Pacific Southwest Region

While I’m not really a country music fan, (Rock ‘n Roll is more to my liking) I can’t help but think of the words to the Willie Nelson tune that best describes my current time as Region President, “On the road again, just can’t wait to get on the road again...”. As a member of the PSW Off Keys, you’re all lucky to be reading this, instead of listening to me sing this.

By Marilyn Berkowitz

Yes, I’ve been doing some traveling. In mid January, I met our Women’s League International President, Cory Schneider in Scottsdale, where we started our road trip by visiting with the women from Har Zion Sisterhood. We also spent time with a member of Beth El, Phoenix, to discuss forming a Sisterhood and joining Women’s League. From there, we took a bus to Tucson where we spent time with the women of Anshei Israel Sisterhood. Finally, we took a plane to Albuquerque to visit with the women of B’nai Israel.

I want to thank the Sisterhood Presidents from those 3 Sisterhoods: Janice Teisch, Evelyn Sigafus and Tania Bobrick for their help in arranging our visit and for their warm hospitality. I want to thank all the women who came to visit with us. It was terrific to spend time with you, hear about your concerns and hopefully strengthen the bond between your Sisterhood, our PSW Region and Women’s League. You’ll read and see more about this trip in this issue of the Chai Lites.

I also want to thank Cory Schneider for once again visiting our PSW Region and for being such a great companion on our road trip. I’ve been traveling locally also, spending Sisterhood Shabbat with Temple Aliyah Sisterhood and with Sinai Temple Sisterhood. I am also enjoying attending or will attend the following Torah Fund events at these Sisterhoods: Valley Beth Shalom, Beth Am, Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center, Beth Sholom, Las Vegas and Temple Ramat Zion.

Yes, I’m putting on a lot of miles, but going out and visiting with our PSW women is definitely one of my favorite parts of being Region President. I want to thank the women of Beth Sholom, Las Vegas for being such terrific hostesses for the Leadership Institute a few weeks ago! Look for the articles from some of the PSW attendees in this issue. As you can see from the picture, we had a great group attend!

After a terrific luncheon (thanks, Tobie!) that Rabbi Artson, Rabbi Alexander, Renee Ravich, Tobie Rosenberg almost 30 Ziegler students and I attended, I have no doubt that our Sisterhoods can count on some future rabbis who will be supportive and well informed about Women's League and Torah Fund. With Rabbi Artson's praise for Women's League and encouragement, we have taken a step towards what I said would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. (For all you Casablanca fans!) I am looking forward to seeing many of you at our Spring Conference on May 2nd and 3rd!

Women’s League Leadership Institute

By Phyllis Dankberg, Temple Etz Chaim Sisterhood

I attended the Leadership Institute which was held at Temple Beth Shalom in Las Vegas on January 24, 25 and 26. A very beautiful place with very lovely and hospitable members. The ladies made us feel very welcome.

There were 23 delegates that attended. There were 2 very able trainers from Women's League and Cory Schneider the National President of Women's League who is inspirational. To be invited to the Institute you would need to be or about to be in leadership positions. Such as President, present or incoming, Programming, Ways and Means or Membership. The programming is dynamic, anyone offered these skills would be wise to take advantage. They would be useful to any individual. The skills would not only enhance your leadership skills that would benefit Sisterhood but bring with it skills that would enhance your personal communication levels.

Women's League also offers on-site seminars such as: Communication, Goal Setting and Strategic Planning, Leadership Development, Membership, Organizational Know How, Problem Solving, Sisterhood/Synagogue Relations, Nominating or customized seminars that would benefit our officers and board members that would help us to enhance individual skills as well as motivation.

I would like to present something like this for our incoming board during the summer as a jump start to our Next Sisterhood year. On a personal note, I've attended several Regional Conferences and see how dynamic Women's League has made their programs. They have much to offer us, and our organization could be enriched by taking advantage of that. In our farewell circle my comment to everyone was “I’ve found Women's League”

Women’s League Leadership Institute

By Stacy Miller, Sisterhood President, Pasadena Jewish Temple

One weekend in January turned out to be a motivating and friendship forming time among Jewish women. Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center’s Sisterhood encouraged three members to attend the Women’s League Leadership Institute in Las Vegas, NV. Debbie Guest, VP Membership, Leslie Aiken, Program Chair and I were taken through interactive paces of what it means to be a leader, what qualities a good leader possess and how to become an effective leader. I also came away with a new perspective on what Women’s League can do for our individual Sisterhood and the resources that are available to each Sisterhood member.

The Institute was surprisingly intimate- 23 people from many different states- and that allowed easy discussions between the members in the sessions. As a leader I learned that it is necessary to be a big thinker, while at the same time be open minded. Be a team builder, while at the same time be a risk taker. State my mission, but be flexible. And most importantly, listen. A surprisingly wonderful moment at the Institute was an unplanned break in the afternoon when all the participants were lying on couches in the lobby (well, okay maybe one PJTC participant was lying on a couch!) and everyone else plopped on the floor and on adjoining sofas and asked each other questions about how they get more people involved, what exciting programs they have had, how to please multiple age groups. We all share the same challenges, but we all want the same thing. We want a successful Sisterhood. We want a place where Jewish women can be together. I found that place in Las Vegas and brought it home. I was grateful for the opportunity to go.

Membership Workshops

By Renee Ravich

One of the perks of being the Torah Fund Vice President is traveling around the Region to Sisterhood Torah Fund events. Whether it’s to bring greetings, present certificates, or give a speech, I’ve had fun meeting with the different groups. In addition to the ones below, I will be visiting five more Sisterhoods in the next few weeks. My first visit was to give an overview of Torah Fund at the Ohr Shalom, San Diego, opening meeting. Ohr Shalom has recently reaffiliated with Women’s League and wanted to know the basics. By the end of the meeting tzedakah boxes were taken by most attendees and someone took on the responsibility of collecting them during the year. A great start! Next was up to Anaheim to a joint Membership/Torah Fund event at Beth Emet. In addition to a lovely lunch, a few of the women used one of the scripts available in our Los Angeles office to educate and inspire the audience about Torah Fund.

Tifereth Israel in San Diego hosted the second annual joint Torah Fund event with Beth El of La Jolla. It was a packed program with a student from Ziegler and entertainment, as well as an opportunity for the sisterhood women from across town to meet. Braving the storms, over 160 women attended the Torah Fund dinner at Adat Ari El honoring two of their members. The Rabbis, families, and friends all had a part in the wonderful program.

Four events, four different programs. Are you looking for a new approach? We are asking Sisterhood Torah Fund Chairs to share their ideas for programs and campaign tips at the Conference Workshop on Sunday, May 2, 2010. Please let me know if you would like to participate by e-mailing me at: rravich@san.rr.com.

Speaking of Conference, there will a celebration for Torah Fund on that Sunday evening at 6:00 PM. We will have special treats, recognition of our Sisterhood Torah Fund Chairs, and a special presentation for the Scholarship Campaign. In another part of this Chai Lites you will read about a luncheon with the Ziegler students. I was honored to be a part of this program. Rabbi Artson spoke so highly of Pacific Southwest Region of WLCJ and the work we do for Torah Fund. Among other probing questions, the students asked what they, as soon-to-be Rabbis, could do for Sisterhood. We left with the idea that mutual support was beneficial for both of us.

Congregation B’nai Israel Sisterhood Celebrates 75th Anniversary

By Judy Pitkofsky

The Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai Israel in Albuquerque, New Mexico celebrated its 75th Anniversary the weekend of October 23 and 24, 2009. The observance started with a special Friday evening Shabbat service led by Sisterhood members. Prior to the service, all the past presidents attending received beautiful lace head coverings as they entered the sanctuary. The Kabbalat Shabbat was opened by three generations reciting the blessing over the candles – President Tania Bobrick, her daughter-in-law Lori, and granddaughter, Jordan. In lieu of a sermon, five women paid tribute to their mothers and grandmothers who had served and are serving as Sisterhood presidents.

On the following morning, Sisterhood members and their daughters conducted Shacharit, read Torah and Haftarah and lead the Musaf service. Past presidents were called to the Bema for aliyot. A special kiddush lunch followed the service. The highlight of the weekend was the dinner and entertainment on Saturday evening. Sisterhood members not only decorated the social hall with elegant table settings, they prepared all of the appetizers and food. A musical group entertained with “A Broadway Retrospective,” followed by a dessert reception with a special anniversary cake.

During the evening, Wayne Bobrick, president of the congregation, accepted two checks for $7500 each from Judy Sherman, Financial Secretary and Sydney Glass, Ways and Means Vice President. The funds had come from the sale of ads for the 75th Anniversary Commemorative Book and Day Planner and from the proceeds of the Sisterhood’s resale shop, Bits and Pieces. These monies will be used for capital improvements to the synagogue. The B’nai Israel Sisterhood has been of service to the congregation in many important ways during its 75 years of existence including raising funds to purchase the lot on which the first permanent building was constructed. We have also completely furnished and maintained the two kitchens, helped pay for improvements to the parking lot, provided new desks and chairs for the classrooms, and given funds for scholarships to Jewish camps and trips for young people to Israel.