Connecting Internationally with WRJ

There’s something uniquely powerful about international travel—the way it invites you to step outside your comfort zone, discover new perspectives, and find connections in unexpected places. And as is such in the small interconnected Jewish world, those connections may just be with Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ). 

Both of us, Morgan Helfman (WRJ North American Board) and Lauren Wilson (WRJ Member, Temple Emanu-El of Tuscaloosa, Alabama), had the opportunity to travel on a volunteer mission trip to Israel this past May. It was both our first times back in Israel since the start of the war, and we were eager to help rebuild. We connected before the trip and realized we had both been at the WRJ Fried Women’s Conference the previous year, and that we even met. Having WRJ in common allowed us to quickly connect, and then ultimately decide that we wanted to extend our time in Israel after the organized part of our trip. 

While we were incredibly busy on our Taglit sponsored volunteer trip, we made time to observe and celebrate Shabbat. In what was a first for us both, we visited the only Reform Synagogue in Tel Aviv, Beit Daniel, which serves as a center for Progressive Judaism and a community center. We were warmly welcomed by Rabbi Meir Azari, who invited us, and our friend Rachel from the trip, to have an Aliyah before the bar mitzvah boy was called to the Torah for the first time. We were both struck by the similarities, yet vast differences in experiencing a bar mitzvah in Israel. The cantor led the congregation in songs we grew up hearing in our own temples and it allowed us to truly feel like a part of this community in the time we were there. We were very jealous that the Bar Mitzvah boy did not have to learn a new language for his portion!

Luckily enough, we enjoyed each other’s company because we were off to Haifa for our remaining time in Israel! While in Haifa, we exhausted ourselves by walking down the steps of the Bah’ai Gardens, ate as much local food as we could, and watched beautiful sunsets from the patio of our AirBnB. Additionally, Morgan went for a tour of the Leo Baeck school, a proud YES Fund grantee, where she met with the school rabbi, Rabbi Oshrat Morag. Oshrat took Morgan on a tour of the campus and taught her about the school - a uniquely pluralistic education center for children in preschool through high school, with a religious identity most closely aligned with the Reform Movement. In addition to providing a secular, Jewish based primary education, the school does outreach to the other diverse communities in Haifa. Notably, the school runs “Shared Existence Programs” such as community gardens and summer camps to promote intercultural encounters between Jews and Arabs in the neighborhood. While there, Morgan was able to speak with a few high school students who described how their Jewish education had positively shaped them. 

WRJ also connected us to Rabbi Miriam Klimova who leads a Reform community in Haifa primarily composed of immigrants from across Eastern Europe. As an immigrant herself from Ukraine, Rabbi Miriam truly embodies what WRJ encourages through our principle of Tikkun Olam. Her community meets in a shared space and supports each other as they navigate the challenges of coming to a new country and working to find a community. 

What made this trip to Israel especially rewarding was the opportunity to meet with connections from WRJ. Being part of WRJ has taught us that our community isn’t limited to our local congregations—it’s a global network of women and allies committed to leadership, social justice, and Jewish values. When we first got on the flight to Israel, we were both a bit nervous and unsure of what our journey would entail, but traveling with a fellow WRJ member and meeting with WRJ’s network abroad made our experience so much more meaningful. 

It was a reminder that no matter where we go in the world, the mission and purpose of WRJ is a part of everything we do. And it’s a truly amazing feeling to realize that someone thousands of miles away is working toward the same goals of advocating for equality, building stronger communities, and keeping Jewish traditions alive in their communities. Those shared commitments helped us to create instant bonds with each other and with the people WRJ connected us to. What might have been a polite conversation with a fellow traveler became meaningful discussions about leadership, activism, and faith.

After returning to the states when people have asked us about our travels neither of us can speak about Israel without talking about our new WRJ friendship and about the people we met along the way. WRJ was an integral part of our experience in Israel and truly allowed us to connect with Israel in a more meaningful and impactful way. Spending time with WRJ sisters reminded us of our global impact and affirmed our belief that community can be found anywhere if you’re open to it.

In a world that can often feel enormous and divided, traveling internationally and especially to a place as special as Israel reinforces the beauty of connection and community that binds us together as women and as Jews. The willingness to say yes to new places, new people, and new experiences helps us move closer to a world where we can realize the mission of WRJ and strengthen the voice of women across the globe.