Voices of WRJ: D'varim

D'varim is the first in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Deuteronomy 1:1–3:22, and is always read on Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat directly before Tishah B'Av. In this parashah, Moses begins his farewell speech to the assembled Israelites, reviewing the events that occurred and the laws that were given in the course of their journey from Egypt to Sinai to the Promised Land. In it, he chastises the people for their failings, and instructs them to keep the Torah, observing its commandments in the land that God is giving them as their heritage, into which they will cross after his death. Moses recalls his appointment of judges and magistrates to ease his burden leadership of the people. He also reminds the Jewish people of details of events that occurred since they left Egypt. He goes into the episode of the spies who went into the Land of Israel, and saying initially: "The idea was good in my eyes..." (Deuteronomy 1:23). This, of course, led to the people’s subsequent rejection of the Promised Land, which caused God to declare that the entire generation of the Exodus would die out in the desert. Even though the spies' mission was so catastrophic, Moses still had the courage to say, "the idea was good in my eyes." Sometimes, when people say something and then it doesn't work out as well as they or others had hoped, they'll quickly re-write history by changing the words they said, the ideas they vividly expressed, or views they had just passionately given. But Moses, being the great person and leader that he was, said to everyone that "the idea was good in my eyes." Leadership is about being honest and having the trust of those who believe in and follow you. How many times have we heard a politician or business leader say something, then backtrack to clarify what they meant. Do these leaders really believe that people have such a short memory? The answer is: they really don't care. Like most people, they don't want to look foolish—and they believe that admitting they made a mistake makes them look foolish. It doesn't. Ironically, it shows you to be a person of conviction who isn't afraid to stand up when you make a mistake. Doing this isn't a knock to your character; in fact it's actually a huge boost to it. Taking responsibility will always make you feel great, and conveys to others that you are a person to trust. Not doing so makes you a fraud. “It was a good idea…at the time.” We’ve all heard that, maybe even said it, a time or two. Based on new information, you may see things differently, and, upon reflection, realize that it may not have been the right choice. By doing this, you will not only gain the credibility, trust and admiration of others, but you will also gain enormous self-esteem in the process. Most people learn and grow from their mistakes. So, we can actually gain self-esteem by owning up to them, knowing it will only make us better leaders, better people in the end. WRJ trains women to be leaders. Leaders in their congregations, their communities, and, often, in their professional lives as well. For more than 100 years, WRJ has nurtured, encouraged, and supported women in leadership roles, providing workshops at conventions and through WRJ Speakers Bureau visits. Most recently, the WRJ Fried Leadership Conference has become one of the primary opportunities for women to come together, learn together, network together, and grow their leadership skills. As Blair Marks, WRJ President, recently said to the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) North American Board, “Leadership – it’s what we do.” Register today, to attend the WRJ Assembly 2015 in Orlando, FL, November 4-8. Whether your interests are in programming, public speaking, fundraising, or personal spiritual development, there are workshops and sessions for you! Meet with WRJ leaders, as well as leaders from our partners in the Reform Movement across North America and around the world. The idea IS good in my eyes!