Voices of WRJ: Parashat Tazria-M’tzora

by Judith O. Rosenkranz The parashah for this week (Tazria-M’tzora, Lev. 12:1-15:33) opens with these words are, “Adonai spoke to Moses saying: Speak to the Israelite people thus.” This phrase keeps coming back to me for it empowers Moses to relay to the entire Israelite people what he has been told. This empowering of leadership, this transfer of authority, seems very real as we have just held a conference call with the WRJ Centennial Ambassadors during which we reviewed our WRJ Centennial Shabbat Services. These Ambassadors, selected by each Sisterhood, were empowered to produce their own individual service in celebration of the WRJ Centennial. There were many suggestions and supplies made available, but it was up to each individual Ambassador as to what she would do, how it was done, and to a degree when it was done. The variations were as many as there were Sisterhoods around the globe! This, to me, is very similar to the empowerment granted Moses. Moses was told what to tell the Israelite people, and the rest was up to him and those to whom he spoke. Ambassadors had to enlist their Sisterhoods, their rabbis, and their congregations. They recruited committees and volunteers and encouraged them to be creative as to the actual celebration of the 100 years of Women of Reform Judaism and the many years of their own individual Sisterhoods. The results varied in style but were all celebratory, serious, fun, and festive. Look on the WRJ Facebook page for the pictures already submitted from individual Sisterhoods. The WRJ Ambassadors took their leadership empowerment very seriously. We thank them all! Now Ambassadors are creating ways to incorporate the Centennial into their individual installations, closing events, and opening events this fall. Again, there is guidance but individual freedom. This freedom of interpretation is putting leadership into action, just as Moses did. Judith O. Rosenkranz is WRJ Past President and Centennial Ambassador Chair and a member of Congregation Schaarai Zedek in Tampa, FL.