Sichot Beyn Achayot – Conversations Between Sisters – Session 3

Sunday, December 7, 2025

12:00 pm EST - 1:30 pm EST

שיחןת בין אחיות, 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.

Sunday, December 7 — 19:00 Israel Time | 12:00 PM ET | 11:00 AM CT | 10:00 AM MT | 9:00 AM PT

Making Peace In Our World

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 has been 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 was born and raised in Montreal. She earned a BA magna cum laude in International Relations from Harvard University in 1993 and an MA and Rabbinic Ordination from the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem in 1998 as well as a D. Th. in Clinical Pastoral Counseling, Certification as a Chaplain in Israel and the USA, and an Israeli Tour Guide License. She served as Assistant Rabbi at Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan for three years and spent seven years in Florida as an adult educator before returning to Israel in 2008 where she co-founded and directed Kashouvot: Advancing Pastoral Care in Israel to pioneer chaplaincy/spiritual care in Israel. She has taught academic courses at several colleges and Seminaries (Hebrew College’s Palm Beach campus, GTU, AJR, HUC, and IDC), appeared on Israeli television, and taught in a myriad of scholar in residence and informal education settings. Miriam is the author of Taking the Plunge: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to the Mikveh and various other articles and publications including pieces in the Women’s Torah Commentary, Jewish Lights Spirituality Handbook, Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine and Journal of Pastoral Care. She is currently completing a book about Jewish sources related to Peace. She is on the editorial board of Masorti: The New Journal of Conservative Judaism and was a member of the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards for ten years. Miriam guides and performs lifecycle events for visitors from all over the world and teaches online and as a scholar in residence, trying to connect people with the rich history and culture of Israel and all its cultural groups.

Stacie Stufflebeam is the Executive Director of The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation, an organization dedicated to funding programs and services that meet the needs of lone soldiers before, during and after their service. She’s also the mom of four lone soldier sons all now serving as reservists, and she occasionally writes a blog in The Times of Israel.

A former hostage, or a family member of a hostage (TBD).

In this session:

Rabbi Berkowitz will discuss on the topic of Peace As the Ideal in Classic Jewish Texts
Stacie will discuss the services offered by the foundation to support lone soldiers in Israel
A former hostage, or a family member of a hostage will share what it was like to be held captive in Gaza, and afterwards to rejoin Israeli

REGISTER

Registration is only open to WL members, you must log in (https://www.wlcjmembers.org/member_login.php) to register. If you need assistance, please contact the office (405) 870-1260.

Registration is open to International Sister Friends (outside of the USA and Canada), through here: wizevents.com/register/9392

This registration link is ONLY for International friends of Women’s League outside the USA and Canada.