SJC 2025 What to Expect Fees & Registration Scholarships Women's Empowerment AwardsSchedule speakers Hotel & Travel
Frequently Asked Questions
SJC Basics | Registration & Pricing | Program & Schedule | Hotel & Travel
Creating a Safe & Inclusive Space | Miscellaneous
SJC Basics
WRJ’s Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference (SJC) 2025 will take place in a hotel in Arlington, VA (details to be shared in registration confirmation), which will host both the conference programming and the nightly accommodations. SJC officially begins on Friday, April 4 at 5:00pm and runs through Monday, April 7 at 2:30pm. Please note that some special programs begin earlier or end later; check the Schedule and Registration & Fees pages for more information.
Who is welcome to attend SJC?
This conference is for anyone ages 18+ who identifies as a woman, non-binary, or gender fluid, is interested in advocacy in the Reform Movement, and identifies with the mission of WRJ. Please note that use of the term “women” throughout our SJC materials includes those who identify as female, nonbinary, or gender fluid.
Starting Sunday of the conference, everyone who supports our mission, including male-identifying participants, are invited to attend a partial package of the conference program, which includes lobbying training, the Women’s Empowerment Awards dinner program, and lobbying visits* on The Hill. Participants of the full conference will also attend these programs.
*Please note, If you register for the conference past Friday, March 7, we cannot guarantee a lobbying assignment with your district.
Why should I attend SJC?
There is something extraordinarily valuable to be gained from meeting face to face with many other like-minded Reform Jewish women and other leaders, learning first-hand the tools and skills needed to partake in social justice work. Running the gamut from the “nuts and bolts” knowledge that new or emerging advocates need, all the way up to advanced skills for experienced and seasoned leaders, the conference has something to offer to a wide variety of participants. All in attendance will become better educated and trained on social justice issues, learn advocacy skills to utilize at home and on a larger scale, and address timely topics in a welcoming and encouraging, progressive Jewish environment.
What if I am not a U.S. citizen?
Although the conference will have a lobbying component that is specific for U.S. citizens, we will have advocacy training and possible embassy visits for those attending from outside of the United States, including our Canadian participants.
What technology will I need to attend SJC? Will there be a livestreaming option?
After completing your SJC 2025 registration, you will be given access to the private group for SJC 2025 attendees in Mighty Networks (our online networking platform that replaced Yammer last year), where you can connect with other SJC registrants, ask questions, and share resources as you prepare for your SJC experience. Closer to the conference start date, you will receive an invitation to our mobile event app, where you will need to set up an account to access the full conference schedule and details. The event app will also allow you to network with other attendees, share your social plans, and access additional resources. We will also share resources from workshops and other programs in these places, after the conference ends. If you need assistance with setting up an account on Mighty Networks or in our event app, please contact wrjregistrar@wrj.org.
Recognizing the importance of being together in-person when possible, SJC will be an in-person only conference. We do not plan on livestreaming any of the SJC programming.
Registration & Pricing
What are my SJC attendance options? How much does it cost to attend? What does my registration include?
SJC registration is available in two options:
- Full conference attendance (Friday through Monday) – for anyone age 18+ who supports WRJ’s mission and identifies as female, nonbinary, or gender fluid:
- The regular, Full “Early Bird” registration fee is $500 on or before February 18, 2025. From February 19- March 20, 2025, the fee for regular, Full registration is $600.
- For any attendee ages 18-36, the Full registration fee is $360 (no early bird cutoff).
- "Empowerment" partial attendance (Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon – for anyone age 18+ who supports WRJ’s mission, including those who identify as male:
- The regular Empowerment “Early Bird” registration fee is $250 on or before February 18, 2025. From February 19 - March 20, 2025, the fee for “Empowerment” registration is $318.
- For any attendee ages 18-36, the Empowerment registration fee is $180.
All registration fees are in USD, and non-U.S. attendees must pay in USD or the equivalent amount in their local currency.
The full SJC registration includes the following:
- All 8 meals during the conference: Friday dinner; Friday breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Sunday breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and Monday breakfast.
- All programming, both pre-SJC (lobbying training on Zoom) and onsite, including workshops, speakers, networking, worship, music, and more.
- Attendance at the Women’s Empowerment Awards (WEA) dinner event on Sunday night.
- Pre- and post-SJC access to our private online communications and resource group on Mighty Networks and on our mobile event app.
The Empowerment partial registration includes the following:
- Meals (2): Sunday dinner and Monday breakfast
- Programming beginning Sunday at 4:00 p.m. with lobbying training and running through Monday afternoon, ending with Hill visits. This package also includes the pre-SJC lobbying training over Zoom, and the Women’s Empowerment Awards (WEA) dinner event onsite on Sunday night.
Participation in the WRJ Choir requires pre-registration but does not have an additional cost. Only full SJC attendees can participate in the WRJ Choir.
Not included in your SJC registration are the following expenses:
- Hotel reservations
- Flight and other travel arrangements (including ground transportation)
- Meals not listed above (such as Friday lunch)
- Women’s Empowerment Awards sponsorships, tributes, etc.
- Purchase of WRJ products
- Donations to WRJ
If you are joining us as part of a congregational/sisterhood/women's group delegation (10 or more paying attendees from the same group), be sure to indicate which group you belong to, in your registration. In the spring and after SJC, we will issue a rebate of $54 per person to each paying registrant from your delegation. All paying attendees from the same group - both from the Full and Empowerment attendance packages - count towards your delegation.
Does WRJ offer any financial assistance to attend SJC?
WRJ offers a limited number of scholarships to eligible participants, to cover the cost of one Early Bird, Full registration to attend SJC. Visit the Scholarships page to learn more and apply.
How can I register for SJC? How do I pay the fee?
SJC 2025 registration is only available online. Registration will open in December 2024 and close on March 20, 2025. All registrations must be completed on an individual basis (no group registrations) on our secure online website and paid for in full by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express) when submitting your registration. Once registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email, which contains the details about and link to make a reservation at the group rate at the SJC hotel.
If your sisterhood/women’s group or another individual or organization is covering your registration fee, please make the appropriate arrangements to enable you to pay at the time you register.
If you need to pay by check, please contact wrjregistrar@wrj.org for instructions.
All registration fees must be paid, in full, before SJC; partial payments cannot be accepted.
What happens if I need to change or cancel my registration?
If you register for SJC 2025 and are no longer able to attend, you must email the WRJ Registrar with your cancellation request and include the reason for the cancellation. A full refund of the registration fee originally paid, less a $50 administrative fee to cover credit card processing costs, will be provided for requests received on or before March 20, 2025. After this date, no refunds will be provided, as WRJ will have already incurred non-refundable expenses on your behalf. In the event of extraordinary circumstances, such as a documented illness, death in the family, or inclement weather that makes travel impossible, WRJ will seek reimbursement from our vendors on your behalf, but please note that no refund of any amount is guaranteed.
Cancellations for your hotel room must be made directly with the hotel. Any cancellation made fewer than 72 hours before arrival will incur the first night’s fee.
Can I attend part of SJC and pay a lower fee?
Aside from the “Empowerment” package (see above), WRJ will not offer any prorated or abbreviated attendance options.
Can I bring a guest with me to some or all of SJC?
Your friends and family who support WRJ’s mission but are not able to attend the full SJC are encouraged to sign up for the “Empowerment” package (see above), to join you for all the SJC programming from Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon. Aside from this registration package, no guests will be permitted.
Program & Schedule
What is the schedule for the weekend? What types of workshops are being offered?
The conference schedule (subject to change) is available on the Schedule page. More details about workshops will be added as we get closer to the conference.
Do I have to pre-register for individual workshops?
All workshops during SJC do not require advance registration. An attendee may choose to attend any workshop onsite, as long as space remains in the room (on a first-come, first-served basis). Note that the WRJ Choir does require advance registration and will have several advance meetings/assignments (see more details below).
What is the WRJ Choir?
The WRJ Choir provides an opportunity for women to share their love of music and singing with other attendees by rehearsing before and during SJC, and performing during SJC worship services. The Choir will likely have at least one rehearsal pre-SJC over Zoom, and several onsite (exact dates/times TBD). Materials and information will be sent in advance for preparation, and all rehearsals are required. No prior musical experience is necessary. More details to come!
How much time will I spend in religious services?
Worship is a somewhat significant part of SJC. We are together for all of Shabbat and WRJ holds joyous Friday night, Saturday morning, and Saturday evening Havdalah services. All services and their music are arranged especially for WRJ SJC 2025 – you won’t want to miss the meaningful magic of hundreds of women lending their voices to pray as one!
Will we vote on Constitutional Revisions and Resolutions at this conference?
No – WRJ’s Legislative Body Meeting took place in 2024 and is on a three-year cycle, so there will not be any legislative matters at our 2025 conference.
Hotel & Travel
When should I arrive for SJC? When does it end?
The conference is on Friday, April 4 through Monday, April 7, 2025. Please complete your online registration before booking your hotel and flight/travel, so that you will know exactly when to arrive and depart, based on the programs for which you register. For general SJC attendance, you should plan to arrive at the hotel no later than 4:00pm on Friday to check-in and pick up registration materials; this means you should book a flight that lands at DCA airport earlier than 3:30pm on Friday. To stay through the conference’s end on Monday at 2:30pm, you should book a flight that departs after 5:00pm (or a train that departs after 3:30pm.) However, there may be some pre-conference (WRJ Board of Directors Meeting from Wednesday night – Friday morning; WRJ Choir rehearsal on Friday afternoon) and post-conference programs that require an earlier arrival, so please book your travel accordingly for your attendance needs so as not to miss this special opportunity!
Where is the 2025 SJC? Where do I stay? How do I get there?
SJC 2025 will be held at a hotel in Arlington/Crystal City, VA, which will host both our programs and our sleeping rooms. For security reasons, we are not sharing the name of the hotel on any public forums, including this website. You will receive the specific hotel name, location, and a link to book a room in WRJ’s block in your registration confirmation email. If you need any details prior to registering, please contact us at wrjregistrar@wrj.org.
The hotel is less than a 10-minute drive from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and offers a complimentary shuttle.
For those driving, overnight parking is available at the hotel at a discounted overnight rate for WRJ attendees ($22/day for self-parking and $32/day for valet parking, plus tax).
Cancellations with the hotel must be made at least 3 days before arrival in order to avoid paying a one-night fee.
Can I share a hotel room? How do I find a roommate?
RoRooms at the SJC hotel contain 1 king or 2 double beds, and can certainly be shared between two people. Attendees are responsible for making their own hotel reservations, including finding their own roommate. If you would like to share a room but do not have a roommate, use the WRJ SJC 2025 Attendees’ group on Mighty Networks (to which you’ll be added once you complete your registration) and post that you’re looking for a roommate and for which night(s). Folks have good success rates in matching up this way!
Creating a Safe & Inclusive Space
Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) is committed to providing the safest and healthiest environment for our members, participants, and employees. Of course, COVID-19 and other communicable illnesses remain a factor when holding in-person events, and WRJ is taking steps to mitigate the risks inherent in such activities. We will operate within the parameters of our “Covenant of Care” document, which requires that attendees be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 and attest to the fact that they are not sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or other communicable illnesses. We will continue to assess the health climate closer to SJC and will share any health-related requirements (e.g., submitting a negative COVID test before attending) that attendees will need to follow. Our decisions and requirements will be guided by recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), federal, state/provincial, and local health authorities, and will be revised and amended as necessary. Maintaining a safe and healthy environment is a shared responsibility among the organizers, venue managers, and each and every participant.
In addition, Jewish tradition teaches that every person is created b'tzelem Elohim, in the Divine image. In the spirit of this core Jewish value, every individual who participates in events within the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) community – including participants, presenters, staff, vendors, guests, facilities staff, and all others – will be valued and treated with respect. Every participant, whatever their role, has a right to a safe and inclusive experience, including treatment that is fair, honest, dignified, and nonjudgmental. WRJ does not tolerate, in any form or at any time, discrimination, harassment, bullying, sexual misconduct, threats, intimidation, menacing, or any other offensive behavior or acts against anyone in our community or participating in our events. This includes but is not limited to actions taken against others based on their race, age, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, physical appearance, size, ethnicity, origin, religion, class, or any other identity. All SJC attendees will be required to sign off on our Code of Conduct to participate in the conference.
Miscellaneous
I have dietary restrictions. Will I be able to eat the food at SJC?
All food served at SJC is kosher-style, but not certified kosher (i.e., no pork or shellfish is served, and no meat and dairy products will be mixed in the same dish). There is always a vegetarian option available that includes protein, and we will do our best to accommodate dietary needs such as allergies to dairy, nuts, gluten, etc.
*Be sure to enter all dietary needs into your online registration so that we can make note of your restrictions and work with you and the hotel to accommodate you. If you have any questions or want to discuss your restrictions, please contact Talia Blank, WRJ Program Associate, at TBlank@wrj.org.
Does SJC 2025 offer accessibility accommodations?
The SJC hotel’s interior is entirely wheelchair-accessible. Elevators bring guests to the meeting level and to their room floors, where there are a number of mobility-accessible rooms. Please note that special accommodations regarding your hotel stay must be made directly with the hotel. For lobbying visits on The Hill, please be in touch with us to coordinate the best plan for your participation.
In accordance with WRJ’s Accessibility Policy, we strive to make SJC accessible and meaningful to all those who wish to participate. If you require any accommodations, please enter them into your online registration and also contact Talia Blank, WRJ Program Associate, at TBlank@wrj.org as soon as possible, so that we can work with you to support your attendance throughout the conference.
Is there WiFi at the hotel?
Yes, attendees will receive complimentary basic WiFi in their hotel rooms and meeting space during SJC.
What is the dress code? What should I bring with me?
Dress is generally “business casual.” On Shabbat, attendees typically wear nicer dresses, skirts, slacks, and tops. A comfortable pair of shoes for walking and a light sweater, scarf, or jacket for layering (as room temperatures can vary) are also important. For Monday’s Hill visits, folks typically dress in more formal business attire (think suits, nicer dresses, or skirts and tops) with nicer shoes (heels not required!). Finally, don’t forget to bring with you any WRJ/District pins and tallitot/kippot, as is your custom. And be sure to leave a little free space in your luggage for any souvenirs!
For any unanswered questions about WRJ SJC 2025, please contact WRJ Registrar or call 212-650-4050.