Sisterhood
Carol Halikman
Sisterhood President
The dictionary offers four definitions for Sisterhood. The first is the state of being sisters. Second is the quality of being sisterly. Third is a society (especially religious) of women. And the fourth is an association or unification of women in a common cause. It is striking how each of these definitions so closely fits our Sisterhood at Shaare Tikvah. We are a small enough group so that the first and second definitions naturally and lovingly occur. We share each other's simchas and tsuris alike. It is easy for an organization to be what its membership needs when each member is so deeply involved in the organization.
The third definition, that of a religious society, also is integral to our group. We are an important part of a small shul. Among our Sisterhood we are proud to have members who serve on the synagogue board, chair and serve on standing committees, and organize a wide variety of activities essential to our congregation's character and mission. Our sisterhood is very much a part of the soul of Shaare Tikvah.
The fourth definition, that of an association of women dedicated to a common cause, is perhaps the most vital and important thing. Our common cause is to make Judaism thrive in an area that is distinctly non-Jewish. It is to provide for our families and each other a sense of "Yiddishkeit", of a Jewish community bustling with activity and filled with love for each other and respect for tradition and custom. Towards this end our Sisterhood organizes and executes a wide variety of events throughout the year. These include the "Shaare Tikvah Man of Honor " dinner each year, the Hanukah Dinner, a Hanukah gift bazaar, a Torah Fund Outing (which benefits the Jewish Theological Seminary), Sisterhood Shabbat (in which our membership organizes and conducts the entire service including Torah readings) and a host of other activities. We also manage the kitchen facility. One of the activities that is fun and an opportunity to share and gab is the several times a year when we gather to bake goodies for the onegs.
Most importantly our Sisterhood is there for this wonderful little Congregation Shaare Tikvah. It is there for our children and it is there for each of us. It is there to provide the shoulder and the hug as needed, the warm laugh and the silly joke. We pray together with a unified voice, we laugh and cry together. We are in every sense a Sisterhood. Come and be our sister.
Carol Halikman
Sisterhood President
Shula Resnick (with Aviv), Mim Parizer, Shirley Rosenzweig, Joan Barsky, Amy Sheldon, Judy Garfinkel, President Carol Halikman, Sheila Levin, Gerry Mann
