Biweekly Briefing: Stranger/Sister Event TODAY, Refugee Ramadan Project THIS WEEK

Welcome to the Sisterhood's Biweekly Newsletter!

Sister Spotlight

We are implementing an occasional series inviting our members to share a bit about themselves, their lives, and their connection to the Sisterhood. If you wish to tell your story for a future spotlight, please email [email protected].

Rebecca Weintraub was born and raised in New York City's Lenox Hill neighborhood. From a very young age, she found herself seeking her place within the Jewish community. She attended everything from nursery school through K-12 after school programs through a Reform synagogue and served as the first President of her Temple's youth group, a harbinger of leadership roles to come. Today, Rebecca and her husband are raising her son in the same neighborhood where she grew up.

Rebecca became involved with the Sisterhood upon discovering it was a wonderful way to get involved with a community of women from not only all over the city but from around the world! Her chapter learns and grows together and has become a place for sisters to love one another and share their lives, families, struggles, wins, and tragedies. In Rebecca's words, "I honestly don't know what I would do without them."

unnamed

One of Rebecca's favorite Sisterhood memories is of her chapter's first pandemic-era meetup. The group met in Central Park, and since their last in-person meeting, much had changed. Some had lost loved ones, two, including Rebecca, were pregnant, and some had added pets to their lives. The meeting overflowed with the comfort of shared proximity after having met virtually for so long. It was one of the most joyful days Rebecca has had during the last two years.

Rebecca's hopes for the Sisterhood are that her chapter is able to sustain seeing one another more frequently through in-person celebrations and meetings. She looks forward to seeing how the organization grows and changes and to meeting new people at future national gatherings.

In 2021, while still on maternity leave with her son Benjamin (pictured), Rebecca ran for the elected, volunteer position of District Leader. She now represents approximately half of Manhattan's 76th Assembly District to the New York County Democratic Party. She tells people she now has three jobs- by day, she's the Press Secretary for NYC's Department of City Planning, by night, she's a Democratic District Leaders for the 76th AD, and 24/7, she's a mother!

Cherry blossoms against pink background Spring Sisterhood Walk Join Us This May for a Virtual Celebration of Sisterhood and Springtime Details Coming Soon
stranger:sister zoom

 

Hate Can’t Stop a Sisterhood: Celebrating Bold Women and Activism from the Stranger/Sister Social Impact Campaign

Wednesday, March 30, 2022
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

We are honoring bold women who have devoted their lives to reaching across lines of difference, building lasting relationships, and stopping hate. Hear words of encouragement from the leaders of the Sisterhood and other surprise guests!

Join us for an inspiring, virtual event - hearing stories of impact and action from the first year of the Stranger/Sister Documentary Film and Social Impact Campaign.

Learn from Sisters from the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, interfaith leaders, and activists as they recount highlights from their work, bringing the film to communities nationwide. From grassroots interfaith discussions, to faith leader workshops – from DE&I corporate employee initiatives to international dialogue events – Stranger/Sister has brought faith and secular communities together to build deeper understanding across lines of difference.

Get inspired to take action, bring the film to your community, and catalyze powerful connections to stop hate. Register today to join this special event.

 

ramadan_flyer

A Ramadan-Passover Event: Out of Oppression Towards Liberation

April 19, 2022
4:30-6:00 p.m. ET

The holidays of Ramadan and Passover encourage us to reflect on our lower selves and move from oppressing ourselves to liberating ourselves emotionally, spiritually and physically, amongst other ways. Come listen to Dr. Celene Ibrahim and Dr. Lori Wynters share their experiences and perspectives on this journey!

Register today to join this always-popular, annual observance.

 

Cultivating Understanding, Promoting Just Peace Speaker Series
Conflict Resolution in the Context of Palestine and Israel

May 15, 2022
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET

The Sisterhood remains committed to creating opportunities for members to explore a wide spectrum of views on Palestine and Israel. We endeavor to hold space to hear one another and to work with organizations dedicated to nonviolent means of achieving justice and peace.

To that end, we have created the Cultivating Understanding, Promoting Just Peace Speaker Series. We invite you to participate in the forthcoming event featuring Hands of Peace. Please join Husam Jubran and Rabbi Daniel Roth as they share their work and vision for Palestinian and Israeli communities using tools of dialogue and conflict resolution.

Register to join fellow Sisterhood members and the greater community for this event.

Ongoing Opportunities

Share Your Story of Identity
Volunteers Needed for Special Projects
Stranger/Sister Screening Opportunities
Virtual Coffee Connection
Support the Sisterhood Through AmazonSmile

Share Your Story of Identity

The Sisterhood, in conjunction with our forthcoming cultural competency training, is launching an identity exploration program. This initiative will invite us to explore our own stories related to the influence of life, experience, culture, race, spirituality/faith, and social context, i.e., the inner and outer aspects of our identity.
Through this programming, we hope to create space and support the efforts of our Sisters to explore their own religious/spiritual and secular identities and make transformative connections with other Sisters across worldviews. This journey of self-reflection, sharing, and learning will enable healthy, dynamic, and respectful conversations on intra-faith and inter-faith levels simultaneously. Together, we will explore the dynamics between the individual and community/society, and between how we define ourselves and how others try to define us.

If you would like to share your “story” of the intersections of your faith and other areas of your identity (race/culture/ethnicity, etc.) and help others learn to better understand your identity and experience, please email Samantha at [email protected].

Volunteers Needed for Specific Projects!

Are you looking to give back to the Sisterhood through a discrete volunteer project? We are looking for volunteers in a few distinct areas. Read on and reach out to learn more!

Website Redesign

We are excited to be engaged in a website redesign process, and we need your help! Please send us Sisterhood photos, event blurbs, and updates for possible inclusion on our new website! Help us help website visitors understand everything that makes the Sisterhood great- YOU! Send photos, blurbs, and other news to Nicole- [email protected].

Conference Committee

Are you an event planner? Do you like working in collaboration with fellow Sisterhood members? Planning for the 9th annual Sisterhood conference, to be held in November 2022, is underway. If you would like to take part in putting together this special event, please email Nicole- [email protected].

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee seeks volunteers with experience in the following categories to assist in developing materials related to member and volunteer initiatives. The categories for which volunteers are needed include HR, Project Management, Training, Data Management, and Graphic Design. Please use this link to tell us more about yourself and your areas of expertise.

Stranger/Sister Screening Opportunities

The social impact campaign for Stranger/Sister is in full swing! If you've been wanting to bring this powerful catalyst for dialogue and change to your community, now's your chance! Odyssey Impact/Transform Films are leading a campaign designed to educate, engage, and activate local communities to unite against hate and create peaceful dialogue across lines of difference.

Stranger/Sister is available for screenings hosted by individuals, community organizations, corporations, houses of worship, schools, universities, and more. The Odyssey Impact team can offer guidance from beginning to end and will provide a digital Screening Toolkit, which includes a Facilitator's Guide, Community Discussion Guide, Classroom Guide, marketing materials, and a social media press kit, all designed to make the screening experience as impactful as possible.

Now is the perfect time to host a screening in your community. If you'd like to request additional information or are ready for next steps, fill out a host a screening inquiry form today.

Virtual Coffee Connection

Join the 160+ women who've met another sister through our Virtual Coffee Connection! Ready to give it a try? Click this link, fill out the brief form, and we'll match you to a fellow sister. The two of you can then arrange your own virtual coffee/tea date! Please note, pairings are made in order of request and are not solely Muslim-Jewish matches. Thank you!

Support the Sisterhood Through AmazonSmile

If you're an Amazon shopper, please consider supporting the Sisterhood while you shop! Visit the Sisterhood's unique AmazonSmile link and select the Sisterhood as your charitable organization of your choice. 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be donated to support our work. Thank you!

Partner Organization Opportunities

Help Afghan Refugees Celebrate Ramadan

As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, Miry's List has partnered with Islamic Relief USA to distribute urgently needed food boxes, as well as hygiene supplies and household cleaning supplies to 61 of their newest enrolled refugee families from Afghanistan and Syria in greater Sacramento.

While this effort focuses on meeting the survival needs of these families, Miry's List also wants to recognize the importance of this religious time- likely the very first Ramadan that these families will observe in their new homes in the U.S.

Dates are a critical part of Ramadan, as the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is quoted as saying "when one of you is fasting, he should break his fast with dates". It is an important tradition of Muslim families around the world to break their long fast with a single date. Gifting each of these families with a package of dates to begin their month of fasting will bring comfort, familiarity, and strength.

Miry's List is asking Sisterhood members to help raise $600 to cover the cost of dates for 61 families. They will be gifted to the families on Saturday, April 2nd, along with food boxes and household items, at Miry's List's Sacramento Welcome Workshop. Please use this link to donate. All funds will go directly towards purchasing dates.

iftar

Iftar Seder: An Interfaith Event Celebrating the Confluence of Ramadan and Passover

April 10, 2022 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Please join an interfaith event co-organized by the Sisterhood, Philadelphia's Council on American-Islamic Relations, The Shalom Center, Philadelphia Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation, and the Masjidullah congregation for a virtual seder/iftar that celebrates the springtime Muslim and Jewish holidays of Ramadan and Passover.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Join our email list and get updates straight to your inbox.

Unsubscribe at any time, and we respect your privacy; your email address is always safe with us.

Scroll to Top