The Power of Relationships Through Sisterhood, Spirituality, and Social Justice

At our core, WRJ demonstrates our commitment to build community, create opportunities for women to share ideas, learn from each other, and deepen our connection to Judaism. Now that I am in my new role as Immediate Past President of WRJ, I thought it would be fitting to reflect on my unconventional, yet unbelievably moving term as president. While the past three years presented unforeseen and challenging circumstances, we remained resilient and grew together.

Join me as I reflect upon my presidential term and celebrate WRJ’s persistence, growth, and innovative spirit.

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we inaugurated and augmented many online programs:

• A 3-day Fried Women’s Conference that highlighted women’s physical and mental health issues during the pandemic; issues on racial equity, diversity and inclusion; numerous sisterhood skills workshops; Mussar and Shabbat services; and opportunities to schmooze with 750 attendees!  
• Installation of a new WRJ Executive Committee and Board of Directors
• Presentation and voting on constitutional amendments and resolutions at our Legislative Body meeting
• Themed culinary, musical, historical, and other virtual visits to Israel with our engaging guide, Shari Robins
• Celebrations of Sukkot, Chanukah, and Tu B’Shvat with one another and special guests
• Curated trips to Jewish communities across Australia, Latin America and Canada, organized by Heartland district leaders

These events had not been offered previously in WRJ virtual spaces. We succeeded in engaging thousands of people in our good work! We built new relationships within the Reform Movement and beyond. Perhaps most significantly, people rekindled friendships and developed new ones. The pandemic was challenging, and we focused on our core principle of “sisterhood,” empowering folks to find strength, joy and connection within our WRJ community.

Amid these virtual programs, we supported our community by adopting essential new policies, including:

• a WRJ Policy on Harassment
• a WRJ Code of Conduct for participation at WRJ events
• a new position of WRJ Ethics & Compliance Chair

This new policy, the Code of Conduct, and the new position of Ethics and Compliance Chair represent and deepen our values of honour and respect.  

In my 2021 installation remarks, I challenged our organization to ensure that WRJ is not just a welcoming place, but a community of belonging that values each member and their unique identity. I shared the following: “While we recognize that gender transcends a binary, how do we ensure that WRJ is a place where all women, whether cis, trans or nonbinary belong?” Additionally, I encouraged us to think more expansively of Jewish women who wish to serve on our Board of Directors to include someone “who identifies as a Jewish woman.” That may include trans and cis women alike.  

Over the past three years, we have made important strides in this work to embed diversity, ethics accountability, equity and inclusion in our work. Our culture is changing as we consciously imbue these shared values throughout WRJ.  

At our June 2024 Legislative Body meeting, we voted to add the following language to our WRJ Constitution: “WRJ is open to anyone who identifies with WRJ’s mission and values. WRJ welcomes anyone who identifies as female, nonbinary or gender fluid.” We also formally opened our organization to "all who identify as Jewish or have a commitment to the Jewish community,” embracing a broad spectrum of Jewish experiences.

We moved the needle forward over the past three years by educating ourselves about the dynamics of diversity and inclusion and channeling our knowledge into action.  

In 2021, we introduced our vibrant and bold new WRJ logo and messaging map that secure WRJ’s prime status as the feminist engine of the Reform Movement. We continue to stand out as the branding becomes commonplace with our partners and community.  

In 2022, we began to emerge from isolation and offered some spectacular in-person events:

• The second Women’s Empowerment Awards Event honoured ten women at a virtual ceremony, featuring an in-person interview with CNN’s Dana Bash. This award was established in 2019 to honour women who strengthen the voices of others, with a focus on empowering women and girls, and who promote progressive Jewish values.
• The Dr. Jane Evans Pursuit of Justice Award was presented to Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt in Washington. This award honours the legacy of WRJ’s first executive director, Jane Evans, who served the Reform Movement for more than 70 years. Evans was deeply and Jewishly committed to human rights, women’s rights, civil rights, interfaith relations, and countless other manifestations of justice. With the surge of antisemitism on the rise at home and around the world, it was most fitting that our 2022 recipient is a leading global expert on Holocaust denial and antisemitism.  
• WRJ’s Civil Rights Journey brought together 90 women for a trip to Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham, where we learned from leaders who participated in historic demonstrations and lived under the harsh conditions of segregation. We celebrated Shabbat with the congregation and sisterhood of Temple Emanuel in Birmingham. The trip was life-changing for many of us.  

With deep gratitude, we returned to several long-standing gatherings in 2023:

• Our seven WRJ Districts held in-person conventions for the first time since 2018. Thousands joined in these unique multi-day gatherings which offered feminist perspectives within Reform Judaism to learn, connect, pray, and advocate.  
• We returned to Israel as a WRJ community. We welcomed 15 women from across the globe to our third WRJ Wilkenfeld International Women’s Leadership Seminar and provided grants to several Ukrainian women to participate in the World Union for Progressive Judaism Connections Conference. Our time in Israel culminated with a WRJ mission. For eight days, more than 30 women traveled from Jerusalem to the north, and then to Tel Aviv. Our focus for the trip was to honour and celebrate women leaders in a variety of fields throughout Israel.  

WRJ’s beloved Executive Director of eleven years, Rabbi Marla J. Feldman, retired in July 2023. Rabbi Feldman was honoured at a gala event during which Reform Movement leaders celebrated her numerous achievements as WRJ’s sixth Executive Director since its founding in 1913. WRJ established the Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Fund in Rabbi Feldman’s honour, as she fearlessly championed social justice causes during her 40-year career. 

Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch began her tenure as WRJ’s seventh Executive Director, now CEO, in July 2023. Rabbi Hirsch is a creative and dynamic leader and has just completed her first season of podcasts interviewing women in leadership about women and leadership.  

Tragically, three months into Rabbi Hirsch’s tenure, we awoke to the horrific news of the attacks in southern Israel on October 7. As our relationships with our Israeli Reform Movement partners run deep, we knew immediately to reach out, ask how we could help, and then act. We continue to update our resources that share various ways how WRJ has supported our siblings in Israel.  

In an impactful show of support, we led a joint mission to Israel in February 2024, entitled, “We Will Not Be Silent,” in partnership with the Women’s Rabbinic Network for Reform Jewish leaders. We bore witness to the aftermath of October 7 and heard firsthand accounts of violence against women. Focused on feminist voices, the delegation heard from leadership of civil society organizers and Knesset representatives who highlighted the role of women in national security decision-making processes, the process of collecting evidence on crimes against women and children from October 7, and efforts to bring home the several hostages still in captivity.

While our hearts and minds are focused on the Israel-Hamas war, our sisterhood, spirituality, and social justice work continues unabated.  

Nearly 350 participants joined WRJ earlier this spring to “unmask their potential” at the Fried Women’s Conference (FWC) in New Orleans. WRJ’s flagship event was a multi-day experience to hone leadership skills, further Jewish learning, partake in women-led worship and music, and deepen connections with other sisterhoods, women, and WRJ at large.  

Each day of this journey was a gift of learning and truly humbling, and it was a perfect way to conclude my tenure as WRJ President.  I am deeply grateful to each one of you for your partnership, deep wisdom, and the joy of creating together.  

At the recent Fried Women’s Conference, during Shabbat services, we concluded the reading of the book of Leviticus. When we finish reading a book of Torah, the Torah is hoisted and the congregants all exclaim in unison, “Chazak, chazak, v nitchazek!” Be strong! Be strong and we will strengthen one another!

There is a feminine version of a variation of this phrase: “chizki v’imtzi”—be strong and have courage!

Thank you for your courageous leadership and for being such strong partners in leading Women of Reform Judaism over the past three years!