Chadashot Spring 2026—A Job Well Done!

Welcome to my last Chadashot article as WLCJ International Vice President, Torah Fund Chair. What a pleasure it has been to work with all the volunteers needed to support Torah Fund over the last three years. Every hour of work by our supporters across the United States and Canada helped us to reach—even go beyond—our goals. We exceeded our goal for all three campaigns: the 2023–2024 Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Ba’Zeh (All the People of Israel are Responsible for One Another), the 2024–2025 Am Yisrael Chai (The People of Israel Live) and the 2025–2026 Oseh Shalom (Maker of Peace) campaign goal as well. We also finished the “Creating New Spaces” special project!

My job would have been impossible without the help of my two vice-chairs, Marilyn Berkowitz and Shelley Szwalbenest. With Marilyn as my faithful compatriot and fellow decision maker for three years, and then adding Shelley for two, we oversaw the work of two Region Torah Fund Vice President classes: the 2021–2024 class for one year and the 2024–2026 class for two years. Both groups had wonderful, hard-working, dedicated women, and we tried to use everyone’s strengths for the good of the group. With both classes we shared articles, speeches, programming ideas, and strategies. We all worked together to bring in donations, solve problems, and most important of all—enjoy our time together, note each other’s life moments, and take pride in our work as Women’s League volunteers.

Torah Fund would not be able to support our Conservative/Masorti institutes of higher education without the efforts and dedication of our 13 Region Torah Fund Vice Presidents – and my two vice chairs as well. Each volunteer also understands every donation supports the continuation of our movement.

Torah Fund is the dedicated philanthropy of WLCJ, and our grassroots fundraising continues to do the job. Thank you to everyone who supports Torah Fund in any way—making/collecting donations, coordinating events, paperwork, Chadashot, Legacy Society (Marcia Toppall and Donna Burkat), helping with e-cards (Gilda Zucker and Nancy Goldberg), packing pins, Transition Team, Torah Fund Cabinet and spreading the word about our efforts. It has truly been an honor to work with every one of you and see the results of our labors.

Thank you also for the warmth and support you have extended to me personally. The joy and self-growth I have experienced while being your WLCJ Vice President, Torah Fund Chair, cannot be measured.

Studies show us that people who volunteer are happier, have a more positive attitude, enhanced social connections, and improved self-esteem. I see all these characteristics in our dedicated TF volunteers. We can all take great satisfaction in a job well done. Yasher Kochachen (good job) to all.

Now on to our next campaign for 2026–2027, Shema Koleinu (Hear Our Voice). I wish Janet Kirschner, our incoming Torah Fund Vice President, and her team much success.