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Sisterhood News and Views

Recipe for Relaxation and Rejuvenation for Solel Women
1. Take a fascinating group of Solel women
2. Add two excellent learning sessions with Arliene Botnick
3. Stir in gently several hot stone massages and seaweed
wraps
4. Blend in three delicious meals, two perfect snacks, and
several long walks
5. Pour into the bowl called the Valley of Hockley; and
6. Bake gently by the firepit out by the pool.
This year, Sisterhood hosted our second gathering at Hockley
Valley Resort and Spa. From the time we entered our meeting
room to find a table full of treat bags and each other,
to the time we said farewell on Sunday morning, we learned:
about each other; about our different thoughts, feelings
and perspectives, about women's roles in Judaism and beyond,
about the value of a wonderful 24 hours spent in the company
other women. Upon our arrival back home, we were asked to
reflect on our favourite moments, and share them with each
other. Excerpts from these reflections are included here
and really are the best way to relay the mood
(we promise,
these quotes (only slightly edited from the originals) are
real!)
"I loved the very interesting discussions and
learning with Arlene and ladies on very concerning and
relevant topics to all
and getting to know some
wonderful ladies I hadn't met before! Fabulous weekend!"
"I found this Sisterhood Retreat to be a very
enlightening experience overall. It was so nice to feel
welcomed by all the ladies in the Sisterhood program.
The accommodations, food and the service at Hockley Valley
were superb. Arliene did such a phenomenal job with her
presentations. The Havdalah service was very touching
and enjoyable as we all gathered around the candle service
and prayed together. In all, the weekend was very exceptional.
Thanks again to all the ladies for making me feel welcome
and comfortable!"
"I thought it was a good idea to sit with different
people at each meal and get to know Sisterhood people
in a more intimate setting than our other functions. Sharing
our thoughts in the learning sessions, going for a walk
together, sharing meals, playing in the pool, and roasting
marshmallows together made me feel much closer to members
I already knew and those I just met. Above all, I appreciated
Arliene's teaching style, which facilitated discussion
and provided a comfortable atmosphere to share views."
"My favourite memory of this special 24 hours
is our gathering around the fire pit out on the pool deck.
While we thought perhaps we'd be outside for an hour,
indeed all of us were together there talking, laughing,
and sharing camping memories and recipes (the best way
to make s'mores, and something called marshmallow "taffy"-ick!),
discussing whether s'mores were a Canadian or American
tradition, chatting about travel, books, movies and much
more...for almost 2 hours! It was a special and lovely
way to complete our day together...there were many other
great memories of the week-end too, but this is my favourite.
To me, this felt like a true "sisterhood" moment."
"My most memorable moment of this wonderful weekend
was the Havdalah service. There we were, a group of wonderful
ladies with different Jewish backgrounds, together in
2010, observing a tradition that our mothers and grandmothers
also practised in Europe, North America or Israel. I felt
very fortunate to be part of such a special circle of
friends!! Thank you all for a great weekend."
"I was going to make a joke about the spa treatments
being my favourite part but really, it was the s'mores!
Not because it was right up there with some of the most
delicious treats I've ever had, not because it was the
first "junk food" I've had in several months
and not even because it (okay, I really should say they
since I ATE TWO) was cooked to perfection. It was that
someone was so concerned that I had somehow made it to
a ripe old age without ever having tried one and took
it upon herself to roast the marshmallows to perfection,
declare it an "abomination to offer white chocolate
rather than Hershey milk chocolate bars", and with
the input of all the other sisters, it led to some amazing
childhood summer bonfire memory sharing and for the mere
price of several thousand calories, those graham crackers,
roasted marshmallows and white and brown chocolates brought
14 women from all different backgrounds, age groups and
life experiences, into a common, cozy, fun atmosphere
of the "hood". It was a wonderful Sisterhood
experience! It was my pleasure to throw my diet plan aside
so this amazing two hours of our retreat could unfold."
"For me it was all great - a weekend away seeing
old friends, getting to know new members, participating
in a relevant, interesting and engaging discussion, enjoying
a relaxing spa treatment and reliving some youthful moments
by the bonfire. I'm still enjoying some of the relaxing
and mellow feelings from this past weekend and am looking
forward to the next Sisterhood retreat."
"I had the most wonderful time at our retreat.
I found everyone to bond, to be friendly, and the true
meaning of sisters-sisterhood. Everything went off perfectly
no flaws or criticism on anything. The events were incredible
and the time just flew. Memories are forever and I'm sure
ours will be forever too. Thanks for the opportunity to
have fun, relaxation and bond with everyone and get to
know you better."
"What a wonderful and relaxing Shabbat I had at Hockley
Valley. The venue was lovely, the weather perfect, the
study session was great, the food - well, let's just say
I'm glad I didn't have to exercise control on Sunday morning.
Best of all was being with all of you fabulous women!!!
I really enjoyed getting to know you better and having
the time to sit and chat and did I mention eat? I look
forward to sharing more special times with all of you!"
"It was an interesting experience, discussions
about different Jewish topics especially learning about
the customs and the law of the land. I have learned a
great deal and of course, walking outside, breathing in
fresh air does relax me. It makes me want to forget the
lesson plans, family pressures and all. I am thankful
that I took the time off from home and to rejuvenate my
body and spirit which gives me the pleasure of looking
forward to doing this again next year."
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So
mark your calendar
Sisterhood's
3rd retreat at Hockley Valley Resort and Spa
April,
2011. See you all next year!
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Dvar Shmot - presented
by Janice May
at the Solel Sisterhood Service on January 9, 2010
Parashah Shmot sets the stage for the exodus, explaining
the context of our enslavement and
telling the story of Moses, who will lead us out of Egypt.
The people in this sedra are doers
a group of women and men who not only hope for a better
future but act accordingly.
Read more

When I was offered to take a partially sponsored
trip to the biennial convention of the WRJ in Toronto, I
had only two things in mind. One was how I, a career woman
with a business of her own, would fit into a group of women
who I thought would be primarily women of no career, and
on top of it total strangers to me. The second was of course
how am I going to leave my business unattended. Nevertheless
I decided to take the offer, because I thought it will benefit
my congregation, because I love meeting new people and I
would really like to have the North American congregations
know a little more about our Israeli congregations, to develop
new connections and keep up the dialog between the congregants
on both sides. I also had in mind that it would be good
to the cause to have a lay person on the Israeli delegation.
As far as I know I was the only one of that kind. I am a
regular member of Darchei Noam, Solel's twin congregation
in Ramat HaSharon and I am a member of the Sisterhood there.
I am also the program director on a strictly volunteer basis
for the past 7 years.
The Convention was a total surprise to me. I met some very
interesting women, many of whom were of course also career
women. I listened to some very stimulating talks, and found
myself, totally unexpected, in the most impressive services
I have ever witnessed. At some of the occasions I felt like
when I first came to the U.S in the early 70s to teach in
a Jewish summer camp. The summer camp was the first time
I had a meaningful Jewish experience coming from a Austrian
atheistic family and a very secular environment. During
this convention I realized how important the relationships
between the congregations on both sides of the Atlantic
are and how much we have to do to improve it and that even
though we are so different, we have a lot in common and
we need each other for our survival.
I am so grateful to everybody who helped me come on this
trip and especially to the Solel Sisterhood and Jill Rich
and David Lepofsky, who opened their home and hearts to
me. On top everything, this was the most warming and intellectual
experience. I also thank Jill for having invited the Sisterhood
members to her home and giving me the opportunity to meet
them and get to know them.
Now that the convention is over, I am taking the opportunity
to once again meet the Solel congregation and long time
friends from Solel, especially Sheila and Leo Aldoroty whom
we met about 15 years ago through the twinning program.
I also want to thank Les and Beverly Rothschild and Larry
and Cheryl Englander for every thing they did to make this
trip so successful.
Irith Zahavi
Darchei Noam, Ramat HaSharon
Sisterhood Announces 2009-2010 Executive:
President: Rita Halporn
VP Programming: Laurie Brager and Jill Rich
Treasurer and Board Rep: Marlene Weaver
Secretary: Deborah Gold
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