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This blog is part of a WRJ blog series commemorating Women's History Month. 

In less than a week, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga v. Sebelius. These cases have been getting a fair amount of coverage in the press and attention in the advocacy community over the past few weeks. If you are new to these cases, or if you’re excited (like me) to see what will happen before the nine justices on March 25^th, here’s a rundown of the basic arguments, the stakes, the position of the Reform Movement, and some suggestions for further reading in anticipation of oral argument.

Let’s go all the way back to the beginning of the story to understand the questions before the Court.

Last week was a particularly interesting week for me, with a major focus on WRJ’s Israel relations. First I had lunch with Menachem Leibovitz, Vice Chairman of the Jewish National Fund in Israel (KKL), whose bona fides include being married to one of the first women rabbis in Israel, Rabbi Maya Leibovitz of Kehilat Mevasseret Zion. I had the opportunity to join Menachem along with leaders of ARZA to discuss the importance of the upcoming WZO elections (January-March 2015), about which we will all be hearing a great deal in the coming months. Menachem rose to prominence in that important organization in large measure due to the influence garnered by the Reform/Progressive Movement after previous WZO elections. All of us who care about expanding and strengthening Progressive Judaism in Israel have a role to play, and it’s rather simple: when the time comes we will be asked to go online, register, and vote. It’s not too early to begin planning ways to educate our sisterhoods and women’s groups, our congregations, our friends, and our family members about Progressive Judaism in Israel. We should be laying the foundation now, so by the time elections open in 2015 we will be ready. If each of our 65,000 women votes, Progressive Judaism in Israel and around the world will be the big winner!

by Rusti Berent When I was a girl I loved science! My parents supported me and gave me a fancy microscope and, later, a deluxe chemistry set. In high school biology, we dissected frogs and worms and observed pond life under the microscope and I was fascinated. The summer after I took biology, no frog or worm in my neighborhood was safe from me and my dissection kit! Sadly for me—but lucky for the frogs—that was the last summer of such explorations. No one I knew shared my excitement and eventually I moved on to other things. Much later, I earned my doctorate—not in a physical science or technology—but in education and human development. My passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) continued, however, and I’m proud to say that each of my daughters won first place in their middle school science fairs.

In just a couple of days (Saturday, March 15 – Sunday March 16/14-15 Adar) we will be celebrating Purim, a holiday full of good food, costumes, and fun. In broad strokes, Purim is so festive because we remember the bravery and cunning of Mordechai and Esther in saving their people from Haman’s hangman.

However, Purim also invites us to take a look at two important female characters in the story: Vashti and Esther. Vashti, King Ahashverous’s wife at the beginning of the Purim story, refuses to go “before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on” (Megillat Esther 1:11). The motivation behind Vashti’s action are not recorded, however, it is interesting to consider why she would refuse. Perhaps she did not want to be admired merely for her beauty, she did not want her worth to be matched to her appearance. However, her refusal was her downfall: King Ahashverous banished Vashti from his sight and began the search for a new wife.

God upholds the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and befriends the stranger, providing him with food and clothing. You too must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

This citation from Deuteronomy anchors Women of Reform Judaism’s profound commitment to immigration reform in Jewish tradition. In fact, the commandment to welcome the stranger is in the Torah 36 times, more so than any other. If you’re interested in gematria (significance of numbers in Judaism), you’ll recognize that 36 is double 18, double יח. יח (chai) signifies the number 18, but is also the Hebrew word for life. This repetition illustrates the Jewish commitment to this topic; how much welcoming the stranger is in the lifeblood of what it means to be Jewish.

This profile is part of a blog series on inspiring Jewish women from Women of Reform Judaism during March in celebration of Women’s History Month From the very first time we encounter Miriam (Exodus 2:4), her bravery and her caring stand out. In order to save her son’s life, Yocheved sends her newborn Moses down the Nile in a basket to protect him from certain death. Miriam–likely no older than a child herself–follows her brother, looking out for him and ultimately ensuring a form of family unity. Miriam approaches Pharoah’s daughter, who finds Moses, and Miriam convinces her to let Yocheved be his nurse. Miriam’s quick wit and courage kept her family intact as best as she could possibly manage in the most dire of circumstances. [caption id="attachment_14643" align="alignright" width="173"] Painting of Miriam by Anselm Friedrich Feuerbach[/caption]

by Barbara Thomas Parashat Vayikra translates to “and God called” and begins with instructions on how to approach God with sacrificial offerings of animals. This method of approaching God is not part of modern religious practice, but the significance of animal sacrifice to an agricultural society is a guide to how important our sacrifices should be to us when we approach God so that we can gain strength and understanding as we are led to a more righteous place. WRJ makes significant sacrifices and leads us, as sisterhood members, to make significant sacrifices of money, time, and emotion; a modern equivalent of this animal sacrifice.

This Shabbat, as we slow down, disconnect and enjoy the day of rest with family and friends, we also have the opportunity to spend some time to reflect on the status of women at home and abroad.

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been celebrated on March 8^th for nearly 40 years. This date, designated by the United Nations, falls during Women’s History Month; taken together, these dates remind us to pause and take stock.