Voices of WRJ: B'midbar

by Andrea T. Cannon This week’s Torah portion is B’midbar, from the book of Numbers: a book that begins our people’s journey through the wilderness into the desert. At the start of B’midbar, a population census was taken of the Israelite community. As I read through the various numbers throughout this portion, I think about Women of Reform Judaism’s numbers, the impact we have made, and how WRJ has contributed to the Reform Jewish community. On the first day of the second month, Moses and Aaron conducted the census by gathering the whole community, who were registered by the clans of their ancestral houses—the names of those aged 20 years and over were listed, head by head. The descendants of Reuben, Israel’s first born; the descendants of Simeon; the descendants of Gad and Judah; and so on. During the listing of numbers of each tribe, it is of note that women were not counted. This made me consider the journey of WRJ. Our journey has been a long one with many successes—we are a group that is counted as leaders in the Reform Jewish community. We now have the ability for our voices to be heard and counted due to the creation of The Torah: A Women’s Commentary—an accomplishment for which we should all be proud. It is important for WRJ women to be counted and heard throughout our congregations, our communities, and throughout the world. Our WRJ sisterhoods’ nominating committees are now in the process of creating new board slates. Think about how you would feel receiving a call from a WRJ sisterhood representative nominating committee asking you to be a member of their Board? Would you recognize this call as an honor to serve? Serving WRJ at any level – local, district or worldwide – is an opportunity to advance the important work that we do. If WRJ does not raise funds for the education of our rabbis, who will? If WRJ does not provide programming and leadership materials for our sisterhoods, who will? If WRJ did not envision our youth groups so many years ago, and help to make them a reality, who would have done so? Reform Jewish women are activists, summoning the power and voices of thousands of women, securing a better world for the next generation. We adopt resolutions on public policy issues that apply our progressive values to the issues of today. Remember the words of Hillel, when you are asked to volunteer and be counted:

If I am not for myself, who is for me? When I am for myself, what am I? If not now, when?

Moses put his life on the line, WRJ only asks for your time. If you receive a call from your local WRJ sisterhood, take your place in the long line of leaders of the Jewish people, because even a small task will make you just that – a leader of the Jewish people. Be heard – Be counted! It is up to each of us to make all of us Stronger Together. May we go from Strength to Strength together! And may the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives. Andrea T. Cannon is a WRJ Executive Committee member and WRJ Southeast District Past President.