmations, ours marks a conclusion of our students’ religious education from pre-school through twelfth grade. Several years ago, our rabbi, Jack Paskoff, proposed changing Confirmation from [...]

By Rabbi Wendi Geffen “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I asked my four-year old recently. “Well, I’d like to be a rabbi, but I can’t because I’m a boy.” Given the fact that nearly every rabbi my son has met, including me, is female, his conclusion was not surprising. Contrast [...]