Every woman has the opportunity to participate in preserving, promoting and perpetuating Conservative/Masorti Judaism through active giving to the Torah Fund Campaign of Women's League in support of The Jewish Theological Seminary (New York, NY), Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies (Los Angeles, CA) and the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies (Jerusalem).

 

The Torah Fund campaign was first launched in 1942 as a scholarship fund. In 1963, it combined with the Mathilde Schechter Residence Hall campaign that provided housing for undergraduate students. Since then, Torah Fund has been a vital source of support for JTS and its students, raising more than 66 million dollars. Thousands of dedicated volunteers have contributed to the spiritual, esthetic and material well being of the JTS community by supporting Torah Fund projects.

 

 

 

As women, we experience many wake-up calls. Devorah the Prophet was a judge in Israel when she was roused from her seat under a palm tree to lead her people’s troops into battle with the words, “Arise, arise, Devorah; arise and join in the chant.” (Judges 5:12) But Devorah was also known as a mother in Israel, and as such she must have been responsive to the great variety of wake-up calls women experience throughout their lives: a hungry baby, a child in need, a cause that demands immediate attention and action.

 

Being roused to action is often just the prelude to awakening others, whether via the shofar as seen growing out of the letter ‘ayin in the 5773 Torah Fund pin or by using our voices and networks to focus on the critical needs of our families and communities, our movement and our people. The imagery of dawn invokes an awareness of the challenges before us as well as our need to be alert to address them. What challenges will we face in 5773 as Jewish women? Will we rise to meet them, and will the glory of God be present in our response? Uri, uri – Wake up – shir dabeiri – sing a song – of activity, of victory, and of thanks to the Holy One whose light illuminates all of our waking moments.

 

Torah Fund, The Jewish Theological Seminary
3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
212.678.8876
cabaron@jtsa.edu

 

 

Torah Fund has partnered with eBay to raise funds to benefit Torah Fund’s campaigns and support scholarship projects at all four institutions. It is easy to do. Learn more...

 

 

Located in the newly renovated Kripke Tower, this state-of-the-art facility provides students and faculty with the latest educational, technological capabilities.

 

 

To adorn the Women’s League Educational Pavilion, noted Jerusalem artist Avner Moriah chose to focus on women who had initiated events in Jewish history. He matched women from the Torah and midrash to months in the calendar and a zodiac sign. “Since the pavilion would be dedicated to the education of independent-minded Jewish women, I chose those women who embody contemporary, feminist characteristics.”

 

For more information, please visit www.jtsa.edu/torahfund.xml.