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This week’s Torah portion, Pinchas (Numbers 25:10 – 30:1), picks up where last week’s portion, Balak, leaves off. In last week’s portion, Pinchas followed an Israelite “notable” and a Midianite woman into their tent and murdered them.  In the beginning of this week’s portion, named for Pinchas, we learn that he was rewarded with hereditary priesthood. Pinchas’s story presents an interesting dilemma for modern readers to wrestle with. Yet it didn’t shout at me “write about this!” so I read on. The parashah continues with the taking of a census of every male over twenty. The purpose of the census was to divide the land which the Israelites were going to enter. It is in this parashah that we learn of Zelophehad’s five daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Micah, and Tirzah, who challenged the patriarchal system and gained their rightful share of the land as their father’s inheritance. These were smart women – they knew that their request was outside of the norm, and that Moses would have to ask God for the answer to their petition. They believed in the fairness of God’s laws, and had faith that the answer would be favorable.

By Marcy Frost Parashat Chukat states, in a matter-of-fact way, that Miriam died and was buried at Kadesh. Aaron’s death is also recounted in Parashat Chukat, but with more fanfare and thirty days of mourning. Aaron’s priestly vestments were handed down to his son, Eleazar, prior to his death, as commanded by Adonai. Thus, Aaron’s role as the religious leader of the people was transferred to Eleazar. In a later parasha, Vayeilech, the mantle of Moses’ leadership is passed on to Joshua.  The Torah, however, tells us of no successor to Miriam. Carol Ochs, in her “Contemporary Reflection” in The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, posits that Miriam’s leadership was seen in her compassion for the vulnerable (think of baby Moses).  Sisterhoods throughout WRJ are committed to helping those in need, both financially and with “woman-power.” This Sunday night, I will be joining other women in my sisterhood, Temple Israel Sisterhood in Minneapolis, at a homeless shelter within our own four walls.  Temple Israel participates in a program that provides temporary emergency shelter to homeless families by providing a safe, secure, and supportive day center and housing the families overnight through a network of faith communities. Temple Israel Sisterhood has been a supporter, both financially and through providing the meal and volunteers for a night of the shelter, since Temple Israel joined the program in 2008. The tikkun olam embraced by sisterhoods carries on the tradition of Miriam.

Last week, Carolyn Kunin, WRJ's director of Programming and Advocacy retired after twenty-one years.  We are extremely grateful for the important role Carolyn has played in advancing social justice.  The following is a tribute to Carolyn, written by Mark Pelavin, associate director of the Religious Action Center. Today, after over twenty years of remarkable service, we are saying farewell to one of our Movement’s most effective social activists: Carolyn Kunin, the longtime director of Programming and Advocacy of Women of Reform Judaism. I’m well aware that some readers will be thinking, “Who is Carolyn Kunin?” But anyone who has been involved with WRJ or the Commission on Social Action knows the answer to that – she is an organizer par excellence, the quintessential social action staff person. I don’t remember ever seeing Carolyn speak at a press conference or give a plenary address at a convention. I have no doubt that she would have done an outstanding job doing so, but her work was different. She was the one behind the scenes, the one who knew just who to invite to speak, the one who knew what issue would resonate most powerfully, the one who knew – always – what questions to ask.

By Ellen Wagner Imagine you are a twenty-something newlywed with a full time job, busy making a life in a new city. A local Reform synagogue approaches you and your spouse with a plea for help. “Please help! The Temple youth group is in desperate need of adult supervision. We’ve heard you’ve got some experience in this department. Won’t you consider giving up your Sunday mornings, several long weekends and even a few weeknights a month for our teens?!” The average young couple might smile, offer a remorseful excuse about not wanting to make such a big commitment, and promise to consider it in a few years.

Growing up in the 60’s and early 70’s, I became politically aware at a very young age. The news was filled with images of demonstrations and anti-war rallies, young people taking to the streets, and people of different faiths and races risking – and sometimes losing – their lives to oppose unfair government policies. One particularly inspiring 6th grade religious school teacher insisted we apply Jewish values to the issues of the day. I found myself working on a project about police brutality with a classmate who was, and continues to be, an ardent feminist, activist, and outspoken change agent. We became lifelong friends and in my mind’s eye I will forever see her proudly sporting her motto: “Challenge Authority!”

The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) today released a study on Rabbinic Compensation by Gender. The executive summary provided by the CCAR in many ways states the obvious: there is a salary discrepancy between men and women, and that discrepancy increases as congregational size increases. No great surprise there. What is exceptional about this study is the raw data that it provides to document that disparity and to highlight exactly where that disparity is most noticeable: “Differences in senior/solo base compensation by gender are markedly less among “A” category congregations, which can be served by newly ordained rabbis (female is equal to 93% of male), than among “B” congregations where rabbis must be ordained at least three years (90%) or “C” congregations, minimum ordained five or more years (80%), or even “D” congregations, minimum eight years since ordination (89%).”

By Hilda R. Glazer This week’s Torah portion includes the story of sending the scouts to Canaan and a number of laws about sacrifices and communal and individual wrongs. One of the things that I often wondered about was the origin of the challah. In this week’s portion is the answer. One of the offerings listed in Numbers 15 is that of the first dough – the challah. The Women’s Torah Commentary (p. 882) noted that the word challah is Hebrew for loaf and was derived from the verbal root ch-w-l, “to be round.”

Erev Shabbat Memorial Day weekend found me seated in the 115-year-old sanctuary of my home synagogue Congregation Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster, PA, for our confirmation service. Unlike other Reform confirmations, ours marks a conclusion of our students’ religious education from pre-school through twelfth grade. Several years ago, our rabbi, Jack Paskoff, proposed changing Confirmation from tenth to twelfth grades. In all honesty, I was a ‘traditional’ hold-out. “Reform Jews are confirmed in tenth grade!” I whined. But, as often is the case, Jack was absolutely on target.  Today, tenth grade marks a rather insignificant milestone in our kids’ educational pursuits while twelfth grade usually denotes an ending and some sort of beginning.