Women of Reform Judaism

by Lindie Henderson The combined readings of Parashot B’har and B’chukotai at the end of the Book of Leviticus provide rules for responsibilities and observances in specific time frames with reminders about blessings and curses. We can relate to “jubilee” celebrations during this WRJ Centennial year and consider how we will fulfill our obligations.

Editors’ Note: This statement was released today by WRJ. Jerusalem, Israel, March 12, 2013 … Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) leaders today joined Knesset and Women of the Wall (WOW) members to pray at the Jewish holy site, the Western Wall, to celebrate the start of the new Jewish month and to promote religious freedom [...]

It’s Shabbat. Where is the quiet? This morning, there is the sound of wind blowing across the sand and rocks. Throughout the bounty of an Israeli buffet breakfast (oy!), there I hear the cacophony of voices, the clinking of silverware and dishes, chairs scraping across the floor. No quiet here.

by Sharon Benoff and Sara K.. Charney The alarm loudly sounds at 5:30 a.m. The air is crisp. The wind surrounds us as we head off to our early morning jeep tour of the Ramon crater. The striations of the crater with the sun shining is breathtaking. This is how Shabbat began for 13 of [...]

As I write this a cool wind is blowing across the Negev and the sun is shining over the beautiful ‘crater’ at Mitzpe Ramon. I now know that the ‘crater’ is not really a crater, but rather a unique and breath-taking geological formation. Having visited David and Paula Ben Gurion’s graves near their home at [...]

On a Friday evening in January, my husband, daughter Jessica, son-in-law, and I attended Kabbalat Shabbat services at Congregation Ruaj Ami in Santiago, Chile. It was a delightful and wonderful experience!!!

I knew when I chose to write this week’s D’var Torah on this portion that it was my birth portion but I did not realize that this year, it would come the week after my birthday. I didn’t know that my birthday would be on Purim and that this was the Torah portion that would [...]

This letter was written in response to a letter that WRJ-North America sent WRJ-Israel reminding them that “stronger together” is more than a tagline on WRJ’s website, but a pledge to help each other during times of need like now—the escalating violence in Israel. by Rabbi Myra Hovav My congregation in Gedera, Congregation Yuval, is within [...]

Picture a day filled doing a few activities you enjoy and seeing the wonderful people in your life in a special location. With our busy lives, we can’t always do what we want, but we can set aside time to practice feeling grateful. As Ricki Oleon referenced in last week’s Voices, I also participated in [...]

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 [...]