Voices of WRJ: Yitro

by Helene H. Waranch This week’s parashah, Yitro (Ex. 18:-20:23), has resonated with me for many years because it sets the standards for Jewish leadership. We are given the guidelines so that we, as leaders may learn from Jethro’s advice to Moses, may “make know the laws and teachings of God” (Ex. 18:16) and may gain skills observed by Moses’ example. When Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law and a Midianite priest, visited the Israelite campsite, he saw Moses acting alone for hours hearing all the people’s disputes. Jethro told Moses that he cannot be the only one to provide leadership. Jethro recommended that Moses select “capable individuals who fear God—trustworthy ones who spurn ill-gotten gain” to “share the burden” (Ex. 18:21-22). These selected leaders were assigned to listen to all the disputes, act on the minor ones and send only the major disputes to Moses’ consideration. Thus, an effective leadership team was trained and established with Moses at the helm. From Jethro we learn that one cannot and should not be the only leader. We must enable others to become leaders by providing mentoring and training and should invite them to be part of the ever-expanding leadership team. Our women’s groups are stronger when many women are working together to implement our shared vision and goals. The tagline of Women of Reform Judaism says it so clearly: STRONGER TOGETHER. The Israelites then moved to the base of Mt. Sinai where Moses asks the people to accept the covenant with God and they answered “All that God has spoken we will do!” (Ex. 19:8). With great thunder, lightning and smoke, God revealed the Ten Commandments to all the people. The parameters for recognition and worship of God are presented. The basic laws by which all people must live in order to build a safe community are made clear. With the acceptance of the Ten Commandments the Israelites created a binding relationship with God that remains even today as the foundation of our faith. All that we do as Jews, and especially as Jewish leaders, is superseded by these most important laws. We must always continue to uphold the ethical standards and values that were given to our people thousands of years ago. In the entire book of Exodus, Moses served as an outstanding role model of leadership for all of us. Particularly in this portion Moses demonstrated compassion, caring, and humility as he listened to each person who came to him to settle a dispute. He handled crises, dealt with dilemmas, and overcame obstacles both for individuals as well as for the entire community. He was also very willing to heed advice from Jethro and to learn from others, including God. Moses created a viable and effective team of leaders that allowed the Israelites to begin building an organized community. May we all take the qualities of leadership as demonstrated by Jethro and Moses into our sisterhoods and congregations. May we, as stated in the book, The Leadership Challenge, by Kouzes and Posner, “transform values into actions, visions into realities, obstacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity and risks into rewards.” May we create an atmosphere where all women are welcome, where women are encouraged and supported to be leaders, and where challenges can become opportunities to create success. Each of us, as leaders, must use our passions for Judaism, for the rights of women, and for sisterhood to learn from the leadership examples of Jethro and Moses. May we be so guided to make our women’s groups even better, more far-reaching and open to all. May we go from strength to more strength because we are STRONGER TOGETHER. Helene H. Waranch is a Women of Reform Judaism past president (2001-2005) and a WRJ Board of Directors lifetime member. She was also the WUPJ North American Council chair and a URJ Board member. As an active member of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Sisterhood, this year Helene chaired their Annual Women’s Retreat.