Chai Lights from the Board

Shalom~ My name is Robin Beth Lash and I was installed as your Region President at the Women’s League Convention in July. The convention centered around the theme Engage, Enrich, Empower – Forging a Stronger Tomorrow. There were over 30 members of our region in attendance. Kudos to Lisa Kadosh for being our madricha and doing an exemplary job. During the Shabbaton, Region Presidents gathered to finish our training led by Deborah Bruce, whose hard work has helped us as we stepped into our roles.

We were fortunate to have exciting speakers and workshops. Here are a few highlights:

• Rabbi Bradley Artson, AJU Goldstine Distinguished Scholar and Vice President Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies, American Jewish University, spoke on keeping our organization strong & growing through increasing interpersonal relationships and making an extra effort to reaching out to one another.
• Dr. Rachel Rubin, expert in sexual medicine, whose presentation on “The Sex Detective Empowered Through the Change: Menopause, Hormones and a Stronger You,”gave women a new perspective on the change in our bodies and the right of women to ask questions of their doctors.
• Aviva Klompas, former Director of Speech Writing for Israel’s permanent mission to the United Nations, spoke dynamically about antisemitism, Israel, Jew Hatred and resilience.
• Scott Fried, an award winning educator and writer, gave a voice to HIV/AIDS through a support group and inspired Jonathan Larson’s Broadway hit “Rent”. He spoke about the “ABC’s of Gender and LGBTQ in a Gen Z world giving us new things to think about.

At our Monday morning minyan we celebrated those individuals who studied for 3 years to become a Bat Mitzvah. They learned Hebrew and was able to lead the service. It brought tears to my eyes as we celebrated the individuals and group for such an accomplishment.

This is just a snapshot of Convention 2026 and we are now looking forward to an exciting year and thrilled we are all on this journey together.

Shabbat Shalom,

Robin

Robin Beth Lash
CGLR President
cglrpresident26@wlcj.org