"Maybe It Is Just For This Moment"

Maybe it is just for this moment that you find yourself in a position of leadership. Maybe?

With the generous support of a microgrant from WRJ, in September 2024, Temple B’nai Israel’s Sisterhood in Hattiesburg, MS, presented a concert of works by composers whose careers were or currently are impacted by social injustices, such as racism, sexism, antisemitism, and patriarchy. We partnered with Encompass, a local arts initiative whose mission is to offer meaningful and creative opportunities to experience classical music. Our event’s goal was to demonstrate how social injustices affect the creation and dissemination of music, and to reverse these injustices by bringing the remarkable music of these composers “into the light.” Our audiences learned a great deal about each composer, their music, and how music makes our community, our life experiences, and our world better.  With such a small Jewish community in south Mississippi, we knew partnerships were essential to grow our impact, so we hosted our concert at an inclusive Baptist church that is very supportive of the arts and livestreamed the performance for those who could not attend in person. We concluded the evening with a beautiful oneg and Havdalah service, ending our event and starting a new week together.  

I’ll be very honest with you – I had my flutist hat on when I happened to see an email describing WRJ’s Microgrant application. I have experience creating concerts with special themes and styles, and usually the biggest hindrance is finding appropriate funding. My application for a microgrant was my first experience with WRJ, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to provide a meaningful event for my community. The original mission of the project was without a doubt fulfilled, but I gained so much more.

I could not have known that such meaningful and positive feedback from the partnerships fostered through our project would result in lasting relationships. Was it just for this moment I found myself in a position of leadership?

I could not have known that this project would result in an invitation to WRJ’s inaugural Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference, where I would construct my new personal understanding of Reform Judaism and its inextricable relationship to social justice. Was it just for this moment?

I could not have known that the consequential friendships I made at the conference would result in an inspiration to engage in my community’s protests and social action projects, and our synagogue’s religious programming. Was it just for this moment?

I could not have known that the confidence and strength behind my voice would grow so profoundly that I would in turn support my teenage son’s personal advocacy for the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act and his participation in the RAC’s L’Taken to grow his own social justice convictions. Was it just for this moment?

When I look back at these outcomes, and so many more, that I never could have anticipated, I can answer the question with absolute certainty. Yes, it was just for this moment that I found myself in a position of leadership. I found myself with the inspiration for the project, the professional and experienced personnel, the community support, and the funding to ensure it would be successful.    

More importantly, I now find myself in a moment of greater understanding of my current purpose as a Jew in my community; as a Jewish woman, a Jewish wife and mom, and a Jewish friend. I have found a stronger, more empowered voice which connects my love for the arts with tikkun olam, and I have engaged more fully in our ritual and programming committee.

In the introduction for each week’s episode of WRJ CEO Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch’s podcast, Just For This, she states, “Who knows, maybe it is just for this moment that you find yourself in a position of leadership?” Maybe I didn’t intentionally become a leader, and maybe the outcomes I’ve seen since the project’s inception were not intentional. Maybe I can’t say with any certainty that these things happened for a reason. I can say with certainty, however, that if you feel the pull toward correcting social injustices, and think grant support can assist your projects, then it is just for this moment, and you can make it so.

Applications for the next round of microgrants are now open. Microgrants will be awarded on a rolling basis. Applications for 2026 must be submitted by June 30, 2026. Learn more and apply: https://wrj.org/resources-events/awards/microgrants