Voices of WRJ: Vayeitzei

This story is well known and core to our history and background. It begins with Jacob leaving Beersheba and setting out to Haran. His story lays the groundwork for the future of the Jewish people. Jacob sleeps and dreams of a ladder of God’s angels. God stands beside it and blesses him. Jacob also commits to God and makes a vow to God to accept God as his God. Thus Jacob makes a commitment for the future of the Jewish people.

Jacob meets Rachel and Leah, two of the foremothers of our people. Jacob falls in love with Rachel. He makes a commitment to her father Laban to work for him for seven years in order to wed her. Laban deceives Jacob and, as we know, Jacob is wedded to Laban's older daughter, Leah. Despite being deceived by Laban, Jacob again commits to work another seven years in order to wed Rachel. In those seven years, Jacob fathers 11 children with Leah: 10 sons and one daughter.

In the many years that Jacob worked for Laban, he increased Laban's flocks and wealth. God warns Jacob that Laban is again deceiving him. Jacob realizes that it is time for him to take his household—wives, maids, children, and the flocks that Laban has promised him—and leave for home.

God again protects Jacob. Jacob in turn commits his family to and forges a bond with God for all time and for the Jewish people.

In the last over 100 years, Women of Reform Judaism, like Jacob, committed with steadfast patience to educating rabbis, to supporting our youth through NFTY, our URJ summer camps, and Israel programs, to empowering our women's voices with The Torah: A Women's Commentary, and to improving egalitarianism in Israel, to name just a few.

Today WRJ stands committed to the next generation at the beginning of a new millennium. Committed to ensuring the future for Reform Jewish women, built on the ideals and precepts of our foremothers. At the WRJ Assembly 2015 in Orlando, FL, we made a commitment, recognizing the time and patience involved, to empower women, cultivate growth, and advocate. We have moved forward to recognize all women who identify with our goals and mission by offering them the ability to be part of WRJ. We have voted for resolutions that support equal pay and paid family and medical leave, and recognize the serious risks of distracted driving.

In this parashah, Jacob engaged in a great journey of commitment to God. He left Haran and, finding Rachel, made a commitment to Laban to labor for her hand. Despite the difficulties and obstacles he remained patiently steadfast to his commitments. WRJ recognizes the commitment and the patience required to move our goals forward; to repair the world takes time, commitment, and patience.

Linda O. Ferguson is a WRJ Board member and WRJ Mid-Atlantic District Treasurer. She is a member of Congregation Beth Ahabah in Richmond, VA and is on its Board of Directors.