Heart to Heart & Face to Face

Heartland District Gathers in Cincinnati
December 20, 2024Susan Pittelman

I was excited when I learned that WRJ Heartland District was planning a gathering in Cincinnati. I have had three memorable WRJ-related trips to Cincinnati — and each one was special.  

The first trip was in March 2006. I was president of WRJ District 18 (which then became the Midwest District, which would later consolidate with Central District to become Heartland District). To celebrate District 18’s upcoming 50th anniversary, we took a “field trip” to Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion’s (HUC-JIR) Cincinnati campus. Many members from Central District joined us throughout the weekend – foreshadowing the creation of our Heartland District.

I next went to Cincinnati as part of the WRJ Centennial Committee to plan how the 100th birthday of Women of Reform Judaism would be celebrated throughout the year of 2013, including planning for the WRJ Assembly in that December. My third trip to Cincinnati was in January 2013, when WRJ kicked off its Centennial year with the inaugural WRJ Fried Leadership Conference.

I reminisced about these past visits as I flew to Cincinnati on November 7, 2024, to join my Heartland sisters. The theme of the gathering was “Heart to Heart & Face to Face,” as the trip was planned to give the members in our recently formed Heartland District an opportunity to spend time together in person and strengthen our bonds with each other. I knew that this visit to Cincinnati would be special as well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t arrive until after dinner Thursday evening, sorry to have missed the “opening” of this gathering. Nevertheless, I knew that an exciting long weekend lay ahead, with plenty of time to spend with my sisters, who were both longtime friends as well as friends yet to be made.  

Friday was a whirlwind! After breakfast, we climbed aboard buses and rode to the magnificent Plum Street Temple. Rabbi Lewis Kamrass shared the history of the building and the pragmatic vision for Reform Judaism held by renowned Rabbi Isaac Mayer Weiss. We then traveled to the American Jewish Archives on the HUC-JIR campus and were warmly welcomed as we enjoyed lunch in the serene reading room. We spent the remainder of the afternoon at HUC-JIR, first touring the Archives, which has more than 12 million pieces in its collection and is one of only two national archives dedicated to the documentation of the American Jewish experience. Next, we explored the Skirball Museum, the first formally established Jewish museum in the United States, where we viewed beautiful artwork and Judaica as well as the sacred land exhibition. We ended our campus tour at the Klau Library, which is one of the largest Jewish libraries in the world and has an extraordinarily rare books collection. It was here I saw a Sumerian clay tablet from 2500 to 3000 BCE and learned that paragraphs are indented because when writing a manuscript, the scribe would create a big space at the start of a paragraph for a large capital letter.  

After beginning the day at Plum Street Temple and spending the afternoon on the HUC-JIR campus, it is easy to understand why Cincinnati is often referred to as “Jerusalem on the Ohio.”

Friday evening, we enjoyed a delicious Shabbat dinner at Valley Temple. After dinner we welcomed Shabbat with a touching, creative service written by the Women of Valley Temple and orchestrated by Rabbi Sandford Kopnick. When we returned to the hotel, we gathered in the hospitality room for games and schmoozing. No one wanted this wonderful day to end!

Saturday was another very full day. After a ruach-filled Shabbat service at the hotel, we spent the day visiting Cincinnati’s best attractions. Our first stop was the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, where we were immersed in 300 years of history about American slavery, from the introduction of chattel slavery in the Americas to its abolition at the end of the Civil War. We then went to the Cincinnati Museum Center, a multi-museum complex housed in a historic art deco train station. After lunch in the rotunda of this beautiful building, we toured the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center on the lower level, where we experienced stories of courage, perseverance, loss, redemption, and new life, as told by local survivors. Words cannot express the emotions we felt as we walked through the various exhibits. A private behind-the-scenes tour of the resplendent railroad station lifted our spirits before we returned to the hotel.  

Before dinner at the hotel, we gathered for a lovely Havdalah service. Following dinner, we were treated to a delightful performance by Rabbinical student Rachael Houser, who had been a professional actor before beginning her rabbinical studies at HUC-JIR. Dressed as Selma Wise, the second wife of Rabbi Issac M. Wise, she relayed the “Life and Loves of Selma Bondi Wise.” Her performance was magnificent.  

What would be a WRJ gathering without a YES Fund presentation! After watching the YES Fund video and talking about the impact of the YES Fund, several Lifeline pins were presented. I am proud to share that from the Lifeline payments and the contributions made in honor of WRJ CEO Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch, $20,456 was raised that evening. Afterwards, we heard a presentation about the upcoming Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference – and when asked who was planning to attend the conference, there was a roomful of raised hands! We then ended the night in the hospitality room for games and more schmoozing.  

Sunday morning came all too quickly. Heartland’s visit to Cincinnati closed with a friendship circle. Former Central District President Sandy Adland led us in singing “T’filat Haderech,” which Central District traditionally sang at the end of each district gathering. This has now become a tradition of our new Heartland District.

Thank you’s were abundant – to Sandi Firsel, who chaired the trip, and to Local Arrangements Chair Sue Voos and Registrar Jan Goldman; to District President Rozan Anderson; and to the numerous committee members and Heartland board members who worked together to create this glorious gathering. We were thrilled that Rabbi Liz Hirsch and WRJ President Karen Sim joined us for the weekend. The friendship circle concluded with each woman saying one word to describe the weekend: “Sisterhood” . . . “Learning” . . . “Spiritual” . . .  “Friendship” . . .  “Heartland!”  

This visit to Cincinnati was everything I had hoped it would be – and more! I will cherish the new sisterhood connections I made, the places that I saw, the things I learned, and especially the feelings of warmth, sisterhood, and spirituality that permeated the weekend. I will add this trip to my bank of WRJ experiences and cherished memories that make Women of Reform Judaism so dear to my heart.