Features

A Woman of Principle

Posted on December 11, 2019

By NOA AMOUYAL Alice Shalvi reflects on her multi-faceted life’s work as a pioneer of gender equality and education for all in the Holy Land. By NOA AMOUYAL An initial conversation with 92-year-old Professor Alice Shalvi leads one to believe that she’s a very lucky woman, in the right place at the right time. True Continue Reading »

Cover Story: Start a Fire

Posted on May 7, 2019

By Erica Slutsky What if therapy and recovery also encompassed exploring the wilderness, plus a deep connection to Jewish spirituality? BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy is doing just that, cultivating a safe, inclusive, and diverse environment for young people within the wider Jewish community. Though a year-round program, BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy, located at Camp Ramah in the Continue Reading »

On Beginning a New Year with the Future in Mind

Posted on November 20, 2018

By Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro During the month of Elul, just prior to the High Holy Days, we spend extra time thinking about our goals, hopes and dreams. Around that same time in 2018, my day began with a devastating phone call. One of my dear colleagues had suffered a heart attack and died. He was not Continue Reading »

In Their Own Words: Social Action

Posted on November 20, 2018

We’ve decided to do something a bit different for our last issue of 2018. To honor one hundred years of Women’s League – and one hundred years more – New Outlook will spotlight exceptional sisterhoods, communities, and individuals who have made a difference in their world. Whether running a clothing drive or serving meals to Continue Reading »

Footprints on the Sands of Time

Posted on November 20, 2018

By Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Among the sweeping changes we’ve implemented in our centennial year, we are honored to welcome Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields as our new Executive Director. Here, Rabbi Wolintz-Fields offers her own reflections on this momentous transition. People have often asked me, “When and why did you know you wanted to be Continue Reading »

From Saskatoon to Lagos and Onward

Posted on November 20, 2018

By Ardis Wexler In October 2016, on a visit to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, I was informed that the Shir Chadash Synagogue had a problem: Sixty-six chumashim were being replaced, and a solution was needed to prevent them from being buried, according to Jewish tradition. Board member Mary Melnychuk explained that, without finding a new home Continue Reading »

Taking a Stand

Posted on January 25, 2018

by Women’s League In light of current events regarding sexual harassment, assault, and rape, Women’s League feels the need to bring this concern to the fore – and perhaps encourage discussion among members who feel particularly affected or triggered by the public disclosure of these issues. While Women’s League has received comments from members who Continue Reading »

Fighting for Israel’s Soul

Posted on January 25, 2018

by Bonnie Riva Ras Like most Jews who make aliyah, I have been a fervent Zionist from a very early age. But, as an American Jew, I came to Israel seeing the world through a liberal egalitarian lens, and with the purpose to end the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) control over Jewish life in Israel. I was Continue Reading »

Making a Jewish Home in China

Posted on January 25, 2018

by Shannon Rubin WLCJ International Board Member Sukkot has always been one of my family’s favorite holidays. My husband, an engineer and former U.S. Marine, enjoys designing and constructing the sukkah and camping outside with the kids. Our kids love designing a tabletop sukkah with graham crackers and Nutella and creating fun decorations to hang Continue Reading »

Diversity and Inclusion: More than Mere Buzzwords

Posted on January 3, 2017

by Jane Calem Rosen On Shabbat, Chaim Respes, a 38-year-old human resources manager active in his New Jersey synagogue, dons a kippah and drapes a tallit over his shoulders. He enjoys attending services with his wife, a Jew-by-choice, and their three young boys. As one of the instructors in the congregation’s religious school and the recently Continue Reading »