Wednesday, December 3, 2025 | 13th of Kislev, 5786

Highlights for this week's Women's League newsletter:

Giving Tuesday contributions will be accepted for the full month of December.

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

7:00 pm ET | 4:00 pm PT

Join us for the last part of this series that celebrates the 40-year anniversary of women in our RA hosted by the Rabbinical Assembly, Women's League For Conservative Judaism, and the Jewish Theological Seminary. 

Tradition and Impact: How Halakhah has Been Shaped by Women

Rabbis Aaron Alexander, Pamela Barmash, Susan Grossman
Rabbi Gesa Ederberg, Incoming RA President, will offer Dvar Torah

How has the presence of women in the rabbinate reshaped our interpretation of halakhah over the past forty years? We will explore this question through personal experience, historical reflection, and halakhic insight, considering the evolution of Jewish legal thought within and beyond the Conservative/Masorti Movement.

Thursday, December 4, 2025

7:30 pm ET | 4:30 pm PT

Announcing: Toolbox Talks for Sisterhood Affiliates

A dynamic Zoom series open to all Women’s League members

Are you looking for solutions to today’s leadership challenges?

Would you like to learn the difference between having a title and being an effective leader?

Do you want to turn goals into accomplishments?

If you said yes, then Toolbox Talks for Sisterhood Affiliates is for you!
Attend one workshop, attend all six, or pick the ones that work for you.

Next Session – December 4, 2025

Topic: Effective Sisterhood Leadership: Beyond Titles
Presenters: Debbie Lempert, WL Consultant and Convention 2026 Vice Chair with Lymor Wasserman, WL Budget Chair

Upcoming Toolbox Talks sessions:

February 5, 2026

March 5, 2026

May 7, 2026

June 4, 2026

Anise Parnes

WLCJ International Vice President and Consulting Services Vice Chair

aparnes@wlcj.org

Sunday, December 7, 2025

19:00 Israel Time | 12:00 PM ET | 11:00 AM CT | 10:00 AM MT | 9:00 AM PT

שׂיחוֹת בֵּין אָחַיוֹת, Sichot beyn Achayot means “conversations between sisters.” This program is designed to foster a deeper mutual understanding between the Masorti women in Israel and those in other countries around the globe. It is designed to address the question, “How are we the same, and how are we different?” The theme of this year’s program is: 

עושה שלום, Maker of Peace 

The three sessions will each concentrate on one specific aspect of the contemporary quest for peace both personal and universal and will include presentations from speakers in both North America and Israel.

Session Three

Making Peace With Others

עושה שלום, עזור לנו להביא שלום לעולם

Oseh Shalom, azor lanu le’havi shalom l’olam  
Maker of Peace, help us to bring peace to the world.

Isaiah proclaimed that God sent him to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to comfort all who mourn, and to bring joy instead of mourning. How do we make peace in a world that was at war for almost two years? How does one resume life after being held hostage? How do we support soldiers who don’t have a support system? And is it possible to extend a hand of friendship across a cultural divide?

Speakers

Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz, a Conservative rabbi, educator and writer

Topic: Peace as the Ideal in Classic Jewish Texts

Harriet Levin, co-Founder of The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation

Topic: Story of her son Michael Levin, z”l, who lost his life in the 2006 Lebanon War

Stacie Stufflebeam, Executive Director of The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation

Topic: Services offered by The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation, which offers support for lone soldiers in Israel

Carmit Palty Katzir, a social worker and is active in a social initiative of health and mental health professionals called “Bo’u” (“come”)

Topic: Speaking about her father, mother, and brother, all of whom lost their lives during and following the October 7 attack

Rabbi Margie Cella

mcella@wlcj.org

WLCJ Educator

If you missed Session One and Two, click here to view the recordings.

Sunday, January 25 - Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Women’s League for Conservative Judaism – committed to developing skilled and dedicated leaders – invites you to attend an inspiring Leadership Institute that will expand your skills as a leader and enhance your knowledge as a Jewish woman while strengthening your connection to Women’s League, your Sisterhood Affiliate, your community, and Klal Yisrael.

The next Women’s League Leadership Institute is scheduled for January 25-27, 2026 at Temple Sinai in Hollywood, FL.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE?

A multi-day workshop that will enhance your personal style of communication with interactive exercises and role-playing, and will help you discover tips and techniques for using language that motivates, stimulates and encourages women to volunteer. An opportunity to network with other women, master goal-setting, time management and team-building. Learn the secret of keeping yourself challenged.

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS? 

The Leadership Institute’s unique format allows participants to build a personal program to expand Jewish knowledge and leadership skills.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

$299 includes materials, programming, and meals. This fee does not include hotel or transportation to Temple Sinai in Hollywood, FL.

Registration for the hotel is $134/single and $144/double + tax per night. Click here to reserve a room in the Leadership Institute room block at the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham in Hollywood, FL. Make sure that your check-in/check-out dates are listed appropriately. According to WLCJ guidelines, please do not travel on Shabbat. These rooms can be accommodated into double occupancy. Before booking, please let us know who you will be sharing the room with for our records and explain how split payment will be handled.  

The learning and sense of community created during the Institute comes both from the shared experiences during the formal program and the unstructured time together at the hotel. To facilitate this, we strongly urge local participants to stay with the rest of the group at the hotel. 

Debbie Zimmerman

WLCJ Leadership Institute Logistics Chair

dzimmerman@wlcj.org

Applications are open!

We are excited to announce that the next Jewels in the Crown award ceremony will take place during our upcoming WL Convention in Alexandria, VA in July 2026!

This signature award recognizes and celebrates Sisterhood Affiliates for their outstanding accomplishments in education, cultural programming, social action, and WL engagement.

WHO MAY APPLY? 

Every WLCJ Sisterhood Affiliate is encouraged to complete a Jewels in the Crown 2026 (JIC) application.

HOW TO APPLY?

Please complete the application form linked below.

Although the online application is preferable, Sisterhood Affiliates may print/scan/email an application to jewels@wlcj.org or mail an application to our WLCJ offices at:

Jewish Theological Seminary

Attn: Women's League for Conservative Judaism

3080 Broadway, Suite K900

New York, NY 10027

For questions or assistance completing an application, please email jewels@wlcj.org

You may also contact . . .

Anise Parnes, aparnes@wlcj.org

Edna Schrank, eschrank@wlcj.org

Rachel Ferber, rferber@wlcj.org

Sisterhood Affiliates will be honored during WL Convention 2026 in Alexandria, VA!

Shabbaton: Friday–Saturday, July 10–11, 2026 

Convention: Sunday–Wednesday, July 12–15, 2026

The Hilton Alexandria Mark Center

5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22311

Still need to register?

Click the image to explore each program series on Zoom. We’d love to have you join us!

Thurs, Dec 11, 2025 at 7:30 pm ET

Tues, Dec 16, 2025 at 8:00 pm ET

Ongoing Google Group

Pacific Southwest Region

Weekly on Wednesdays at 9:30 am PT

North Atlantic Region

Sunday, Dec 14, 2025 at 1:00 pm ET

Garden State Region

Sunday, Jan 4, 2026 at 12:30pm ET

International Northeast Region

Monday, Jan 12, 2026 at 7:30pm ET

Does your Region/Sisterhood Affiliate have any upcoming programs that are virtual or hybrid?

If so, please send the details to info@wlcj.org so we can include them in an upcoming edition of WL Week.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

12 noon ET, 9am PT, 10am MT, and 11am CT

A virtual service for our WLCJ Sisters to recite Mishaberach (the Prayer for Healing) and Psalms, and study Kaddish.

Zoom link can be found in WL Week. Please email info@wlcj.org if you are not in our mailing list.

The WWOT, the Weekly Words of Torah, each week through the end of June 2026, will connect to the 2025-2026 / 5786 Torah Fund general campaign, Oseh Shalom – Maker of Peace. To read more Weekly Words of Torah, click here.

Parashat Vayishlach | December 6, 2025

Jacob started preparing to meet Esau. He sent messengers to let Esau know that he was coming. They returned saying that Esau was on his way, accompanied by 400 men. Frightened, Jacob separated his family and flocks into two camps, hoping that at least one would be able to escape Esau’s wrath, then prayed to God for protection.

After sending servants ahead with gifts for Esau, Jacob separated himself from his family. A man (or an angel?) came and wrestled with Jacob all night. Before departing in the morning, he changed Jacob’s name to Israel . . . 

2026/5786 – January 17/28 Tevet

Parashat Vaera

You are invited to tailor the following texts to meet the needs and goals of your Women’s League Shabbat committee. We are pleased to offer a collection of poems, songs/music videos, articles, rabbinic excerpts, and readings based on the current Torah Fund theme of Oseh Shalom.

A generic D’var Torah is also included for those communities scheduling their Women’s League Shabbat on a date other than Parashat Vaera.

Please stay tuned for additional materials that may be read at your services: letters of greeting from Women’s League International President Julia Loeb, Women’s League Torah Fund Chair Lori Snow, and Women’s League Executive Director Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields, as well as a dedicated D’var Torah for Parashat Vaera to be used specifically on January 17, 2026.

Click the image to read Torah Fund’s message about the Creating New Spaces campaign!

Scan QR Code with your smart device or click below

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New York, NY 10027

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