Voices of WRJ: D'varim

August 12, 2016
By Sharon Zydney D’varim starts the book of Deuteronomy by first revisiting, while slightly revising, pivotal portions of the earlier books of the Torah. Recapping what has happened earlier provides a grounding for us as we begin to tackle the laws that are presented throughout Deuteronomy. Additionally, we are provided the opportunity to experience the journey in a single reading – think a condensed, Readers Digest, version of 40 years of wandering in the dessert and the backstory to how we got to Mt. Sinai - to this place, at this time. In reading this parashah the directions as to how to pick leaders (1:13) – pick from each of your tribes’ representatives who are wise, discerning & experienced and I will appoint them as your heads – made me think about how important it is for us, Women of Reform Judaism, to pick women leaders who represent ‘all of us’. We are not neatly divided into 12 tribes within our communities (be it our local Sisterhood, our District or WRJ at large) which makes ensuring we pick leaders who are representative of our membership quite a challenge. One of the common ways we discuss our membership (including potential members) is by age – and we could easily identify 12 age based “tribes”: under 21, 22-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 and over. What happens though if we just focus on a woman’s age in trying to ensure representation? We end up missing the richness and diversity of the women in our community and overlook the fact that ‘age’ is not an accurate representation of who we are, resulting in leadership that does not accurately reflect the women who make up our community. What are some ways to ensure that your women’s group leadership is representative of your community? Consider broadly the roles and tasks required for success and identify women who fit those roles. Need to ensure you get the message out about your programs? Find a woman who has great writing skills, a background in graphic design, or who is experienced (or wants to be experienced) with using social & traditional media. Can’t find one woman with all of those characteristics? Find two, or three, and build a Marketing Team. Struggling with developing programs that help attract and retain women? Find out what interests women in your community and then find a woman (or two) with a desire to share her interest with others and ask her to be a champion – give her both freedom and support to build her own program. She’ll likely include those she already has connections with while attracting others. Challenged with figuring out how to structure your board meetings around everyone’s busy schedules? Consider meeting at different times, or different places, or even using technology (ZOOM anyone?) to set up a face-to-face meeting that can be accessed from anywhere, even from your smartphone! I am a 55 year-old woman, married with no children. In my work with my local Sisterhood, my District and on the WRJ Executive Committee I don’t consider myself to represent ‘women in their mid-50s’. I represent women in our community who don’t have children, and won’t have grandchildren, to help us build connections to others but who believe strongly in passing on our heritage down to the next generation. I represent women in our community who struggle to support their spouse and other family members who are struggling with mental health issues. I represent women who recognize the importance of being part of a faith-based community and struggle with determining what that means in today’s culture. I represent women trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and take the appropriate preventative measures to minimize my known (and unknown) family health risks. I represent women who believe that we are obligated to leave the world a better place than we found it. And most importantly, I represent women who believe in the mission of WRJ “to strengthen the voice of women worldwide and empower them to create caring communities, nurture congregations, cultivate personal and spiritual growth, and advocate for and promote progressive Jewish values”. Sharon Zydney is a member and past president of the sisterhood of Temple Emanu-El in Westfield NJ, and a member of the Atlantic District Board. She serves currently on the WRJ Executive Committee where she is the Or Ami Program Chair and was co-chair of the 2015 Fried Leadership Conference. She is active in her Temple, serving as High Holiday Committee Co-Chair and on the Temple Board. In her spare time, she loves to ride her bike and hang out on the beach.

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