News

WLCJ Remembers Dr. Ruth, z”l

Posted on July 20, 2024

Contributors: Wendy Greenberg, Razel Kessler, Cory Schneider, Lois Silverman, and Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Women’s League for Conservative Judaism mourns the loss of renowned sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer z”l, who died on July 12, 2024, at age 96. She was a friend to Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, and a longtime supporter of Jewish Continue Reading »

Nine Months

Posted on July 13, 2024

By Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, WLCJ Executive Director On Sunday, July 7, 2024, my son remarked to me that it was nine months since the war began. Nine months since the hostages were taken captive. I had tears in my eyes, as my son said this – because I felt so blessed to be able Continue Reading »

Rabbi Andy Sacks, leading Masorti rabbi, passes away

Posted on July 8, 2024

  Rabbi Andy Sacks z”l 1954-2024 Trailblazing Masorti rabbi with a big heart   We dedicate this entire newsletter to a (very partial) summary of the too-short life of our beloved friend and teacher, and to bid farewell to Rabbi Andrew (Andy) Sacks, who passed away this last Shabbat (June 29). There is hardly anyone Continue Reading »

It’s all in how you look at it

Posted on June 29, 2024

By Julia Loeb, WLCJ International President There is an old story about a shoe company in the early 20th century that sent two sales agents to check out the possibility of expanding their sales into a remote village in central Africa. After their trip to the village, the two sales agents separately gave their reports. Continue Reading »

Jewish Communal Letter Regarding ADL

Posted on June 24, 2024

  Jewish Communal Letter Regarding ADL (PDF)

A Life Cycle Event: Coming Of Age

Posted on June 22, 2024

By Linda Klempner, WLCJ International Vice President and Patron/Scholarship Patron Chair As I was preparing to retire from teaching I began to form a bucket list of projects I wanted to accomplish. Number one on the list was to become a Bat Mitzvah. A Bat Mitzvah is a coming of age but it did not Continue Reading »

Lessons from Ruth

Posted on June 11, 2024

By Renee Ravich, WLCJ Vice President and Region Services Chair As I read the Shabbat messages each week, I’m amazed at how many of my “sisters” have chosen to live a Jewish life, though raised in another faith, as I was. My journey began in my teens as I looked around for a religion where Continue Reading »

New Roles, New Journeys

Posted on June 8, 2024

By Anise Parnes, WLCJ Consulting Services Vice Chair When spring arrives, I think “transitions.” I think of school graduations and commencements. June brides and grooms. New jobs. New journeys. It’s the time of year when I moved more times than I can count. It’s when I changed professional positions a number of times. It’s when Continue Reading »

An End to Uncertainty

Posted on June 1, 2024

By Grace Schessler, WLCJ Executive Committee Appointee and Personal Conversations Co-Chair Commencing on the evening of the second Seder, we count the days between Pesach and Shavuot, or as we know it, Counting of the Omer. These fifty days can be an opportunity for deep personal reflection. Omer, the sheaf of barley offering that took Continue Reading »

Ruminations on Yedid Nefesh

Posted on May 25, 2024

By Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, WLCJ Executive Director My Rabbi often encourages us to just use the words of the Siddur, prayer book, as a guide. He suggests that if we feel drawn to one particular prayer, or certain words, we should dwell on those words, and not necessarily follow along. As a pulpit Rabbi, where I Continue Reading »