From a Sisterhood of None to One of My Own

Lori Beth Susman, Individual Member, Southern Region, Biloxi, Mississippi

Many years ago, the synagogue where I live along the Mississippi Gulf Coast started a Sisterhood Affiliate, but we were such a small shul that it did not last long at all. A few years later, things changed at the synagogue and I, along with many others, no longer had a place to worship. It was during Covid and I started participating in Makom B’Yachad, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism’s virtual community program that offers learning, prayers, healing services, and connection at a time when it was needed the most. I was happy to have found the Zoom meetings where I was able to say Kaddish for my mother.

I immediately became a WLCJ Individual Member, meeting new women and getting reacquainted with those I had previously met. Soon after I became a member, I was invited to join the Southern Region board in a communications position working on the newsletter.

My individual membership led me to Schaumburg, Illinois, in 2023 where I attended the WLCJ Convention, deepening my relationship with Women’s League and within the Region. I’ve taken a lot that I’ve learned to my new chavurah group (a small, informal Jewish fellowship group that meets for study, prayer, and socializing), which we created in my area in lieu of having a formal synagogue.

I enjoy many of the WLCJ programs. Most recently, I was asked to be part of the team that writes for Chadashot, the Torah Fund newsletter that is emailed to all Torah Fund supporters. This is one of my favorite parts of belonging to Women’s League.

While sometimes I think it would be great to be a member of a Sisterhood Affiliate, I really like being an individual member. I’m making the most of my membership and taking advantage of what is available. I look forward to meeting with other individual members at the upcoming WLCJ Convention 2026 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Lori Beth Susman
Individual Member, Southern Region
Biloxi, Mississippi