Trina Novak

Trina Novak's headshot

Trina Novak is a past president of Women of Reform Judaism Northeast District, WRJ Board alumna, and Education to Action Committee Member. She is a past sisterhood president and member of the Sisterhood of Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, MA. A retired special needs teacher, Trina resides in Needham, MA, and enjoys the loving connections she has with husband, Jim Mavor, her two adult children, David and Danya, her standard poodle, Bailey, and her extended family of WRJ sisters. On occasion, she can be seen dancing on the streets with her other women’s group, Muddy River Morris.

Supporting WRJ's YES Fund

Trina Novak

“You must always be able to predict what's next and then have the flexibility to evolve.” Marc Benioff

I joined my sisterhood and the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, now Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), primarily to form connections with other like

I Grew Up With A Spare Leg In The Closet

Trina Novak

You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind… Leviticus 19:14

 

I grew up with a spare leg in the closet. It belonged to my father, Sidney Novak, who was an amputee army veteran from WWII.

On April 14, 1945, Sidney was leading

Our Hidden Stories

Trish Joseph
Trina Novak
Shoshana Dweck, VP of Social Justice, Temple Shaaray Tefila, Bedford Corners, NY
Nearly all of us have been harassed, assaulted, or both at some time in our lives. We typically don’t discuss this and may not even admit it to ourselves. These are our hidden stories. Telling these stories was difficult, but we felt “lighter” afterward. It was no longer a burden on our souls. By sharing these stories and working on the WRJ says STOP Initiative, we feel we can change the culture in these sacred spaces.

Is it Ok to Hug You?

Trina Novak
Trish Joseph
Do you belong to a “Hug and Kiss” congregation? In our communities, we greet each other with big hugs often accompanied by a kiss. This is part of our culture. These actions are fine if the two people are in consensual agreement. But, what happens when community cultural behaviors cross the line?

Parashah B'reishit

Trina Novak
Being an orderly person, I am drawn to Genesis, Chapter 1. God eliminates chaos, provides separation to make space and maximize potential and begins the creation process. Each day brings something new, each with its own unique value to sustain life.