Women's League for Conservative Judaism

Questions about the 2025 World Wide Wrap? . . .reach out to the FJMC WWW Committee –

By Julia Loeb, WLCJ International President Over Thanksgiving, I rewatched one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride, an action-adventure rom-com that’s guaranteed to lift your spirits with its “happily ever after” ending and the power of “true love.” If you haven’t seen it yet, GO WATCH IT! There’s a tragicomic moment in the film where our hero, Westley, wakes up to find himself strapped to a table in a torture chamber.

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields In his week’s Torah reading, Parashat Vayishlach, Jacob receives his new name, Israel, after wrestling with an angel or person, depending on interpretation. The explanation for the name Israel is “for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:29). What an appropriate name for our people, who often are wrestling – whether it is with our feelings towards each other; our beliefs; our faith; our politics. Two Jews: three opinions.

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parashat Vayetzei has the wonderful moment of Jacob waking up from his dream, and realizing that God was in the place where he slept. My wish for all of us is that we create an atmosphere in our homes, in our synagogues, in our communities, in our Affiliates, in which one feels the presence of God. May we all act and speak as if God is present with us, for each of us is the presence of God.

December 5, 2025 The Honorable Joseph Biden, Jr. President of the United States The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden: We, the undersigned over 60 national religious, religiously-affiliated, secular, values-based, and faith-centered organizations and communities, share a commitment to equality and social justice. Through our cherished traditions, we affirm the inherent dignity and equal worth of every individual.

By Ellen Kaner Bresnick, WLCJ Executive Committee, Convention Programming Vice Chair During the years when I was growing up, my mother always told me that I was born on the first night of Chanukkah. She recounted how I, her first child, was her special Chanukkah gift that year. Many years later, I did find out that actually my Jewish birthday was on the third night of the holiday, the evening of the twenty-seventh day of the month of Kislev.

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parashat Lekh-Lekha begins Avram’s journey to being the father of the Jewish people, as God commands him to leave his home, his father’s home, and go to the place that God will show him – the land of Israel. If we were each called upon to make a journey, what would you pack with you? Specifically, what items that connect you to the people of Israel, Am Yisrael, would you bring with you?

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Ironically the name of this week’s Torah reading, Chayyei Sarah, means the life of Sarah, yet it does not discuss Sarah’s life, but rather her death and the plans for her burial. There are books of the Bible named for a woman (Megillat Ruth; Megillat Esther), but this is the only Torah reading named for a woman. This is a sign of prestige for our matriarch Sarah. As we read Parashat Chayyei Sarah this week, let us each reflect on our lives.

By Julia Loeb, WLCJ International President This week’s Torah portion, Toldot, is packed with drama—sibling rivalry, parental favoritism, trickery, and betrayal. When Isaac’s sons come to him seeking a blessing, he asks, “Who are you?” Their answers both deceive their father and themselves. Jacob claims to be Esau, his older brother. Esau, knowing he sold his birthright for a simple bowl of lentil stew, still insists on the blessing.

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parashat Toldot sees the birth of the twins Jacob and Esau. From conception they fought; in the womb they made their presence known. God warned Rebecca that inside her lived two future nations. Jacob and Esau never seemed to get along. They had very different personalities and their parents had favorites. It is ironic that we read this Torah reading after the week of the holiday of Thanksgiving in the United States.