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Headshot of Southwest President Phyllis Strasberg
Leadership Development

Leadership Spotlight: Phyllis Strasberg

May 25, 2023
As May is Jewish-American Heritage Month, watch what Phyllis has to say about her Jewish-American special customs and traditions. We also interviewed Phyllis about her leadership experience. Find out how she describes her leadership, who she admires, and her advice for future leaders. 
Shavuot

Parashat Naso I

Cantor Sarah Beck-Berman
 May 25, 2023
If we read this passage from the perspective of a society which has conquered inequality, then perhaps we would be justified in dismissing it as entirely irrelevant to us. If we read it, however, from the perspective of a society which still struggles and strives for equality, then what can we learn from this and other places in the Torah which step toward egalitarianism or equality without fully embracing it?
A woman in a white tank top with short gray hair hold her hands up in prayer position while facing a sunny sky and blurred green mountains/hill.
B'midbar

Parashat B'midbar

Deb Radin, Temple Beth Am Los Altos Hills, CA
 May 19, 2023
This parashah reminds us that each of us holds a Tabernacle inside us. Our interoceptive thoughts protect this holy vessel, like the Levites, keeping our most precious feelings safe and available to us when needed. Our exteroceptive thoughts, like the vast tribes of Israel, keep us rooted in our world, striving for a better future. We are not always organized or aware as we toil each day, so reminders to take a census of ourselves and reflect on our strengths, challenges, and opportunities are vital.
WRJ Group Photo in Israel
Experiencing Israel

WRJ Israel Trip Recap - Part II

Deb Lelchuk, WRJ Board Member
 May 17, 2023

Last week, several WRJ women finished up their tour of Israel on WRJ's “Women Off the Beaten Path” journey. They have been sending photos and stories about their adventures all week, and we have been posting them on social media. Here is a complete recap of...

Women holding the Reform Judaism banner during protest in Jerusalem to advocate for Israeli Democracy
Experiencing Israel

WRJ Speaks Up for Democracy in Israel

May 15, 2023
When I signed up to join the Women Off the Beaten Path: WRJ Goes to Israel journey, I knew it would be a meaningful experience. I looked forward to the joy of being in Israel and celebrating her 75th birthday with that special mix of sisterhood, spirituality, and social justice that is Women of Reform Judaism. Then everything changed and changed again. Being in Israel with WRJ at this particular moment in time has taken on a far deeper meaning.
A green field with five beige dandelions/weeds and trees and a mountain in the backdrop
B'har - B'chukotai

Parashat B’har-B’chukotai

Susan Singer
 May 12, 2023

This week, we conclude the book of Leviticus with the double Parashat B’har-B’chukotai. It begins with a discussion of shmita, a practice of letting the land rest between harvests.

Photos from 2023 Israel Trip
Experiencing Israel

WRJ Goes to Israel!

Elisa Heisman
 May 12, 2023

This week, several WRJ women arrived in Israel to tour the country on what we are calling the “Women Off the Beaten Path” journey. They have been sending photos and stories about their adventures all week, and we have been posting them on social media.

Eve Panush Family Collage
Experiencing Israel

One Family's Connection to the Holy Land

Eve Panush
 May 11, 2023
On May 9, 2023, I had one of the most moving experiences of my life, thanks to the 2023 WRJ Mission Trip to Israel. After we spent the day touring around Jerusalem, we visited the Machal Memorial at Khan Sha’ar HaGai, where I shared my father’s story. Nathan Krotinger was one of the non-Israeli volunteers who fought in the 1948 Israel War of Independence.
Two women making Za'atar
Experiencing Israel

WRJ’s Spice Girls: Making Za’atar in Israel

Bernice Porrazzo
 May 11, 2023
Who knew that this spice doesn’t need refrigeration? Or that Za’atar can help to heal the skin because it has anti-inflammatory properties? And I read online that Za’atar has magnesium properties to help you get a restful sleep. I plan to eat some now, so I will be energized for tomorrow morning and our fifth day in Israel.