WRJ Fried Leadership Conference: Jewish Ladies' Camp

Time is running out to register for WRJ Fried Leadership Conference 2015, taking place Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2015, "deep in the heart" of Austin, TX—the deadline is Friday, Jan. 16! Read about Andrea's experience attending WRJ FLC 2013 and her excitement for the upcoming conference.

Imagine yourself in a room with 240 Jewish women from all over the country singing and praying in Hebrew, and decorated in colorful pins and ribbons. I call it “Jewish Ladies’ Camp” and that was my introduction to the WRJ at the WRJ Fried Leadership Conference (FLC) in 2013 in Cincinnati, OH. For a moment I was a little concerned that I didn’t sing, didn’t know the prayers, and didn’t have the appropriate bling. That all changed the moment I was given my name tag: my WRJ District leaders spotted me, adorned me with our colors, and welcomed me to the conference. I was in, and armed with the right accessories I felt sure I could tackle the songs and prayers, eventually. Seriously, the warmth I experienced from all the attendees was reassuring that I was in the right place and that the conference was going to be a wonderful weekend. I came to the conference as president of a small sisterhood from a mid-size congregation in a very large city. I hoped to learn how to make sisterhood relevant to an urban, sophisticated membership that has so many demands on their time and even more opportunities for activities, social action, and community beyond the temple. I wondered if I’d even meet someone who understood this set of circumstances? What I quickly learned during workshops, discussions at meals, and through casual interactions was that regardless of each of our “unique circumstances” sisterhoods across the country share so many of the same issues. Workshops at WRJ FLC were offered on so many topics that I was sorry I wasn’t with others from my sisterhood so we could divide and conquer. Leadership, marketing, programming, fundraising, social action, YES Fund, recruiting young members, retaining older members–it was so hard to choose. But regardless of what sessions I attended, we all learned from each other. I was encouraged that what I saw as obstacles, were really manageable challenges and what I thought were small gains, were actually tremendous accomplishments. The bonus was that I had so many new ideas to bring back to my sisterhood. The weekend was packed with more learning from terrific speakers who are leaders in the Jewish world. They gave us insight and information that make us stronger leaders ourselves. Every aspect of the WRJ FLC was planned to make us better ambassadors for sisterhood, WRJ, and Reform Judaism. You couldn’t help coming away richer. Like any good camper knows, the very special moments are when you are arm-in-arm around the campfire singing together. “Jewish Ladies’ Camp” is no different (minus the campfire). The bond of sisterhood, spirituality, and Jewish connectedness surrounded all aspects of the conference. But it was magical when we came together in prayer and song. We had the privilege to sing the new WRJ anthem for the first time and contribute to the recording. Even those of us who don’t really sing shared our voices. A couple hundred women singing and praying together is a powerful voice. I went to WRJ FLC 2013 by myself but came away with almost 240 new friends and so much more. In January, I’m excited to be attending WRJ FLC in Austin, TX with three other women from my sisterhood. I have to believe that what I brought back from Cincinnati inspired them to attend this time. It will be a great weekend for us to enjoy together and we’ll be able to bring back four times as many ideas. So, I’m pulling out my cowboy boots from the back of the closet and I hope to see you at WRJ FLC 2015, aka “Jewish Ladies’ Camp,” Texas-style! Andrea Gingold is Sisterhood President of Women's Leadership Council of Temple Israel of the City of New York.