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June 17 Message

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” – Eric Hoffer

Shabbat Shalom!

Math was never my strongest subject in school..and truth be told, it still isn’t! Yet numbers are all around us, and as a people, we are consumed with counting. We count the days of the week until Shabbat, we count the days of Pesach and we just concluded this past week the counting of the Omer.

Yet, we sometimes take the days, and what fills them for granted. Do we stop to look at a beautiful sunrise? Or watch children at play while at a stop sign or light? Do we marvel at an older couple walking hand in hand? Or at the grocery store, do we look at the aisles of fresh vegetables and fruits, at the colors and smells, which in other parts of the world we would be hard pressed to find? There are so many things, in our everyday lives that are truly blessings…sometimes we just need to stop and think about it!

Our relationships are no different….friends and family that we are with day in and day out. Each one is a blessing! We are blessed within our sisterhoods, to have talented, educated and committed women. And, yes, at times we take that for granted, too! We sometimes need to take a step back, and think about the blessings of the talents of each of our members and what they can offer your sisterhoods and the women within your synagogue community. When I sometimes hear about the discord and unpleasantness that can occur at a sisterhood meeting because of a difference of opinion (though I know that doesn’t happen at YOUR sisterhood!) we should take a step back, count to 10, and then think about how blessed we are to have passionate women working together. That we need to count those women, our “sisters” amongst our ranks, as those that understand the meaning being blessed by the friendships and good deeds that are accomplished together.

This past week I was blessed with meeting the women of Ohavay Zion in Lexington, KY. There were nine of us sitting around a table, talking about their sisterhood, and getting to know one another. It is my love to share all of the many resources that are available from WLCJ….the true blessing of this gathering was that I got to reunite with two of my children’s third grade teacher. We both taught together at the Solomon Schechter Day School in Miami for many years..but had not seen one another for 25 years! Talk about a blessing! We had a wonderful visit….sharing stories and pictures of our kids.

If there is one thing that being a part of WLCJ and your region has taught me is that no matter where we go there are connections! And, truly that is such a blessing for each of us. A shared passion, commitment to Conservative Jewish women, and the love of Judaism….and no matter how we count that, it is all a blessing.

So, as we read about the “priestly blessings” in this weeks parsha, take a moment to count the blessings in your life….and I hope and pray that being a part of your sisterhood and WLCJ is one of them.

Shabbat Shalom,
Carol