WLCJ: Where Friendship Blossoms into Unforgettable Adventures

By Esta Z. Lichtenstein, WLCJ International Vice President and Communications Chair

What does WLCJ mean to me? It is most definitely about the relationships one builds. While in New York City for Torah Fund training in 2015 Cathy Swerdlow and I hoofed it through Central Park to the Neue Galerie to see the Woman in Gold exhibition. Who knew that I was going to make a spur of the moment decision and go with someone that I did not even know? And wearing heels, no less! Oh, the blisters on my feet. I actually had to purchase a pair of flats to wear for the remainder of our training. We trained together, ate all our meals together and learned not only about Torah Fund, but about each other as well.

Some of us ladies stayed together and later became Region Presidents. We are now on six years together. Anise Parnes, from Brooklyn, Queens, & Long Island Region (BQLI), Joan Lowenstein, from International Northeast Region (INR), and myself from North Atlantic Region (NAR), all became close friends. We met for lunch in Albany, N.Y., which was a locale that was equidistant for each of us. We brought our husbands (we call them the Tag-alongs, a term coined by Anise) and luckily (and surprisingly) they also got along well. We chose to add some culture into our trips and each of us did research and found some interesting sites.

Photo taken at the Black Squirrel Farms in Penn Yan, NY  | (left to right) Lon and Joan Lowenstein, Phil and Anise Parnes, Barry and Esta Lichtenstein, Mark and Lori Snow, and Fran and Tom Hildebrandt

We are now past presidents (we call ourselves the IPP’s) and our ranks have grown to include Fran Hildebrandt from Central Great Lakes Region (CGLR) and Lori Snow from Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR). We met in the Western Massachusetts area known as the Berkshires and had a wonderful weekend where we did many things together and some things separately. Local culture and historical sites are always fun. Just chat with some of the ladies that you have met over the years and plan an adventure together. Even if you live in different states, you can make it work. We share WLCJ in common but we also like fine dining, culture, ice cream and theater. So many options. See if any of these women have children and/or grandchildren where you live, and meet up with the women when they are visiting their family members.

We have gone on a couple of small vacations as a group. People usually ask us about our group and we always boast about WLCJ and explain about our amazing organization!

We’ve gone to Cleveland to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum along with an incredible art museum and zoo; visits to NYC, taking in shows and of course, Serendipity for ice cream. Check it out. Last year we met in upstate New York and went to various sights including Olana State Historic site and the Empire State Aero Sciences Museum.

Photo taken at the Black Squirrel Farms in Penn Yan, NY  |  (left to right) Lon and Joan Lowenstein, Phil and Anise Parnes, Barry and Esta Lichtenstein, Mark and Lori Snow, and Fran and Tom Hildebrandt

This past summer we went on the best trip yet. We stayed at a wonderful B+B in Penn Yan, in the Finger Lakes area of upstate New York. Our hosts provided breakfast each morning with fruits from their garden. The trip included day trips to various local sights. We went to the Corning Glass Museum, a black walnut farm and various local vineyards. Dinners at eateries that provided the taste of the area, and of course, we ended our evenings at ice cream shops.

One of the highlights of the trip, for me, was going to a local Amish farmers market. The produce was truly remarkable with broccoli and cauliflower the size of basketballs, tomatoes the size of melons and dozens of other items and craft products, all done with the flair of the area. I only wished that I could have brought some of that amazing produce home.

Reach out to any of us and we will be glad to collaborate with you! As we begin to plan our trip for summer of 2024, we wish that all of you find an additional connection with your WLCJ Sisters and plan a road trip. Or, even a destination you can fly to, like the ladies who meet in Florida!

Shabbat Shalom,

Esta Z. Lichtenstein
WLCJ International Vice President and Communications Chair
elichtenstein@wlcj.org