Women’s League for
Conservative Judaism Biennial Convention
12-15 December 2010
Baltimore, Maryland
Kehillah Kedoshah: Celebrating Community Woman to Woman
What can you say about a convention that includes the Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Dean of the Ziegler School for Rabbinic Studies, the first woman president of the Rabbinical Assembly, workshops on everything you need to know to help you have a terrific Sisterhood, a fabulous installation reception and dinner, reunions, Region parties, and a Vashti’s Banquet that can’t be beat? All I can say is you should have been there.
Dr. Arnold Eisen, Chancellor of JTS and first keynote speaker, told us that Torah presents people like you and me, good and bad at the same time. It teaches that we do not live life in the abstract. Our lives – our stories – do not end with us if we walk a path that our children will follow. He went on to say that we enjoy a great blessing; we live in the greatest Jewish Diaspora ever. He told us not to be discouraged by the numbers, but to be assured by the quality of the members we have. The Conservative Jewish way of talking Torah and living Torah is going to continue because it’s the answer to today’s challenges. American Jewry is going to stand by Israel. There will be disputes inside Israel and outside Israel about its policies, but American Jews understand that Israel is one of the greatest blessings we can have. “We have nothing to fear from the facts. The truth will win, and therefore we will win.”
When he installed Rita Wertlieb as the 20th President of Women’s League, Dr. Eisen said that the promises she was about to make to this assembly are another link in the chain going back to the promises the Jewish people made at Sinai. We don’t make things holy in the world, he told her (and us), by saying holy things about G-d, but by doing holy things in G-d’s Name.
At our first Region meeting, PSW President Marilyn Berkowitz presented us with big news: An announcement was made this morning by Rabbi Mark Wolf, Director of Development at JTS, that from now on, every Sisterhood in every Region will be raising money not only for JTS, but also for Ziegler School. Until now, only the Sisterhoods west of the Rockies raised money for Ziegler. Marilyn’s second big announcement was that Lisa Kogen is not only coming out for our Study Day, but is going to stay a week and speak at several Sisterhoods. Renee Ravich announced that the Torah Fund campaign has raised $711,000 as of this morning, plus another $50,000 which Renee gave them from PSW.
At the Israel Plenum, we heard from Rabbi Gilah Dror. Her credentials are excellent: She is the first woman president of the Rabbinical Assembly in both North America and Israel; she was the first female to serve as a rabbi in Israel; and she helped set up the first alternative cemetery in Israel in 1999. Rabbi Dror set the facts out clearly: The Israeli Declaration of Independence forbids discrimination on the basis of gender, but women in Israel earn 65% of what men earn for the same work. In the military, women serve a shorter service than men, so they are given jobs that require less training and are therefore less prepared when they leave the service. There is no provision for civil marriage or divorce in Israel, and Israel doesn’t grant recognition to Masorti rabbis.
Another big problem for women in Israel right now concerns the Women of the Wall (WOW). WOW is a group of women who want to have a prayer service at the Kotel on Rosh Chodesh. They want to wear talit and hold a Torah scroll. The Kotel is presently administered by Israel as an Orthodox synagogue.
Although the Talmud tells us that Michal, Saul’s daughter, donned t’fillin, there is a law in Israel which says no service can be held on the women’s side of the Kotel which includes reading Torah, blowing a ram’s horn, or wearing a talit or t’fillin. Violation is punishable by seven years in prison. This is not healthy for Israel or for Judaism. We must make room for all of us to be part of the Zionist dream. WOW should have access at a specified time (we don’t need 24/7 access to the Kotel). It’s not distance from Torah or a Torah scroll that holds us together; it’s connection to Torah.
What can we do to help, Rabbi Dror asked? She answered, we can support WOW and the Masorti Movement. We can make sure the voices of today’s women will be heard for generations to come.
At the Torah Fund Plenum it was announced that last year at this time we had collected $634,608.10. As of 9 December 2010, we have taken in $711,000.34.
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson was the keynote speaker for the Torah Fund Plenum, and he immediately acknowledged that Women’s League is being asked to take a disproportionate responsibility for the education of tomorrow’s rabbis.
G-d’s name in the Torah is made up only of vowels. It cannot be aspirated. It is not true that we don’t say G-d’s name; we don’t say it with our voices, we say it with our hearts.
You cannot be human alone. To be human means to be always in relationship with others and with the Creator. Orthodox Jews are our brothers and sisters; we don’t need others to fail for us to succeed. If the Jewish people doesn’t fracture into small groups, it will be because the center not only holds but thrives.
Our method of recruitment in a world that is moving is to stand still. And people find us. They come to our doorstep from everywhere. Religion in 21st century life is the only voice that stands up and says we are part of something bigger. Who told the world that every single human being is made in G-d’s image? Torah did that.
Woman’s League needs to mobilize to fight for a world worth surviving. “If we spend this year worrying about quality, then quantity will take care of itself.” Judaism is not about “please rise, please sit, beat your chest, go home and overeat.” We need to roll up our sleeves and make this a year of Torah Fund that no one will ever forget.
Lauren Wishnew closed the plenum by telling us, “If you think you are too small too be effective then you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito…. It starts with you.”
Rita Altman, Public Policy and Advocacy Chair, presented the resolutions which had been discussed in caucus. We passed general resolutions on Bullying; Childhood Obesity; Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; Economic Equity; and Women in Public Office. We also passed two resolutions concerning Israel: Women of the Wall 2010, and Release of Israeli Captives. We passed a resolution recognizing the UN Autism Awareness Day on 2 April 2011, and the UN International Year of Chemistry and International Year of Forests. The Canadian delegation passed their own resolutions in their caucus.
Vashti’s Banquet started with appetizers served in the lobby and dinner in the dining room whenever you were ready to eat. Meanwhile, there were breakouts on the ‘womanly arts’: belly dancing, serving tea, body art, perfumes, mask-making, massage, and makeup and skin care, all presented by experts in their fields.
After the breakouts, we all went back into the dining room for the learning and entertainment. Dr. Anne Lapidus Lerner did the “learning” session. She told us that at Adam and Eve’s wedding there were ten canopies. “We know that because the rabbis tell us so – and the rabbis wouldn’t lie to us, would they?” The rabbis also say the man is born face down and the woman face up, and it’s because they are born facing their source. Man came from the earth, so he’s face down. Woman is born facing the rib from which she came.
The learning session was followed by belly dancer Rowena Mejia, who, after doing several solo dances, managed to get most of the crowd onto the dance floor. A good time was had by all.
At Wednesday’s Closing Plenum we saw a delightful short film from the children of Baltimore, thanking us for the Books for Baltimore project, which presented books to every child in third grade and every child in the new Pre-K – a total of 12,800 books and hundreds of handmade bookmarks.
Sandy Myers, Convention Chair, announced that we had 747 delegates and guests. [Pacific Southwest (PSW) had 34 delegates representing about 23 Sisterhoods.] Sandy thanked us all for “being the Convention,” stating we were “not part of it; you are it.”
Cory Schneider, immediate Past President, urged us to spread the message: Woman’s League is alive and thriving. Make a difference; be the spark that lights the fire of enthusiasm; be the change you want to see.
Rita Wertlieb, our newly installed President, told us there is an old saying in Women’s League: This Convention was absolutely the best, but now we move forward; the next Convention will be the best. Faye Liebeson is the new chair for Convention 2012 – in Las Vegas!
Gail Neiman
Tikkun Olam Vice President
A First Timer
Friendly smiles, warm greetings, women of all ages and women at all stages of their lives, women committed to the future of Conservative Judaism. Those were my first impressions of my first Women’s League International Convention in Baltimore this December.
I was fortunate to be traveling with Blanche Meisel, A WL International Board Member, who was kind enough to introduce me to International Past Presidents as well as the incoming President. I was truly in awe of the caliber of women who serve at the national and regional levels and their commitment to the movement. Everyone was so warm and friendly, I immediately felt like I belonged.
From my first meeting on Sunday, I saw familiar faces from when I attended the Pacific Southwest Conference last spring and the Leadership Institute in January in Las Vegas. It was so great to renew these friendships. My favorite part of the convention, however, was sitting down with complete strangers at a meal and walking away with a new friend, one I was able to share ideas with and learn things that would help me in my position as Co-President of my Women’s League of Temple Beth Sholom in Las Vegas.
My other favorite thing about Convention was the fantastic mix of women from all over the world. When I say all ages, I mean all ages. All interacted and grew together from our shared experiences. The more seasoned women were so spectacular and supportive, that it confirmed my feelings that no matter what age we are, we all have valuable contributions to make. When each person is appreciated, it makes it possible to all come together to work for the common goal.
But the highlight of the Convention had to be the final day. We all sat together as a Region at the final plenum when the announcement was made that Pacific Southwest Region would host the first ever Convention in the West, in 2012 in LAS VEGAS! This announcement brought us all to our feet, screaming and cheering! We are not sure what this will mean to us as far as a time commitment, but with such a fantastic region, I’m sure we will meet the challenge and provide the best convention ever!
So, if you have been wondering what this Convention talk is all about, and if it is worth going, I would say everyone should go at least once. And since it will be so close to your home in 2012, how can you say no? You have to experience it for yourself, meet other fantastic women, gain experience and knowledge, learn to step out of the box and become an even stronger leader. Thanks to all of you who made my first Convention a memorable one!
Melanie Greenberg
Sisterhood Co-President, Temple Beth Sholom, Las Vegas
Kehillah Kedoshah – Women’s League Convention 2010 was a lovely experience of Women Celebrating Community, Woman to Woman.
On Sunday evening, it was especially exciting for me when I was honored to be installed as one of the National Vice Presidents. It continued to be exhilarating as I was fortunate to have been asked to do a few workshops relating to Membership, which is the key factor to the strength of our organization. It finished with renewing friendships with women from all over the USA, Canada and Israel, and meeting many new friends.
I cherish our Community of Women and hope everyone will take the opportunity in 2012 to be a part of the next Convention as we finally get to have our celebrations together on the West Coast.
Iris Lasky
Immediate Past President
Please visit this link to see the thank from the Baltimore
School district for all the books Women's League donated to the
children
Youtube
Torah Fund is alive and well!
Can you just imagine that women of the Conservative Masorti Movement everywhere will be pledging to Torah Fund and adding an additional gift towards the Scholarship Plus giving campaign in 2011 and beyond?
That was the topic of conversation at the Cabinet’s breakfast meeting, the workshops and the plenary session – all devoted to improving the fund-raising skills of Torah Fund Vice Presidents, chairs and area directors.
We were honored by the presence of Rabbi Marc Wolf, Vice Chancellor and Director of Development of JTS, who spoke to us on our theme of “Kehillah Kedoshah”, urging us to elevate our day to day actions and to make them a little more holy....how to do what we do and how we can do it better. In that spirit, Rabbi Wolf announced that in recognition of rabbinic diversity across the country, Torah Fund monies will be distributed more equitably. A new agreement was forged between the Chancellor of JTS, Dr. Arnold Eisen and Rabbi/Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson, the Abner and Roz Goldstine Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies: henceforth, a percentage of all monies raised by Sisterhoods all over the country will come to the Ziegler School!
All of us in the PSW Region are grateful to Rabbi Artson for his steadfast support of our efforts and congratulate him on the successful result of his many hours of negotiating this new contract.
Now we will have to work even harder for the benefit of all the JTS and Ziegler students!
Bea Reynolds
West Coast Scholarship Co-Chairman
WOMEN’ LEAGUE CONVENTION, 2010
I went out of obligation. After all, who wants to go to Baltimore in the middle of December if you live in California? After all, I’ve attended numerous Conventions and Conferences – been there, done that – what could I possible see, do and learn?
Well, I saw about 600 women from across America, Canada and Israel.
I saw leaders of our conservative movement: Dr. Arnie Eisen, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary; Dr. Steven Wolnek, Immediate Past President of Mercaz, USA; Mr. Richard Skolnik, President of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; Rabbi Gilah Dror, President of the Rabbinical Assembly; Rabbi Bradley Artson, Dean of Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies; and of course, our immediate Past President of Women’s League, Cory Schneider and incoming President, Rita Wertlieb.
I saw Rabbis: Nina Cardin, Avis Miller, Naomi Levy and Myrna Matsa; all among the 50 most influential women rabbis in the nation according to The Jewish Forward.
I saw numerous women authors, singers, artists and even a belly dancer.
Yes, I tried belly dancing. I don’t fear making a fool of myself in the company of my supportive sisters. Do I really have to mention eating?! At a Jewish gathering of women?! And yes, I did buy myself a little something at the boutique. I have the support the economy, it’s my civic duty.
I listened. I heard women grappling with Sisterhoods’ relevance in their shul and in their community. I added my voice. I heard the novel idea that Sisterhoods could be one ‘entry point’ for shul membership by providing targeted programs and events which speak to the special interests of the women in their community.
I heard women concerned with the welfare of others respond by raising enough money to buy 13,000 books for the children of Baltimore public schools.
I heard women concerned with public policy impacting the Jewish community in general and Jewish women in particular draft, debate and adopt Resolutions on: bullying; childhood obesity; ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’; economic equity; women in public office; Women of the Wall and the release of Israeli Soldiers. As a Non Governmental Organization of the United Nations, the women of WL adopted the UN Resolution regarding Autism Awareness Day. I added my voice and vote.
I did a lot of thinking. I continue to muse over the ‘big human questions’ posed by Rabbi Artson. I try to imagine being harassed for reading aloud from the Torah. I cannot. I am fortunate to live in a community where religious plurality is a given, a natural right. I try to imagine continually struggling for the right to wear tallit. Would I persevere? I don’t know. I hope so.
I think about the all these women coming together – a community – sharing a common purpose of “lives devoted to deeds of goodness and justice” (quote from Rabbi Artson’s speech), truly a Kehillah Kedoshah, Woman to Woman.
So it seems there was plenty for me to see, do and learn. I came home with a renewed sense of direction and pride.
I am very proud to be a woman, a Jewish woman, a Temple Beth Am Sisterhood woman, a Pacific Southwest Region woman, a Women’s League for Conservative Judaism woman.
I am proud to belong to an organization that:
- produces leaders such as Janet Tobin, past WL President, now elected
as President of Mercaz, USA.
- that adopted a resolution advocating the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell’
a week before the US Congress.
- that gifts 13,000 books to children.
- that gifts me with 100,000 sisters.
- that tried to teach me belly dancing.
Agnes G Emert
Conference Vice President
Convention 2010 Recap
It may have been 20 degrees outside, but inside with over 700 women it was pretty hot! Though I didn’t master that great hip move in the belly dancing class, many did and they were having a great time on the dance floor the night of Vashti’s Banquet!
Since it was my first convention, it was inspiring to me to see the women from across the country that have chosen to devote their time (and lots of it) to further the cause of Women in Conservative Judaism by taking on Region and International Board positions.
I learned that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Women’s League has something or someone to help Sisterhoods in all situations. Need program ideas? They‘ve got them. Sisterhood just starting up? They’ll help you. Sisterhood numbers dwindling? They’ll help you. Visiting the UN and want some VIP treatment? Women’s League’s representatives can get you a tour, help with sleeping arrangements and allow you to see briefings! Talk about an unexpected perk!
The break-out sessions were helpful and there was something for everyone from Membership Chairs, Presidents and Torah Fund. The speakers were inspiring and spoke on a range of subjects. The rabbi helping in New Orleans was so passionate about her work. I especially liked the book talks and learned from Rabbi Naomi Levy about writing my own prayer.
There were many women that covered a great range of ages. I was amazed by the women who have gone to over 20 conventions, especially since you consider they are held every other year. I could see why. Friendships are made and then renewed. Bonds of the women from the same Sisterhood who attend together are strengthened. I got to spend more time with women from our region and look forward to doing events together.
I’m glad I went to convention and look forward to it being in our own backyard in 2 years!
Stacy Miller
Sisterhood President
Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center
Convention 2010
Why would anyone want to go to Baltimore in December? I had to ask myself that question several times. It turns out to be one of the best decisions that I have made. Well, the answer of course was to become a delegate at our International Women’s League Convention. After being very involved in Temple Ramat Zion sisterhood for 15 years, I felt that it was about time to find out more about Women’s League and where my future was taking me. I never even left the Marriot Hotel except to go to the airport. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly greeted by my sisters from the USA, Canada and Israel. When I left my PSW sisters at LAX, I knew that I had made new friends and was very much entrenched in our community.
There really was something there for everyone. If you just wanted to visit the vendors, authors and see all of your friends, there was plenty of time for that. However, being a first time delegate I was determined to do everything that I possibly could. I attended so many meaningful workshops and am overwhelmed by all of the information that I have taken back with me. I was so thankful for all of the power point presentations that were so professionally done. I had such a good time playing Jewish geography with everyone and meeting people from everywhere. I came home feeling truly inspired by Rabbi Artson and Rabbi Dror. I took so much away from meeting Margie Miller who I think is one of the strongest and warmest Jewish woman that you would ever want to know.
I hope that all of my PSW sisters are looking forward to our regional conference; I know that I am. Are we going to have to twist your arm to attend PSW conference or the next International Convention in Las Vegas? I don’t think so.
Sheree Wolk
Membership Vice-President, Temple Ramat Zion
Convention 2010
We just returned form Women’s League biennial International Convention in Baltimore. We were 6 delegates from Valley Beth Shalom Sisterhood and 34 from the Pacific Southwest Region. We traveled enthusiastically to accept our Emerald Level Jewels in the Crown Award, but came away with so much more than that.
We were over 700 individuals joining together as one united group: Women’s League for Conservative Judaism. We were from the United States, Canada and Israel. It was quite a feeling to be amongst so many wonderful, talented and dedicated women. We studied and learned together and shared ideas. We renewed our commitment to Conservative/Masorti Judaism and our connection to Mercaz, understanding how important it is to support all of the causes that unite our movement and the women who support and nurture it.
We heard from learned Rabbis and teachers and attended sessions to better understand our role in Sisterhood and our Region and that of Women’s League. The women who lead us are truly remarkable leaders and each and every one of them cares about and values us at Valley Beth Shalom. We broadened our knowledge of what it means to be a Kehillah Kedoshah, our Women’s League theme for this year. We are women who come together to celebrate our community, to insure its vitality and to promote its legacy.
We have a responsibility as Sisterhood to enrich the lives of Conservative/Masorti Jewish women. We at Valley Beth Shalom do this each and every day through our commitment to Torah Fund, Mitzvot, support of Israel, connection with our Synagogue and countless programs that we sponsor. With our continued great efforts, we will continue to lead and grow the future generations of talented Jewish women!
Every part of convention was wonderful, but the best was the bonding with our Sisters right here in our own Region. Please mark your calendars for our annual Region Spring Conference April 3-4, 2011 in Irvine so you can meet these women and share the feelings and experiences that we were so fortunate to have.