Our Events
By Rabbi Marla J. Feldman, 6/08/2017
As we are approaching the conclusion of our 2017 Women's Journey to Israel, we are all asking one another 'what was your 'wow' moment of the trip? That's always a risk, as each day brought new 'wow' moments to add to the list and some of us still have several days to go. For some it was the first day, as we sat in Independence Hall in the very place where Israel was declared a state. For many it was the inspirational Rosh Chodesh worship with Women of the Wall (WOW), and the beauty of being together in prayer, despite the distraction of those heckling and attempting to disrupt our prayers. I'... Read More
By Vivian Blumstein and Susan Singer, 6/07/2017
As supporters of the YES Fund, it was wonderful to get to see first-hand just how WRJ changes lives through its philanthropic efforts. The WRJ Women’s Journey to Israel gave each of us a great opportunity to see our work in action. We began by meeting with several female Rabbis who have benefited from YES Fund Grants while attending Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem. With our help, these amazing women are having an impact on Progressive Judaism through their work with conversion programs, bar/bat mitzvah programs and interfaith dialogues. We were... Read More
By Rozan Anderson, 6/06/2017
Imagine a desert oasis so lush that it kicked my allergies into high season! That's what we discovered when we headed down a dry road deep in the Arava, tight up against the Jordanian border, and were warmly greeted at Kibbutz Lotan. Our friend, Alex Cicelsky, along with other Reform youth movement grads, established Lotan in the early 1980s as an eco-Jewish collective based on a creative approach to egalitarian Judaism and a deep commitment to environmental protection. Where once was a solitary acacia tree, there is now a thriving community of a couple hundred people, partnered with other... Read More
By Lindie Henderson, 6/05/2017
Forty-six women began a travel journey on May 21st in Tel Aviv. We had WRJ in common although many of us were meeting for the first time. Our connection began over food and a getting to know you ice-breaker that would unfold over several days... exchanging our favorite books, movies, foods (chocolate was a clear winner), favorite TV shows and more. We have walked and ridden miles together, always talking, sharing and learning. We wept together at Independence Hall watching the signing of Israel's Independence and singing Hatikvah. We connected with mothers and daughters... Read More
By Heather Lorgeree & Nanci Pompan, 6/01/2017
This blog was co-written by Heather Lorgree and Nanci Pompan. They each share their unique experiences on the Women's Journey to Israel in their pieces below. Heather Lorgeree: "What do you mean you have never been to Israel?," my friends would exclaim when I told them I hadn't yet visited. Birthright wasn't very big when I was in college and the congregational trips never felt like the right opportunity for me. When this trip was announced, an all women's trip appropriate for first-timers, I knew that I needed to sign up. After almost a year of waiting and counting down... Read More
Subscribe to