WRJ Voices: Va-y'chi

This week begins the final portion of the book of Genesis, Parashat Va-y’chi, which deals with Jacob and his final blessings for his son Joseph and burial wishes preceding his death. We find Jacob in failing health, concerned with his legacy. Jacob makes Joseph promise to take him out of Egypt and bury him with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca in Canaan, near Hebron. “When I lie down with my fathers, take me up from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” (Genesis 49:29-30) While on his deathbed, Jacob is consumed with thoughts of his legacy and is looking toward the future. By carefully choosing the words he used with Joseph, Jacob was able to find a way to connect the past, present and future generations. Jacob’s understanding of the importance of burial in his homeland Israel was the act that connected him to the next generation.

Sometimes we wonder who will be the next leader in our sisterhood or women’s group? How will we be able to continue if no one ‘steps up’? How are we as sisterhood members and leaders connecting to the group that comes after us? Do we pull up a chair next to the woman sitting alone at one of our events? Do we assign small tasks to engage that dynamic woman who we’d love to have on our board? Do we thank our volunteers publicly for the job they have done.

I began my sisterhood journey because the leaders of my sisterhood were ready for ‘new blood’. They were tired of always being in charge. I did not hold a position on the board and had only ‘helped’ on one fundraiser. Like Jacob, my sisterhood president had to ‘act’ to connect and bring in a new generation of sisterhood. I was sent to the Fried Leadership Conference to gather information, get new programming ideas and refresh the sisterhood. Not to lead. Guess what? I was so excited to share and implement everything that was learned, that I ended up leading. Four years later, I was sisterhood president. Moral of this story: Inspire and invest in the next generation of your sisterhood by sending the woman with potential, who needs a little push, to our next Fried Leadership Conference, March 3-5, 2017 in Charleston, S.C.

Another emphasis of this Torah portion is when Jacob summons Joseph to his deathbed to repeat God’s promises and bless his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh. By offering blessings, Jacob asks God to help him do what he could not do on his own. This rings so true in our women’s groups and sisterhoods. We have to ask for help and cannot do it all alone. How better then to invite the next generation of our sisterhood to help with a project or event! The real blessing would be encouraging a new member to participate. It might be as easy as asking the new empty-nester or even a new mom to help stuff envelopes or work an event registration table. What a blessing it is to feel wanted by others. Blessings aren’t just over the wine and challah. Sometimes they lie in the sister sitting next to you. Let’s be stronger together.

Jennifer Daley was recently installed as First Vice President of WRJ Southwest District and also serves as President of Congregation Gates of Prayer Sisterhood in Metairie, Louisiana. She has served as Area Director and Senior Area Director for the Southwest District, as well as President for her previous sisterhood at Congregation Beth Shalom in Arlington, Texas.