Judy Wexler

Judy Wexler
Vice President, Member Services
Women of Reform Judaism

Judy Wexler serves as First Vice President for the North American Board of WRJ, where she is proud to promote WRJ's three pillars of Sisterhood, Spirituality, and Social Justice to WRJ's approximately 30,000 members. Judy is a past sisterhood president and past synagogue president of North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, Illinois. She is a former practicing attorney and teacher, and currently helps prepare young adults for their B’nei Mitzvah.

 

Gun Violence Prevention: We Must Take Action

Judy Wexler

The issue of gun violence became personal for me on July 4, 2022. On that day, this national crisis seized upon the quiet suburb where I grew up—about eight miles from where I currently live. During the Independence Day Parade on Central Street in downtown

Let’s Be Welcoming and Inclusive

Judy Wexler

As Women of Reform Judaism who live our progressive values, we make every effort to welcome and include people when they join us for events and programs. We are all aware that it only takes one instance of feeling unwelcome for someone to say, “I’m never going

Parashat D'varim

Judy Wexler

Recently, I was bicycling with my husband, and we looked up to see a flock of birds sailing across the sky in formation. My husband asked, “How do you think they decide who gets to be the leader?” How wonderful to consider that one of the birds “gets” to be

Parashat Chukat

Judy Wexler
In Parashat Chukat, we read how the community begins to heal after the death of Miriam and Aaron. Our community will need to figure out ways to heal as well, after the pain and challenges of the past few years. My community is working through grief from this week’s July 4th mass shooting, at which we lost one of our synagogue members. The support from our sisters throughout the world has been heart-warming and provides hope—although we know that much must change. Miriam’s leadership helps us to understand how important and difficult change is. Just as she showed the Israelites the way, through her singing and dancing, so will we all move forward in the best ways we can.

Parashah Matot-Mas’ei

Judy Wexler

In my professional work with middle school students, teaching reading and writing, I often find myself talking about compassion. It is difficult for these young adults to feel compassion for the characters in the books we readand it is especially difficult