Women Speak: Mitzvah Doers With Heart And Soul

by Lisa Kogen

Over the past several decades, women’s organizations increasingly have been plagued by charges of stagnation and irrelevance. Shrinking membership generally is offered as the most significant indicator. Other allegations abound. Women are too busy. They find social and cultural fulfillment elsewhere. Volunteerism is passé.

While there certainly is some validity to these assertions, I would like to offer a rejoinder to the dire prognostications.

Last November at the Women’s League convention, the 500 plus in attendance paid tribute to a remarkable group of women. They were the recipients of the Baalat Mitzvah Award, an award designed as recognition for extraordinary volunteer work. Loosely translated as an “exemplary mitzvah doer,” each award recipient has demonstrated an outstanding capacity to do good works, not for herself but for others, her sisterhood, or her community.

At the awards ceremony, Baalat Mitzvah co-chairs Ziza Pallia and Myra Promisel said of the recipients: “They have created, they have organized, they have taught, they have spoken out, they have practiced random deeds of kindness – all to create a better world for Jews and non-Jews alike.”

The recipients were selected by panels of their peers in an anonymous selection process based solely on merit. Over 120 women were nominated by their sisterhoods in seven categories: tzedakah, chiddur mitzvah (beautifying the mitzvah), chesed, Israel, advocacy, chinuch (education) and tefillot.

While there were dozens of deserving nominees, the 17 recipients represent a collection of truly amazing volunteers. This article is dedicated to each of them, in recognition of their work, their offerings of heart and soul, and for the standards they set as exemplary doers of mitzvot.

Advocacy

Health
Lorraine “Cookie” Aftergut Ahavat Achim Synagogue
Atlanta, Georgia

After her own experience with breast cancer, Cookie realized that women need support during cancer treatment and established ChemoChic and Chemoflage to help during this difficult time. Cookie was honored as a Yoplait Champion (2006) and Woman of Valor by the American Red Cross (2007).

Social Justice
Saraphoena B. Koffron Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Southfield, Michigan

As an attorney, Saraphoena has dedicated countless hours to pro bono legal services for women in custody battles, garnering amicus attention from Legal Aid of Michigan.

Support and/or Social Services
Silvia Weitzman
Rodeph Sholom
Tampa, Florida

Silvia is a working mom who has dedicated many hours to developing and building the Friendship Playground in Tampa for disabled children so they can play with friends and siblings.

Chesed

Community
Ann Greenbaum
Beth El Jewish Congregation
Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Ann initiated an annual communitywide women’s seder, preparing special haggadot adapted to the needs of the organizations for which tzedakah is collected. Some of the organizations include the Fistula Hospital for Women in Ethiopia, distressed families of Appalachia, and women’s shelters.

Synagogue
Janet Gunner
Temple Beth Tzedek
Buffalo, New York

Janet established the Kesher Committee for her synagogue, arranging services for adults with special needs for Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, Pesach, and Shavuot. She attends to the needs of shut-ins and the bereaved, and even drives infirm members to doctors’ appointments and shopping.

Chiddur Mitzvah

Synagogue
Batya Bar-Av, Johanna Bromberg, Jeanette Brownstein, Roni Igel, Randi Kraus, Julie Robbins, Sharon Rophie, Valerie Ross, Nanette Shane, Judy Zimlin
Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Shalom
Clearwater, Florida

The group’s current project is a quilt that incorporates the seven species and trees and flowers of Israel. Members have employed silk painting, beading, appliqué, embroidery, and other handwork. Its next project will be a chuppah for weddings in the synagogue.

Individual
Rita Chase
Temple Emanu-El
Palm Beach, Florida

Rita, an exceptional needlecrafter, instructs the women in her synagogue in making tallitot and tying tzitzit. She designed and is supervising the creation of a covering for the synagogue’s Torah stand, funded by contributions in honor of her 80th birthday.

Community
Saraphoena B. Koffron
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Southfield, Michigan

For a community-wide Mah Jongg event that she hosted, Saraphoena handcrafted brooches for all 144 guests, combining a pewter magen david with travel-size Mah Jongg tiles.

Youth
Wanda Pitzele
Congregation Kenesth Israel
Elgin, Illinois

Wanda has generously enriched the cultural life of her synagogue, applying her considerable artistic talents to instruct adults and children in Jewish handcrafts to create kippot, tallitot, and Miriam’s cups.

Chinuch

Youth
Marlene Herman
Highland Park Conservative Temple – Congregation Anshe Emeth
Highland Park, New Jersey

For four decades, Marlene has taught a Torah program that she created for pre-schoolers. Her success can be measured by the number of children who now attend with parents who are former students.

Synagogue
Mira Kimmelman
Beth El Jewish Congregation
Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Mira, a Holocaust survivor, has dedicated her life to Holocaust education in the synagogue and community. She has written two books, the proceeds of which go to the University of Tennessee’s department of religious studies and the sisterhood’s Judaica shop.

Sisterhood
Elisa Leavitt
B’nai Torah Congregation
Boca Raton, Florida

Elisa developed a rosh chodesh program for both her own synagogue and the wider community. Her educational program has generated leadership from a broad spectrum of women.

Israel

Joan Pechenik
Agudas Achim
San Antonio, Texas

Joan established an initiative in San Antonio to deal with biased reporting about Israel in local news organizations. She single-handedly organized and procured funding for an immensely successful program on the issue.

Tefillot

Tefillot Skills
Debby Cohen
B’nai Israel
Rockville, Maryland

Debby is the first woman to serve as gabbai in her synagogue of over 1400 members, and serves as chair of the congregation’s ritual committee. She leads services and reads Torah regularly. Additionally, Debby teaches sisterhood members to lead birkat hamazon and began a women’s seder for which the participants created their own haggadah.

Tefillot Education
Susan Weintraub
Temple Beth Sholom
Sarasota, Florida

Susan is an expert in liturgy, serving as a model for other women in her congregation. She volunteers to teach high holiday nusach, reading Megillot Esther and Ruth, and she prepares women to participate in Women’s League Anniversary Shabbat services.

Tzedakah

Secular
Madeline Cytrin
Agudas Achim
San Antonio, Texas

Although diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Madeline has been active in educating and fundraising for research in Texas. To quote those who nominated her: “Madeline has multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis doesn’t have her.”

Local Jewish Community
Laura Kreitzer
Rodeph Sholom
Tampa, Florida

For 30 years Laura has engaged in communal philanthropic activities, including the creation of a library for the Hillel School of Tampa and a Jewish student union building at the University of South Florida. She serves as president of the Tampa Jewish Federation.

Extended Jewish Community
Sherry Sukel
B’nai Torah Congregation
Boca Raton, Florida

Sherry’s dedication to Jewish learning is reflected in her extraordinary commitment to the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Women’s League Torah Fund campaign. Her leadership has been instrumental in Florida Region’s Torah Fund successes.

Mazal tov to all these Women’s League mitzvah-doers! As it says in Pirkei Avot: “Rabbi Tarfon taught: ‘You are not obliged to finish the task, neither are you free to neglect it.’”

Lisa Kogen is director of education at Women’s League for Conservative Judaism.