Many decades ago, the men and women of Reform Judaism organized separate auxiliary organizations based on gender. Today, when gender roles have blurred in the workplace and in the home, what unique roles can a men’s organization or a women’s organization play in a congregation? Do we still need such groups? What might they look like in the future?
Shelley Lindauer Closing Statement
Last week's final article was written somewhat on the fly while I was traveling with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish organizations in Israel. The article I submitted included a comprehensive list of activities in which are sisterhoods are involved each and every day. The point I was making in listing these 90+ activities was that sisterhood is an integral and necessary part of congregational life. Women have long been the "movers and shakers" in congregational life, and this long list of activities, programs, and events illustrates how pervasive their influence is. Were our women not to assume these responsibilities, would it be possible for our congregations to easily replicate this work?
Below is an A-to nearly!-Z listing of some of the activities and programs our sisterhoods undertake for their congregations on a yearly basis:
A cappella Group Annual contribution to the temple Annual financial commitment to Temple Bar/Bat Mitzvah catering B'nai Mitzvah Gifts Book Club Break the Fast Dinner Bunko Night Camperships Card Party Caring Community Chanukah Gelt and Gifts for all Temple Youth Chanukah Bazaar Chanukah Dinner Chanukah Play Sponsor Chanukah Pot Luck Dinner Chanukah parties for Pre-School and Religious School Students Children's Food Service Children's Shelter Project College Care Packages for Jewish Holidays College Scholarships Combined Sisterhood/Brotherhood Shabbat service Community Service Committee Community Shabbat Dinner Confirmation Gifts Confirmation luncheon Congregational Seder Consecration Gifts Conversion Gifts Craft Show Donation to Tot Shabbat Program Donation to Youth Israel Trip Early Service Dinners Family Bingo Night Family Night Israeli Dancing Financial support of Religious School Flowers on the Bimah Funding of Religious School Holiday Programs Fundraising Garden care Gourmet Group High School Graduation Gifts Interfaith Programs Judaica Shop Kitchen Support and Upkeep Knitting Group Lead the annual Women's Shabbat Service Mah Jongg Group Mitzvah Corps (Caring Committee) Mitzvah Day Mitzvah Day dinner Mitzvah of the Month Program Monthly Family Shabbat dinners New Member Shabbat NFTY-joint activities Oneg Shabbat Paid Up Membership Dinner/Luncheon Passover Bazaar Passover Seder Picnic Purim Baskets Purim Carnival Purim Dinner Rabbi’s Activities Refurbishing projects around the Temple Religious School Activities Religious School Funding Rosh Chodesh Rosh Hashanah Kiddush Scrip Fund sales Shabbat Bags for New Temple members Sisterhood Seder Sisterhood Shabbat Sisterhood Tea Sisterhood Luncheon Sisterhood-led Shabbat service Spring Vacation Youth Program Sukkot Luncheon or Dinner Sukkot Program Support of Brotherhood Programs Support of Temple Programs Temple Calendar Fundraiser Ushering at Holiday and Temple Services Walking Group Welcome Bags for New Temple Members Women’s Seder Women’s Weekend Away Women's Health Program Women's Network Emergency Relief Fund Women's Network Tribute Funds Women's retreat Women's Seder Youth Group Funding
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