Learning Our Stories
by Lisa Lisser
About four years ago, we in Women’s Philanthropy decided we needed to get back to basics. We wanted to provide a learning series for the women of Greater MetroWest with a variety of topics that mattered to them and that made a difference in their lives. At that moment, the Women of Wisdom education series was born. We call it WOW. We believed that providing programs in women’s homes (with a small couvert, but no minimum donation) would bring people out and build community. And that we did!
From the beginning, our vision for WOW was to build the series around three concepts: 1. text-based Jewish learning on topics relevant to Jewish women; 2. innovation in Jewish practice/life in America; and 3. cutting-edge work on the ground in Israel. Further, we recognized that college life was challenging for our young adults, so we dedicated one more session to a topic related to issues on campus. In this way, we responded to a need and, at the same time, hoped to educate women about the power of our Jewish Federation.
The relationships we had developed over the years with people whose work we touched through our partnerships, our leadership development programs, and the core work of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) provided the connections to great speakers who could show us our Jewish world from their inspiring points of view. All of our speakers, women and men, were connected to us through these personal relationships – from an Israeli women’s empowerment guru who started an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) prep program for girls at-risk, to an American “marketingjewru” who started JewBelong.com, to a female Reform rabbi who is reviving the ritual of mikveh for all Jews through the startup non-profit, ImmerseNYC. The series demonstrates the breadth of the work we impact through Federation and the diversity of Jewish experiences that are available to all of us.
The response has been overwhelming. Women love learning. We love learning together, and we care about issues that matter. It’s all about relationships – one woman inviting another woman to join. One participant, Joyce Litchman, told us that she read about the series in the New Jersey Jewish News and decided to come with a friend. Since that first visit, she has become a regular. She says she “looks forward to the series every year. I learn new things and hear about amazing programs. I especially loved learning about mikveh for today.”
The WOW series provides an entrance to Women’s Philanthropy that is open and welcoming. The camaraderie and conversation among the women, both veterans of Federation and newcomers, is vibrant and continuing. We hold three of the sessions in the morning in private homes throughout Greater MetroWest. Our college-focused session is usually in the evening. You can register for one or all sessions ($18 for one session, $54 for all 4).
We are excited to be planning the fourth season of Women of Wisdom, with registration details coming soon to the Women's Philanthropy webpage. Mindy Goldberger is thrilled to be taking the lead as the incoming chair of the program. We have several incredible ideas in place already and are working to ensure that this year is just as engaging as the last three. We can’t wait to roll them out to you. If you have participated in the program before, please join us again this year. And bring a friend. If you haven’t attended yet, now is the time to join us. For more information contact Robin Leitner at RLeitner@jfedgmw.org.