The Day is upon us!
When you look at the Rosh Hashana liturgy you will see that phrase - The Day.
It’s the day we have the opportunity to return to the truest version of ourselves.
Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi, noted Torah teacher in Israel today, relates the story of going to visit women inmates at a prison facility. She prepared an uplifting talk, but as she addressed the inmates seated at a table around her, they all remained impassive. If body language could talk, their slumped posture and morose demeanor projected their total lack of interest. Rabbanit Yemima was beginning to despair when one of the women raised her hand. Rabbanit Yemima was so excited, thinking someone was interested and she had made a breakthrough. She called upon the woman and warmly asked what her question might be.
The prisoner asked her
“Can I try on your ring?”
The Rabbanit was wearing a beautiful gold ring.
The Rabbanit was taken aback by the question, but she quickly regained her composure and removed her ring and passed it to the women on her right. Rabbanit Yemima then witnessed an amazing sight. Before her eyes each prisoner who had just sat in a sullen and detached manner tried on the ring and stretched out her hand in the age old feminine motion of a woman trying on a ring. Before her eyes a metamorphosis took place. Instead of angry detached people, she saw before her a group of laughing, engaged and feminine women.
A ring had brought them back to their true selves.
So on Rosh Hashana we want to do actions that will connect us back to our own essence.
Rabbi Wolbe, Torah teacher of this past generation, teaches us that the way a person behaves on Rosh Hashana plants the seeds for the year ahead.
So the message for us is that on Rosh Hashana we want to return to who we really are, the sweetest version of ourselves, devoid of all that has clouded our essence. We do that by engaging in a physical activity that will remind us and help us achieve that goal.
One custom we have on Rosh Hashana eve is to dip an apple in honey and pray that we be blessed with a sweet new year.
If we want something which exemplifies the ultimate sweetness why don’t we dip the apple in sugar?
Candied apples would be all the rage?
We use honey because it has a preservative property.
If something non kosher falls into a kosher dish it will render it non kosher. But if something non kosher falls into honey, one may just remove that item and the honey remains kosher.
From this we can take a lesson for ourselves.
No matter what we have done this year, our true essence is untouched and we can just remove the impediment and focus on our strength and connection to the Almighty.
Because who we really are remains untainted.
The sound of the shofar awakens the feeling of connection to ourselves and to one another.
When we are present at the shofar blowing we need to have in hand, figuratively, some course correction we have accepted upon ourselves. Because if we have such a positive intention on Rosh Hashana, a Kabbala, which is explained as something we have accepted upon ourselves to improve, we show that we are taking a turn in the right direction.
A Kabbalah in modern Hebrew is also a receipt. It’s as if we are doing something which we can show for ourselves, a receipt so to speak of the change we are attempting to make.
We are heeding the call of the shofar and we are doing an action that will sow positive seeds for the future.
This is the Jewish version of a New Year Resolution. It is a very, very, very, very (you are understanding that it should be quite tiny) small but sustainable action.
That is the way to make the best use of The Day, to make a tiny but positive change.
It will be your “receipt” of efforts expended to help retrieve the best version of ourselves which remains pure and sweet as honey.
May we all be blessed with a Shana Tova UMetuka, a Sweet New Year, which is filled with an abundance of blessings, and many opportunities to be the blessing.
Shabbat Shalom and so much love.

An Elul Elucidation.
In Israel, in the town of Bnai Brak there was a man who had an interesting profession.
He was a car thief.
He stole cars for a living.
One evening he broke into a car and was manipulating the wires to ignite the engine and bring it to life so he could make off with the car.
As he was attempting to start the vehicle he was startled to hear a noise coming from the back seat. To his horror he saw a toddler strapped into a car seat.
It appeared the child had been accidentally left in the car.
The first thought the thief had was not about himself and how he might get caught and arrested.
His first thought was the immediate emergency to save the baby who was clearly in severe distress.
He gunned the engine and rushed the baby to the nearest emergency room.
The toddler was attended to immediately.
The doctor came out and told the thief that had he waited even five more minutes, his son wouldn’t have made it.
At that moment the thief snapped out of his reverie. He had to explain his way out if this mess so he wouldn’t be arrested for car theft. Or even worse - kidnapping.
He told the doctor that he saw the baby in the car and managed to break in, but he wasn’t even related. He offered to go to the car and check the registration.
After doing some detective work, how delicious the thief became the detective, he found the contact information of the car’s owner.
He called the number.
Of course the people on the other end were beside themselves with panic. They realized they had left the baby in the car (now there are many gadgets to ensure such a tragedy should never happen) and when they ran down to the car, it had disappeared.
They feared the worst.
The relief they exuded could be felt through the phone.
They raced down to the hospital and were overwhelmed in their gratitude to the thief, who they didn’t know was a thief, for saving their baby’s life.
They wanted to give him a monetary reward.
He refused to take the gift. He just wanted to get away from this bizarre scene.
The family refused to let him go so easily and insisted on inviting him for Shabbat.
The thief figured one Shabbat meal and he’d be done with it.
He didn’t realize that the family invited everyone they knew to introduce the Tzaddik, the righteous man, who had saved their son.
Feeling quite the imposter the thief accepted all the accolades, he did not know what else to do.
His hosts insisted he spend the night. They brought him to synagogue the next morning where they hosted a huge Kiddush in his honor, again praising the thief to the hilt.
The thief was ready to crawl out of his skin. Here he was being praised for his deed, but he knew he was really just a car thief.
After lunch the father of the child insisted on bringing the thief to his Rabbi for a well deserved blessing.
When they entered the Rabbi’s home, the thief asked for a moment alone with the Rabbi.
When they were by themselves the thief confessed the entire charade to the Rabbi.
He admitted that he had been in the process of stealing the car when he discovered the baby and he feels like such a charlatan.
He was no Tzaddik, no righteous person, he was a garden variety common thief.
The Rabbi immediately told the thief that he was indeed a Tzaddik, a righteous person. He explained his stance by saying that no matter how he, the Rabbi, had conducted himself, he had never merited saving a life.
So he reasoned that this thief must have done something special to accomplish this incredible merit.
The thief responded dubiously, he couldn’t think of a single good thing he had ever done.
But the Rabbi continued to prod him, there must be a merit that paved the way for saving a life.
After a bit of thought, the thief admitted that when he broke into a car, he would first rifle through the glove compartment and check the insurance. If the car owner had very basic insurance, just collision coverage, he wouldn’t steal the car. But if they had replacement insurance and would receive reimbursement, then he would steal that car.
Seems like a “small” reason to be given such a merit.

ACRONYM
An abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word.
Funnily enough, ACRONYM is also an acronym.
Arithmetically Coded Reminders Of Names You Misremember.
Whew!
Acronym works for me.
ELUL is an acronym.
Elul is the name of the Hebrew month preceding the High Holidays.
The acronym for Elul is the well known phrase
Ani LDodi VDodi Li
(I know the letters don’t match up, but trust me, it does in the original Hebrew.)
The meaning of the phrase is I am for my Beloved as my Beloved is for me.
In this month we are supposed to take the opportunity to come closer to one another in order to strengthen and repair relationships so when we get to Rosh Hashana we have done the work necessary to repair our relationship with the Master of the Universe.
There is a parable told of a grocer who realized that he was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Without an immediate infusion of cash, his business would fold. The grocer rushed to see the town magnate to request a loan. When he arrived at the office he was told he needed to wait.
He was so nervous, he paced anxiously back and forth.
After an hour he once again requested an audience and was told that the tycoon was still in a meeting.
The grocer resumed his frantic pacing.
Finally, the mogul emerged from his office, on his way to another meeting.
The grocer presented his desperate case, and the notable gentlemen generously agreed to extend the required loan.
He left a very appreciative and relieved grocer in his wake.
A few moments later, the wealthy gentleman ran into another petitioner.
This person said, hey, great to run into you, I happen to need a loan, can you help me out?
The man of means gently refused and said he was not giving out loans today.
The second petitioner was incensed, he knew the grocer had just received a sizable loan.
(We don’t know how he knew this, but remember, it’s a parable!)
The wealthy man responded to the critique by saying that the grocer’s plea cannot be compared with his.
After all, the grocer was anxious, stayed in the office all day, paced up and down like a caged lion, until he could finally present his case.
You, the donor said, are treating your situation like a last minute thought, no preparation and no skin in the game.
Your plea is a weak one! So I sorry I can’t help you today.
When we enter the High Holidays we want to be prepared, show we care and mean it.
How do we know what to do?

A young man finished his service in the Israeli navy. He served on a submarine as an expert in Morse code.
Shortly after he was discharged he began looking for a job.
He saw an advertisement in a newspaper that the army was looking for a Morse code expert to be in charge of a number of submarines.
The ad gave an address and time for interested applicants.
The young man showed up at the office at the end of the window of allotted time. The office was hot and crowded with many people who had waited a long time to be seen.
To add to the ambience, some soft music was playing in the background.
The young man waited a few moments, bypassed all those sitting in the waiting room and went into the commander’s office. A few minutes later he emerged with the commander who told all in the waiting room that they were dismissed as the latecomer was getting the job.
All present were up in arms.
They were actually livid.
They had sat in the waiting room for ages sad then this upstart waltzed in and jumps the line and gets the job.
The Commander asked for their attention and explained his decision.
He told all those present that you all heard what he heard.
The music playing in the background was actually in Morse code. It instructed anyone who understands it to skip the line and proceed immediately to my office.
This young man was obviously proficient in Morse code and did what he was told.
That’s why he gets the job!!
This time of year there is music in the air.
It is the sound of the Shofar.
One can just hear the notes, or one can hear the deeper message.
The shofar is calling us to wake up.

I was a pretty good student back in the day. I prided myself on getting good grades and I was somewhat of a goody goody, following rules and always doing what I was told.
There was however, one class that I lost my grounding.
Sewing.
(Nowadays is that even a thing?)
Everything that could go wrong went wrong for me in sewing class. I just couldn’t get the hang of it.
Case in point.
We were supposed to be making a skirt. I bought beautiful polka dotted fabric. The teacher instructed us to wash the material before we would begin the pattern. To my horror, after I washed the fabric, all the polka dots popped out.
Try making a skirt with fabric that is all bumpy instead of smooth and flat.
And then another strange thing happened. Instead of being the quiet studious one, I was constantly making jokes. I was clearly compensating for my lack of success by distracting the other students.
It was definitely not the best version of myself.
The days of summer are winding down. While the heat persists in many locations, there are hints that we are moving toward a new season.
Camp is over.
School is back in session.
And, today is the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul.
This is a time of new beginnings as we embark on the month which leads up to the High Holidays.
Elul is a time for introspection.
It’s a time when we take stock of ourselves in preparation for the next stage, the new year.
When one runs a business concern, a company in good standing does regular reviews to make sure they are delivering their product, meeting their goals and fulfilling the mission of the firm.
Elul is called an Et Ratzon, which can be translated as a time of mercy, a time when you can own up to our mistakes, return and be forgiven.
But an Et Ratzon is also a time when Gd wants to know our Ratzon, which can also mean desire. What do we want or desire from our selves. When we do a self review are we on target to fulfilling our destiny, to become the best version of ourselves.
This is the time to take our good intentions for ourselves, our desires, our Ratzon, and make sure we are delivering.
This week’s Torah portion is called Shoftim and it speaks about the judicial system of judges and police who are in place to create boundaries and safety.
There is also a discussion about cities of refuge. These cities were instituted on behalf of people who killed someone unintentionally. These cities were a haven and a place for the person who killed by accident and could stay safe from family members of the victim who might seek revenge.

It was very late at night in the city of Bnei Brak in Israel after the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
Many people were waiting at the bus stop to travel home to Jerusalem.
The #402 bus was very delayed.
It was bedlam.
Men, women and children impatiently waited for the 402 bus.
Babies cried.
They waited to no avail.
It was 1:30am and the crowd was very restless, they had been waiting for what seemed to be an eternity.
Finally, headlights of a bus were spotted in the distance. The crowd lined up expectantly.
But to their utter dismay the bus before them was not the #402 to Jerusalem, it was the #318 to Rechovot.
When the bus pulled up a few people boarded and begged the driver to switch his route and take them to Jerusalem.
Obviously the driver was not able to change his route!
But the people begged and pleaded and finally the driver capitulated. He agreed to change the sign on his bus and take the passengers to Jerusalem instead.
The people were so appreciative. They heaped blessings on his head.
As each person came aboard they showered him with good words and compliments.
The trip proceeded without incident and they arrived in Jerusalem.
When the last passenger got off he paused and asked the driver a question.
He wanted to know why the driver was willing to risk his job by changing the route.
“Wouldn’t your supervisor fire you for completely ignoring your route?”
The driver burst out laughing.
He explained that the dispatcher saw via camera that there was a large crowd gathering at the #402 bus stop and a bus needed to be sent immediately.
But none of the drivers agreed to go.
Why not?
Unfortunately, in such circumstances, when the bus driver arrives after a crowd has had a long wait, he is subject of insults and vitriol upon his arrival even if the delay is not his fault.
So none of the drivers at the dispatch center wanted to go. They feared they would be berated for the delay and had no interest in being subjected to unwarranted abuse.
The driver continued his saga.
He explained that he had a lightbulb moment and agreed to take the route.
He posted #318 on the digital board of his bus and when he arrived and “agreed” to take the #402 route he was hailed as a hero.

Keeping a young family going is a big job.
Our vacation this summer is the treat of traveling from child to child and immersing ourselves in their lives, if only for a few days. Last night my son in law came home from a long day of work. He was exhausted. He has been involved in a big project at work and has a lot on his plate. After helping with the bedtime rituals I fully expected him to call it a day. Instead, he headed to the kitchen to make lunches for his little ones.
That was a little action that represented a lot of love.
This week’s Torah portion is called Eikev. The first verse of the portion says that if you keep the mitzvot, the rules, then Gd will keep the Covenant. The word Eikev means because.
Because you keep your part of the bargain, then Gd will keep His.
It’s a quid pro quo.
Simple enough.
The word Eikev also means a heel. Like the heel at the end of your foot.
Rashi, the super commentator, says that in order to keep our side of the bargain we need to do mitzvot. Even those mitzvot which seem inconsequential, the ones we might step on, even those “little” ones are meaningful.
It’s the attitude to the small mitzvot that people might step all over, that sustains the Covenant.
As human beings we have the tendency to embrace the “big ticket” items. The small things in life we dismiss and relegate because they seem unimportant. The big things might be challenging and sensational, but the attention to the small details really shows meaningful commitment.
A parent shows their love for their child by taking them on a big trip. But the commitment evidenced in making their lunches every day and doing carpool, is the stuff of ongoing relationship and connection.
It is sometimes the smallest action which can be life altering in its impact.

Today was the 9th day of Av. It is customary to spend the day in mourning as we immerse ourselves in the tragedy of the day.
Part of the day revolves around the recitation of Kinnot. These are liturgical poems which evoke the pain we have experienced throughout exile. Some of the poems focus on the destruction of the Temple. Others focus on the Crusades and pogroms that happened to the Jewish people. There are also more contemporary Kinnot which commemorate the Holocaust and the events surrounding it.
For many years, our family worked in a summer camp in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. This is a family owned camp, and they have many beautiful customs which have become part of the camp experience.
On Tisha BAv, they have a custom to sing a unique tune to one of the Kinnot. The manner in which it is sung, brings the poem to life.
The Kinna contrasts the emotions of the Jewish people in two particular circumstances.
The first line of each stanza recalls the joy felt when we experienced a particular aspect when we left Egypt, a time of miracles, great happiness and the palpable presence of Gd.
That line of the stanza is sung aloud and joyously.
The next line in the stanza focuses on the same idea but looks at it through the lens of a different leave taking, this one being when we left Jerusalem.
That exit was somber and tragic. The Jewish people were being exiled from their land, and now the sad mood is reflected in a serious tune and a lowered voice.
The contrast of the two scenarios is shocking and extreme.
For example, one stanza focuses on the people who led us.
When we were leaving Egypt, we had Moses who provided for us and Aaron the High Priest who guided us, they were the leaders who provided succor.
However, when we left Jerusalem, the two protagonists who were larger than life were Nebuchadnezzar and Hadrian, the Roman leaders who brought tremendous destruction to our people and to our land.
The song transports us between the extreme high of Salvation and then plummets to the lowest low of Exile.
From Redemption to Exile.
From Galut to Geulah!
It’s an incredibly moving rendition.
As an introduction to each Poem/Kinna, one of the educators frames the lesson we can take away from the poem.
Today, our son, spoke about this Kinna.
He shared the true story of an Israeli young man who was dating, with matrimony being the object.
He was having a difficult time as he unfortunately sported a large and disfiguring scar on his face. It served as a deterrent to the young ladies.
He turned to his mentor in despair. The Rabbi told him that the next time he had the opportunity to date a young lady, he should immediately tell her the story of how he acquired the scar.
Soon a blind date was arranged and upon meeting the young woman and making the appropriate introductions, he immediately launched into his tale.
“You might wonder about the scar on my face” he began.
He then proceeded to tell the story of his excursion to a park once with his parents. While he was at the park, he heard blood curdling screams. Without a thought for his own safety, he ran towards the screaming and saw a terrorist attacking a young woman. He managed to throw the terrorist to the ground but in the process of subduing the perpetrator he received a slash across the face from the knife wielding terrorist. Shortly thereafter security forces arrived and he was rushed to the hospital to tend to his injuries.
As the young man concluded the story he noticed his companion’s blood had drained from her face, she looked completely ashen.
She whispered that she had tried for the past few years to discover his identity as she in fact was the one he had saved.
The story concludes most satisfactorily with their nuptials.
The scar, which had been his impediment, became the agent of his success.
The Kinna which celebrates the successes and then bemoans the failures brings to light that each of these are really two sides of the same coin.
We can celebrate the good that happened to us, but when we acknowledge the bad if we can see that it was the vehicle for growth, we can see the potential it provided.

I once went to a convention. It was one of those events where you present your ID at registration. When I arrived at checkin I was told that I was already there.
Clearly there was some mistake.
Was there someone out there with my name?
Then I attended another event and was surprised to see my name flash across the screen as someone who has served in the Israeli Defense Forces.
Clearly there was a case of mistaken identity afoot.
The notion of a mixup such as this has been the subject of many a drama.
It is also at the root of the tragedy that befell the Jewish people.
We are approaching the Ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av.
This is the ultimate day of mourning as we commemorate the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
There were many events that caused the destruction. Our Sages identify the sin of baseless hatred as the driver for all the internecine strife that fractured the Jewish people and destroyed the Second Temple.
This lack of love and care for one another is encapsulated in the tale narrated in the Talmud about Kamtza and Bar Kamtza.
A gentleman decided to host a party. He drew up a list of invitees and sent his servant with the invitations. The servant did not read the list carefully.
He was told to invite a man by the name of Kamtza.
Unfortunately, in a case of mistaken identity, he accidentally delivered the invitation to someone named Bar Kamtza.
Bar Kamtza was very surprised to receive the invitation because he and the host were sworn enemies.
He assumed that the host, whose name is not known to us, was ready to bury the hatchet and he was delighted.
Unfortunately, when Bar Kamtza arrived at the party the host was not at all as pleased. Instead he wanted to immediately eject Bar Kamtza from the premises.
When Bar Kamtza heard about the misunderstanding he recognized that a mistake had occurred but he begged to be allowed to remain. He felt he would be extremely embarrassed to be thrown out in such a public manner.
He offered to pay for the price of his meal, but the host wouldn’t hear of it.
Bar Kamtza then offered to pay for half of the tab for the entire shindig, but he was again rebuffed.
In desperation, Bar Kamtza offered to pay for the entire party so as not to be embarrassed, but the host was steadfast and had Bar Kamtza forcibly removed.
There were a number of Sages present and they remained silent throughout the exchange.
Bar Kamtza interpreted their silence as tacit approval of their host’s behavior.
Bar Kamtza was so upset, he went straight to the Roman authorities and slandered the Jews which fueled the anger of the Romans and they attacked the Jewish people and destroyed the holy Temple.

This week’s Torah portion is a double one. The portions called Mattos and Masei conclude the book of Bamidbar, the Book of Numbers. One incident which is recorded in Mattos is the retaliatory war the Jewish people launched against their enemy, the people of Midian. The Midianites had launched an offensive against the Jewish nation, luring the people to sin in idolatry and immorality. Now Gd commanded the Jewish people to go to war to exact vengeance. 

Gd commanded Moses to prepare for war. 

Moses is told to conscript 

“ a 1000 from each tribe, a 1000 from each tribe, from all the tribes of Israel you shall send into the army”. 

The commentaries question the double language, why not just say 2,000 people were to be conscripted from each tribe?

The Midrash explains that the command is given in this manner to indicate that each tribe was to send 1000 soldiers to go to war and an additional 1000 who were to accompany the soldiers to war in order to pray for their success. 

Rabbi Chatzkel Levenstein, 20th century master Torah teacher explains this concept. 

He teaches that the impending battle was no small matter. It was to be 24,000 troops against a mighty army. Gd commanded this unique pairing of physical soldier and spiritual soldier to make each warrior aware that his success was not due to his own might alone. Rather, it was the heavenly assistance that was assuring victory.

Operation Protective Edge was a military operation launched by Israel in 2014 subsequent to the horrific kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens. 

A year after the Operation, an American couple from Los Angeles, traveled to Israel on vacation. They were staying in Herzlia and decided to visit a restaurant that was situated near the water. It was a two story establishment and they were shown to a table on the first floor by a friendly waiter. Betsy and Simon made a request to be seated on the second floor so they could enjoy the view. The request was accommodated and a second waiter welcomed them to their new spot. In a friendly and chatty manner he apprised them of the specials and prepared to walk away to give them some time to make their dinner choices. As he moved away from the table he told them his name was Barak and he looked forward to being their server that evening.

Betsy got the chills when she heard the waiter’s name. 

What are the goals of HerVoice?
What is the time commitment of HerVoice?
What is the application process?
How much does HerVoice cost?
How can I learn more?

What are the goals of HerVoice?

All graduates will:

• be empowered to leave an enduring mark on the Atlanta Jewish community,
• gain tools to strengthen their leadership and strategic thinking skills,
• deepen their connection to Jewish history, heritage and spiritual wisdom - gaining an appreciation for where and how our own unique voice adds depth to the tapestry of the Jewish people,
• develop the skills and knowledge to combat antisemitism and support Israel, and
• leave the program with a wide range of skills and knowledge to lead within the Jewish community on a local and national level, as well as gain skills on a personal growth level.

What is the time commitment of HerVoice?

• 7 three-hour workshops (6 prior to the Israel experience, 1 post Israel experience) = 21 hours of immersive adult education focused on leadership and Jewish wisdom taught by internationally known educators who are experts in their field. 
  • Select Sundays @ 5pm in Dunwoody (October 15, October 29, December 3, December 10, January 7, 2024, January 21, 2024, March 17, 2024)
  • Each session includes classes, breakouts, dinner & schmoozing 
  • A one week journey to Israel in February 2024 (February 26 - March 3, 2024, Travel Dates February 25 and March 4)

HerVoice participants will be expected to attend all sessions, as well as travel with the group to Israel as part of the program. All dates are outlined here. 

Please complete the application only if you can attend all sessions and the Israel trip.  

What is the application process?

The application contains 9 questions. Once your application has been received, you will be contacted for an interview.    In addition to a few demographic questions, the questions are:

• Share with us some of your Jewish experiences that have helped formed you to this day.
• HerVoice is predicated on the belief that every Jewish woman shows up as a leader in various modalities. Please share any examples you might have from your own life:
• What would you hope to gain from the HerVoice program?
• What strengths do you bring to group dynamics? What are two or three qualities that you admire in leaders?
• Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself that would be relevant to your application?
• Please tell us if we can provide any accommodations so you can fully participate in this program (accessible seating, accessible parking, ASL interpreting, etc.)

Click here to begin the application

How much does HerVoice cost?

Contribution: $2,500 - Fee includes all workshop sessions and the trip to Israel with lodging and most meals. Trip does not include airfare expenses.  Payment plans available.

Each woman's participation fee is heavily subsidized thanks to a generous grant from the Marcus Foundation. 

For those of you who are concerned about the cost of the program, it may be possible for you to get an interest free loan through the Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta (“JIFLA”). For further information about this, see http://jifla.org/ or email them directly at [email protected].

JWC Atlanta is committed to providing access to HerVoice for all women.  Please contact us if you face financial barriers to participate in this leadership program. 

How can I learn more?

If you have additional questions please contact us.

JWC Atlanta creates and builds a spiritual community that connects women through friendship, learning and Jewish values, and transforms and impacts them, their families and the Atlanta Jewish community.

	HerVoice The JWC Atlanta HerVoice Leadership Program will provide tools to empower Jewish women to strengthen their organizational and community-wide leadership skills with a unique enlightenment of Jewish spiritual wisdom. HerVoice includes seven in-person sessions and an immersive, educational journey to Israel.  (more-->)
	HerVoice Leadership Program Goals By the end of the program, participants will gain a deep knowledge into their own power as Jewish women and how they can leave an impact on the Atlanta Jewish community and beyond.  (more-->)
	HerVoice Curriculum based on the Seven Principles of Jewish Leadership by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Learn more about the HerVoice curriculum! The program highlight will be a week-long trip to Israel, helping to illustrate and widen the Jewish wisdom gained from the program, as well as solidifying the connection between our Atlanta community and our homeland of Israel. (more-->)
	HerVoice Includes Seven in-person workshops and a one-week journey to Israel in February 2024 to enhance our connection with Israel, each other and our Jewish roots. HerVoice participants will be expected to attend all sessions, as well as travel with the group to Israel as part of the program. All dates are outlined below.  Please complete the application only if you can attend all sessions and the Israel trip.  (more-->)
	Program Details and Dates Registration Now Open! Registration Closes: August 1  Interviews: August 1 - August 15 Sessions Dates:  October 15, 2023 October 29, 2023 December 3, 2023 December 10, 2023 January 7, 2024  January 21, 2024 Israel Trip: Feb 26, 2024 till March 3, 2024 Post Trip Meeting: March 17, 2024 Contribution: $2,500* - Fee includes all workshop sessions and the trip to Israel with lodging and most meals. Trip does not include airfare expenses.
	HerVoice Application Please note that limited space is available for the HerVoice program. Participants will be chosen through the application process, with all applicants needing to complete each part in order to be considered. Key application dates listed below: Through August 1: HerVoice applications (form submissions) open Rolling through August 6: Interview scheduling emails sent to applicants August 1 - August 15: Interviews (Zoom or In Person) September 11: Decisions made and applicants notified  (more-->)
	Frequently Asked Questions Still have questions about the HerVoice Leadership Program? Browse answers to the most frequently asked questions here. (more-->)

*For those of you who are concerned about the cost of the program, it may be possible for you to get an interest free loan through the Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta (“JIFLA”). For further information about this, see http://jifla.org/ or email them directly at [email protected].

Do you admit to having read Harry Potter?

I will. 

I am quite the fan. 

I enjoyed each book and was often amazed not only by the imaginative scope but also by references to Judaic sources. 

Do you remember the sorting hat? 

When a new student would arrive at Hogwarts, the first order of business was to assign the student to one of the four Houses in the school. 

This was accomplished by briefly donning a talking hat, known as the sorting hat. 

The student would put on the hat and within moments the hat would announce the House to which the student would belong to forever more. 

The decision of the hat was absolute, it brooked no argument and once rendered the verdict was complete. 

This week’s Torah portion is called Pinchos and one of the topics covered is the upcoming division of the Land of Israel. 

The nation, divided into the Tribes, is going to be awarded specific portions of land. 

The Torah portion tells us how it was done - via lottery. 

The name of each Tribe was inscribed on a piece of parchment and placed in a pile and the various portions of the land were written on other pieces of parchment and placed in a separate pile. 

How was it actually done?

By lottery. 

Joshua would take one from each pile and read out the results. 

Seems very straightforward. 

Rashi, the super commentator on the Torah, gives us a deeper insight. 

The words in the verse that explain the process are in Hebrew “Al pi hagoral” which literally means, done via lottery. 

But Rashi notes the Hebrew word “PI”  which means “the mouth of”. That would indicate that the selection was done through “the mouth” of the lottery. 

Rashi teaches us that something miraculous happened in this process. 

There were actually 3 steps. 

First, as written above, a standard lottery. 

Our Sages explain the deeper level of the lottery actually speaking. 

The second step was that the High Priest stood next to Joshua and through the medium of the breastplate he wore, there would be another communication confirming the results of the lottery. 

The breastplate had 12 stones each representing one of the Tribes and had engraved the letters which encompassed all the letters of the alphabet. As Joshua was about to choose the pieces of parchment, the letters on the breastplate would light up High Priest was able to see with prophecy what names and places would be picked. He would announce it just before Joshua picked the pieces, and they correlated every time. 

And further, from the mouth of the lottery, the lottery itself spoke aloud the names of the Tribes and the corresponding portions they would receive. 

This process was laden with miracles. 

Gd prefers to work through nature, why were there so many miracles afoot in this process?

Any parent knows the answer, and you don’t need to have read Harry Potter. 

So there would be no arguments. 

After such a level of open miracles, nobody would have the temerity to question the outcome. 

No one would say “my portion should be larger, greener, safer” etc!

It had clearly been ordained by Gd and it removed all arguments between the people of Israel. 

My Waze is speaking to me…in Hebrew!

Since I returned from a recent trip to Israel, I have been receiving my driving directions in Hebrew. I haven’t changed it back yet. It is comforting to me to be told how to take the next steps in my journey in the language of my People. 

This week, some of my Israeli family took a journey of their own. They organized a “roots” trip to Holland to follow the trek their parents took which put them at the mercy of the Nazis during WWII. 

It all began with my grandfather. He and his family lived in Munich, Germany.

In 1933 Dachau, was opened. Jews who had been interrogated and murdered were sent back to the Jewish community in Munich in sealed coffins. My grandfather who participated in the ritual Jewish burial society, opened the coffins to prepare the bodies and was horrified by the signs of torture he saw. He journeyed to Vienna to take counsel from a Hasidic Rabbi with whom he was acquainted. The Rabbi told my grandfather that terrible things would be happening in Germany and said he should travel immediately to Palestine, as Israel was then known, and send for the family from there. My grandfather heeded this advice and so my Father and his siblings moved to Palestine. 

Shortly after their arrival, my aunt Mali, married a rabbi and the two of them were sent in 1935 to  Holland to run an educational center which prepared young people to make Aliya, to move to Palestine. They lived in a village called Enschede. The first three of their nine children were born there and they successfully taught and supported the young people in their care. 

Then the Nazis invaded. 

In 1940, my Uncle was arrested. Because he had British papers, he was taken to a POW camp. My Aunt did the unthinkable and tried to get her husband released by the Nazis. She related that the Nazi governor did not think she was Jewish because she went to the “lions den”. She would always say it was the chutzpah that she brought with her from the Land of Israel that gave her strength. For the next two years she was responsible for the students and her children. 

Due to her quick wits and impeccable German, she managed to disperse the students safely. She encountered Nazi patrols and was able to talk her way out of many precarious situations. 

She was called to the Gestapo headquarters twice, a place from which Jews did not escape, yet she managed to get away both times. 

Finally the Nazis caught up with her and she and her three young boys, all under the age of 5, were taken to Westerbork. This camp

was a staging ground for the deportation of Jews to other concentration camps for extermination. The vast majority were sent to Auschwitz. 

Almost all of the 95,000 people sent to the extermination camps were killed upon arrival. 

It was a one way journey. It was a trek with a diabolical destination. 

But, a great miracle occurred. 

Due to the fact that my brave and feisty Aunt held a passport from Palestine, and therefore she had British papers. 

These documents proved to be lifesaving. 

The German Templer Society was a Christian group whose philosophy included the imminent arrival of their Savior in Jerusalem. The Society established a number of German Templar colonies in Palestine. The members of this groups were interned by the British and in an exchange deal brokered by the governments of Germany and Great Britain, Templars were traded for British citizens who were incarcerated by the Nazi regime. 

Similar to the Schindler list, there is a typed list of exchanged prisoners released in 1942 during the height of the Nazi killing machine. 

Numbers 8,9,10 and 11 are the names of my Aunt Mali and her three boys. 

The miracles are too numerous to count. 

What’s a matchmaker?

If you watched Fiddler on the Roof, Yenta the matchmaker was the meddling woman who knows all the town gossip and introduces people to prospective mates. 

Nowadays, the role has had an extreme makeover. 

Aleeza Ben Shalom helps people find their matches and in the process shares great relationship advice and Jewish wisdom. 

If this piques your interest, make sure to mark your calendar for December 3, 2023, when JWCATLANTA will host Aleeza in a fabulous evening. 

Details about the evening to follow. 

Finding the perfect match was on my mind this week. 

Maybe it was due to the fact that I participated in a planning meeting for the aforementioned event with a dynamic committee who is organizing an amazing event. 

Or perhaps it was because I attended a wedding this week of two young people who grew up on my block, on the same street. 

They did not know one another, until they were introduced by a matchmaker who extolled the virtues of one to the other and it ended with a perfect match. 

Sometimes the match made in heaven is right under your very nose. 

So I had matches on my mind. 

Matches can bring people together in joyful matrimony, but matches can also cause s conflagration which can bring about destruction. 

What is our role in our match?

How does one define the “match made in heaven”?

What does one look for in a prospective mate?

A soulmate is someone who completes the other, and helps bring out the best in their partner in life. 

This week’s Torah portion gives us a peek into the power of having the right mate, and the repercussions that result from the positive, or conversely the negative attitudes of a spouse. 

“Chefetz Chashud “

That is how one says 

“Suspicious Object”

In Hebrew. 

Everyone in Israel is very aware of suspicious objects, because the lack of awareness can lead to horrific consequences. 

Many moons ago I studied in Israel. 

My roommate in the dormitory was an American girl who had been injured in a terrorist attack a few years prior. 

She was on a bus, and no one noticed the “Chefetz Chashud” that had been left under her seat. When the bomb exploded, the hard plastic seat protected her and the subsequent burns she suffered, healed with time. 

But you can imagine how she reacted whenever she heard the words “Chefetz Chashud”. 

In case you might think these words may have fallen into disuse, let me disabuse you of that notion. 

Just yesterday, I left my Mother’s Jerusalem apartment to do an errand for her. As I left the building I noticed an unusually heavy police presence. As I tried to get to my destination ahead, I was stopped by the police and told to turn back. 

I called the shopkeeper I was headed to as the police van was  parked right outside his door. He said, it’s “just” a Chefetz Chashud. He calmly told me the police will take care of it and I should be able to come back in a few minutes to complete my transaction. To quote him,

“We have to be careful, but life must go on. “

Today I went to the Kotel, the Wailing Wall. It is the last remnant of the Temple that stood thousands of years ago in Jerusalem, until it’s destruction on the 9th of Av. 

In the Kotel plaza I witnessed a very moving ceremony. 

Hundreds of young men and women were being inducted into army service. I was so deeply touched to witness these young people preparing themselves to serve our people. 

This is a country of people who will do whatever it takes to live and thrive in the Land of Israel. 

When I was newly married I had the honor of living next door to a truly elevated couple. I loved listening to them speak to one another, it was a lesson in love, respect and understanding to hear them converse.

One time I was in their home and they had a “fight”. 

It was Chanukah and the husband had lit his beautiful Menorah. After the Menorah lights extinguished, an itinerant person collecting funds appeared at their door. He was welcomed in with kindness and respect (definitely the mantra of that household) and given some charity and the offer of food. It became apparent that the gentleman had not yet had the opportunity to light the Menora, so the lady of the house took out a spare, small Menora for him to kindle. 

Later that evening her husband came home. When he saw the small Menora alit he questioned the circumstances and heard the whole story. When his wife finished the tale, he said in the kindest of tones that he was a bit disappointed. He wished she would have given the man collecting funds the use of his personal and beautiful Menora. He was concerned that the man would be embarrassed by the spare and obviously less expensive version. His distress at causing discomfort to a stranger was palpable, yet he managed to convey that distress in the gentlest and kindest way, leaving behind not hurt feelings but rather an elevated perspective. 

His distress stemmed from a missed opportunity to do more. 

This week we learn about the commandment that was given to Aaron the High Priest regarding the lighting of the Menora in the Tabernacle. 

This week’s Torah portion is titled Behaalotcha which means when you go up. 

The verse explains that Aaron was told when when you go up, when you elevate, light the Menora…

The Sages comment on the unusual word used to indicate the Menora should be kindled. 

When we talk about Shabbat candles or Chanukah candles we talk about lighting or kindling them, not elevating them, why is the word elevating used in this instance?

The Menorah is symbolic of Torah. Studying Torah is not just a scholastic endeavor like any other discipline. 

The study of Torah is meant to be transformative and elevating, when we light the “Menora” in our lives, when we study Torah, it is meant to point us to realize our purpose in life. 

That is why the Torah used the word elevating instead of kindling. 

As I may have mentioned, we recently attended our granddaughter’s Bat Mitzva. 

She was one of the last girls in her class to celebrate. I was wondering how they would mark the occasion. 

When one has a child in the Mitzva circuit it can be quite stressful, especially if your child is one of the last in the class. One has to grapple with how to do something different, how to make the event stand out. 

This conundrum may create a great deal of pressure on the celebrants. 

This week’s Torah portion is called Nasso, and it discusses the inauguration of the Tabernacle, the portable Sanctuary that was the place that the Jewish people did their service and connected to Gd. 

A part of the inaugural ceremony was the bringing of offerings to Gd by the Princes of each of the Twelve Tribes. 

The offering was extensive and it took 6 verses to describe what each Prince was bringing. 

In our studies, we have hammered home the point that every word in the Torah is critical and mindfully placed. When we peruse a verse, if we notice a superfluous word or letter, a misplaced tense or gender, we immediately stand at attention. 

These inconsistencies are flags to us that their are messages to be found and we must begin to investigate. 

So an extra letter would catch our attention, right?

Going back to our Bnai Mitzva, if anyone has this week’s Torah portion, you must be empathetic. 

Because this is the longest Torah portion of them all, clocking in at 176 verses. 

What is really curious is that 72 of the verses say exactly the same thing. 

There is 6 verse section describing the offering of the Prince, and it is repeated verbatim 12 times with only the name of the Prince changing. 

If one word would attract our attention, this is a veritable waving of a red flag begging a question!