Join an exciting organization that has something for everyone!
Sisterhood has members of all ages ready to take part in the common goal of supporting our Temple and the community. Whether you choose to attend regular monthly meetings, volunteer for a special event, or attend one of our wonderful activities, we are here for you. The rewards of enhancing the Temple programs, reaching out to the community, and being a part of Women for Reform Judaism cannot be measured. We urge you to get involved with this group of dedicated women who truly are “sisters.”
MLRT Sisterhood gives back!
Below are just some of the ways MLRT Sisterhood supports our Temple community and the community at large.
- Our Shalach Manot fundraiser enables our congregants to perform the Purim mitzvah of Mishloach Manot while bringing together many of our members for packing and distributing over 650 bags. Proceeds of this important fundraiser, which in past years has exceeded $15,000, are used for improvements to our Temple and charitable pursuits. In the past, we have purchased lobby furniture, cushions for the sanctuary benches, recording equipment for our music department, a gaga pit for Religious School, partial funding for the lighting of the stained glass panels in the sanctuary, and a major contribution to the MLRT COVID Relief Fund.
- Our 2022-2023 budget provides for over $15,000 in support for MLRT projects, students, congregants and staff.
- Every year, our Sisterhood provides scholarships for students in our congregation who would like to attend URJ affiliated summer camps.
- Every congregant who experiences the loss of a family member receives a Uniongram from our Sisterhood expressing our condolences. Every student receives a kiddush cup from Sisterhood upon becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. We also help to fund our Confirmation Class’s L’Taken trip to Washington, DC.
- Our annual Rummage Sale/Housewares Sale raises substantial funds (this year close to $10,000) to support our Sisterhood.
- Our Cook for a Friend program meets 6 times each year, making 100 meals each time for homebound seniors through the Klein JCC.
- Our newly revamped Housewares Sale gives our congregants an opportunity to donate household goods, and allows caseworkers from HIAS PA, Mitzvah Circle Foundation, and other non-profit agencies to “shop” for free on the 2nd day.
- We raise money each year for WRJ’s YES Fund through our High Holy Day Greetings campaign, which allows congregants to send well-wishes to our clergy, and our Confirmation Greetings program, which enables members to congratulate our Confirmation class each spring.
- We have budgeted over $15,000 in charitable donations to Jewish and community entities such as The Friendship Circle, Eldernet, HIAS, Mitzvah Circle Foundation, American Friends of Magen David Adom, the RAC, IRAC, JFCS, JCHAI, Planned Parenthood, and for disaster relief. Every program we host includes a social action component and we have collected everything from canned food to coats to feminine hygiene products.
- We sponsor Christmas and Easter lunches with our Social Action partner, Calvary Baptist Church. In addition to making contributions for food costs, our members help set up, prepare, and serve meals to the community served by the church. During the Christmas lunch, we partner with the ECE to collect and wrap new toys which are then distributed at the lunch.
- We have put together two very well attended programs about Human Trafficking and gun violence that were open to the community. We assembled expert panels to discuss these pervasive problems that are affecting so many young people across our country.
- Through our Temple’s membership in the Jewish Book Council, Sisterhood holds an annual Book Review, bringing in Jewish writers to review and discuss their books.
2023-24 Leadership Council
President
Sue Rubin Plick
Membership
Larissa DiStefano and Chrissa LaPorte
Programming Coordinators
Jackie Bobrin and Maddy Shusterman
Fundraising
Lisa Greenblatt, Ami Lonner, and Liz Stoller
Communications
Mary Kamplain
TON Liaison
Linda Finkelstein
WRJ Liaison
Leslie Brier
Administrative Support
Amy Silverman
Recording Secretary
Meredith Steel
Treasurer
Janet Treiman
Counselors
Carol Frank
