Lynette Seader

WHY WL? – From Garden State Region

My name is Lynette Seader, Immediate Past President of the Garden State Region and twice Sisterhood President at two congregations. I have also worked in programming, education, and membership positions. I believe in Sisterhood, entering my 30th year of involvement. I have felt the rewards in making friends and being part of fun and successful events. I work now to get others to overcome their hesitation to join Sisterhood and invest their time to join Sisterhood or simply just pay dues.

Sisterhood is an ideal venue to make new friends, connect with Judaism and provide programming, fundraising to benefit your synagogue at large. Sisterhood suits my lifestyle as I am a “doer” with the energy required to get things done and innovate to a changing population. Sisterhood was instilled in me in midlife as a social venue to learn more about being a Jewish woman. After my Presidency, I got involved in Adult Education which opened interest for learning more about Torah. When I was Region President from 2021-2024, I expanded explanations of Torah portions in my message on Constant Contact, that enriched myself as well as women who read my articles, and joined a Tefillah group.

When I was Sisterhood President during Baltimore Convention in 2010, Meryl Balaban, Region President for the newly merged Garden State Region helped me register for my first Convention. I fell in love with WLCJ at the Baltimore Convention. Ilene Rothman, a future Region President drove me to Baltimore, carpooling with veteran members. I met Evelyn Auerbach at our Region Party. I was impressed with the Books for Baltimore project at Convention, who sang to us with appreciation for our assistance in providing literacy tools.

The Vashti banquet party with dancing, henna and Middle Eastern treats was fabulous. I brought Vashti banquet to our Sisterhood that we held for four years.

We need to evolve, and understand women’s needs have changed, because of the demands of work and family. This generation is not compelled to get involved, and social media is more dominant than in-person events. As we build new administrations every three years in our WLCJ Region, Sisterhood also needs to evolve with new Sisterhood boards that make room for younger people. Perhaps empty nesters are best asked to coordinate just one program that would interest them to give some positivity and a “taste” of the jewel that Sisterhood is to women, the congregation and the Jewish Community. L’dor v’dor.

Lynette Seader, Immediate Past Region President
Highland Park Conservative Temple-Congregation Anshe Emeth, Highland Park, NJ