Women of Reform Judaism

by Trina Novak

Those of us who are actively involved in WRJ often claim that sisterhoods of today are “not our mothers’ sisterhoods.” That is not true in my case. There was no sisterhood at the temple where my mother, Ruth Novak, was a member so she joined mine, which is an hour’s drive away from her home. In some cases this would not be a ‘big deal’ but Mom was 71 years old at the time she joined and even though my Dad does the driving, she is not comfortable traveling with the “crazies” on our Massachusetts highways.

Read more…

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 this vital relationship.

Evan Traylor, NFTY President: Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) was instrumental in the founding of the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) in 1939, and since that date has continued to provide enormous financial and moral support to the organization. WRJ has made it possible for generations of Reform Jewish teens across North America to engage in and create meaningful Jewish experiences with their unwavering support. On any given weekend throughout the year, hundreds – often thousands – of Reform Jewish teens gather with their local Temple Youth Group or NFTY region to engage in Jewish activities and events. They have the opportunity to understand their Jewish identity, create powerful relationships, and contribute to the present and future of Reform Judaism. Through enormous partnerships between temple youth groups and URJ congregations, these teens will learn from and develop relationships with vital role models.  Read more…

Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments on the case Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics. This case has received national attention in large part due to the extremely personal issues being addressed by the court. In particular, this case attempts to grapple with the question “can one patent a part of the human body?” WRJ policy is not clear on this issue – which is why we’d love to fill you in and hear your thoughts! Read more…

Last month I was incredibly fortunate to be part of the WRJ Centennial Trip to Israel and Berlin. What an amazing experience! I still haven’t finished processing all that we saw and did as we went to so many interesting places and learned so much about how WRJ supports the work of Progressive/Reform Judaism in Israel and Germany. I continue to bask in the glow of the memories!

Read more…

WRJ and the Reform Movement released the following statement today:

April 25, 2013, New York, NY — The Reform Movement is encouraged by the Jerusalem District Court’s ruling today that determined that recent detention of Women of the Wall members for their activities at the Western Wall was unjustified and for denying local police requests for restraining orders against the group.

Read more…

Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a member of President Obama’s Cabinet, told attendees at the RAC’s Consultation on Conscience Sunday night that not only does she love her work, but she feels it is a huge privilege to work on so many significant world issues while representing the United States. She said, “there is no recess like in Washington; we work non-stop 365 days a year.”

Read more…

By Rabbi Jon Adland

I remember this as if it were yesterday. The year was 1966 and the season was spring.  My father secretly arranged to pick up his children, the four of us, at three different schools, and take us to Washington Hebrew Congregation’s closing Sisterhood luncheon. Though I wasn’t totally in the loop, what I understood was that my mother—Marilyn Friend Adland—was going to be installed as president of WHC’s Sisterhood. Though I didn’t know it then, but I do now, WHC’s Sisterhood was one of the first in our Reform Jewish movement and my mom was going to be the president of this Sisterhood. My father, unbeknownst to my mother, was bringing us to witness this moment and, obviously, it left a lasting impression on me even if I had very little idea what Sisterhood was or what my mom was doing.

It didn’t take long to figure out that this was something special. My mother was now on the synagogue’s board of directors, she was getting lots of phone calls, there was always a pile of papers by the phone in the kitchen that belonged to her, and she was going to sit on the bimah at some future time. She took her position seriously. I was so proud of my mom, but her role in Sisterhood didn’t end there as she went on to leadership in District 7 (I think it was called), and the National Federation of Temple Sisterhood’s Board. As an NFTS Board member living in DC, she was asked to be a part of the initial organization to be called the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights in 1973. This position left a lasting impression on me as for 25 years I have served my local and the national Planned Parenthood loyally. I should add that she served a second term as WHC’s Sisterhood president and many years on the WHC board. We even attended the 1971 Biennial in LA together.  I was a youth delegate and she was attending the NFTS convention. Read more…

It’s WRJ’s Centennial year and some days I wake up and I’m not sure what city I am in! Today though, I am very clearly in Washington, D.C. attending the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC)’s flagship conference, Consultation on Conscience. We began last night with an exciting keynote speaker in our historic and impressive Washington Hebrew Congregation. The speaker, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice and URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs had a wonderful, open conversation. It was interesting and so informative.

Read more…

by Cherie Half

At the core of Parashat Acharei Mot is the question of change. This week’s Torah parashah discusses the foundation for laws affecting sexual relations and the separation of women, which is termed the “holiness” code of Leviticus.

Read more…

This week’s parashah is Parashat Kedoshim, known as the “Holiness Code.” In it, we are instructed to ourselves be holy, for God is holy. We’re not left, though, with just this vague command – the rest of the parashah contains many specific ways in which we can fulfill this important yet seemingly impossible demand. While some of the elements of this “Holiness Code” might seem fairly removed from our typical ideas of “holiness” (not wearing cloth from a mixture of two kinds of material, for example, or not eating the fruit of newly planted trees for the first four years), many of the mitzvot we read about in this parashah concern interpersonal relationships, and how we as a community look out for one another. “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap the corner of your field…you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger,” we read. We are taught to judge our neighbors fairly, to pay laborers prompt wages, to not insult the deaf nor place stumbling blocks before the blind. In short, we are taught to treat others in our society – regardless of our relationship to them, regardless of who they are or what they do – with the utmost dignity and respect.

Read more…