Throughout the years, WRJ has created numerous signature products to help raise funds to support the organization, the YES Fund, and other WRJ initiatives, and make great gifts for family, friends, fellow sisterhood members/congregants, and clergy.
WRJ may be best known for its two iconic products, the WRJ Art Calendar and Uniongrams. These items have been associated with WRJ almost since the organization was established and are part of its rich history. Both products were created not only as fundraising tools, but also to educate the community, bring Jewish art into Jewish homes and congregations, and to honor life-cycle celebrations of its members.
The WRJ Covenant Book series was initially developed to provide an opportunity for women to express their spiritual longings through prayer, poetry, and meditations, and other publications were developed to educate the community about new rituals and celebrations of interest to women. A logical extension of these earlier efforts, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, brought together women philanthropists, scholars, and clergy to produce a landmark Torah commentary focusing on the woman’s perspective of the Torah and featuring women scholars.
During the recent WRJ Centennial celebration, WRJ published Sisterhood: A Centennial History of Women of Reform Judaism, which details the historic role that was played by WRJ and its leaders on Jewish life in the past 100 years. In partnership with the American Jewish Archives, WRJ also produced a set of WRJ Centennial Posters depicting highlights of WRJ’s 100 year history for display by sisterhoods and congregations as part of their own historical exhibits and in honor of Lynn Magid Lazar, WRJ President during the WRJ Centennial celebration, Israeli artist Archie Granot produced a limited edition laser-cut work of art featuring WRJ’s Centennial logo, “Inspired by the Past, Committed to the Future.”
Over the years, WRJ women have become known for their pins, helping to identify them as leaders in their local, district, or North American roles. This product collection includes special pins for sisterhood members, sisterhood presidents, WRJ District past and current leaders, WRJ Board members, WRJ Board alumni, and those honored for special service. The newest pin in the collection is for Ner Tamid Society members, who are donors that have made a bequest or planned gift to WRJ. Also there are Lifeline pins that are beautiful keepsakes honoring women who have made gifts to the YES Fund Lifeline Endowment, with different metals and jewels indicating different levels of giving.