“It’s a safe place to share what’s going on in our minds,” says Sara Brejt about Jewish Women of Wisdom (JWOW!), a new international organization she helped found for women in their 50s and 60s. After engaging audiences in Lakewood, Monsey, Brooklyn, and the Five Towns, JWOW! is bringing the conversation to Maryland.
Several years ago, Mrs. Brejt, a lawyer, career coach, and teacher at Women’s Institute of Torah (WIT), was listening to an interview about women’s midlife issues on Chazaq Radio. She recognized the speakers, whom she had met at conventions: Miriam Liebermann, author and inspirational speaker, and Faigie Horowitz, Rebbetzin of Agudas Achim in Lawrence, activist, and prolific writer for Jewish publications. Mrs. Brejt contacted them. Around the same age, the three frequently spoke about their challenges and opportunities as midlifers and empty nesters.
About a year ago, they decided to include other women in their conversation, so they formed JWOW! It’s a non-profit group, inspiring each other through shared dialogue. Their goal is to create a membership organization for frum women in midlife. Their motto is “New Challenges, New Opportunities, and New Wisdom.”
“We find that women are very excited about the camaraderie we’ve created at our programs,” says Mrs. Brejt, who moved from Cleveland to Baltimore two-and-a-half years ago. “It’s about transitioning to midlife from a Torah perspective.”
Rebbetzin Horowitz, a social services administrator on the board of several agencies and the rebbetzin in the column “Dating Dialogue” in Jewish Home magazines, explains that through networking, women contacted them about JWOW! “We obviously tapped into something,” she says. “We received interest from all over – even Australia.”
Asked what she loves about JWOW! Rebbetzin Horowitz shares that it combines creating, communicating, and providing a unique forum that has never existed for this age group.
As an example of their programs, in June, they partnered with Wings, a women’s center in Lakewood that offers shiurim, workshops, and classes in the arts. They presented an interactive panel discussion and a mini-workshop titled, “Reframe, Recalculate, Re-energize.” Sixty women attended despite the torrential downpour and the fact that another exciting program was being offered that same evening in Lakewood.
JWOW!’s programs, moderated by respected women in the community, cover relationship and practical issues for midlifers.These issues might focus on health, finances, relating to adult children, caring for parents and grandchildren at the same time, starting a new career, choosing to volunteer, and more.
“Women want to connect to each other,” says Rebbetzin Horowitz. She explains that at the Amen group in the Five Towns, the break-outs to discuss the scenarios brought up new questions. One woman asked, “How do you tell adult children ‘no’?” The women were open. On certain issues, they shared, “This works for me now.”
“Everyone at this age has gone through a lot,” says Rebbetzin Horowitz. “These women have learned to be their authentic selves. They trust each other. That opens doors to communication, and the trust level opens even wider.”
On a teleconference for Aneinu, the group led by Shaindy Kappel, who started the 24-book Tehilim groups worldwide, all three founders spoke. Mrs. Liebermann shared, “We acknowledge, validate, impart courage, and inspire to enhance the lives of our contemporaries.” Here’s the link to listen to this program: https://bit.ly/2NFwNe3.
The Best is Yet to Be is the title of an anthology that Miriam Liebermann edited. Miriam says that JWOW! is a natural progression for her, dealing with the same issues and concerns discussed in her book. She also edited its sequel To Fill the Sky With Stars, which she says contains essays by “incredibly insightful women.”
Miriam Liebermann, Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, and Sara Brejt are also incredibly insightful women, baruch Hashem. They saw a need for JWOW!, a membership of Jewish women who can converse, grow, and yes – even laugh – about midlife. “As we work on redefining our roles,” says Miriam, “we’re reaching out to other women.” In the future, the group hopes to email a newsletter on a regular basis as a source of information and inspiration.
The founders of JWOW! plan to be in Baltimore for an exciting panel discussion and relevant workshops to introduce the women of Maryland to JWOW! The event will be held on Sunday, February 23, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the building behind the Storch’s house: 3209 Fallstaff Road. The panel discussion will also include Baltimore’s own Dr. Moshay Cooper and Ethel Fischer.
The members of the Baltimore and Silver Spring JWOW! committee include Esther Badian, Zippy Blechman, Sharon Galkin, Chasia Menchel, Rachelle Reingold, Fagie Rosen, Gracie Rosenblum, Yudis Sklare, Shoshana Schmell, Chava Schwartz, Danielle Sarah Storch, Esther Weiner, and Sherri Zaslow.
JWOW!’s event costs $10. For more information, contact: hello@jewishwomenofwisdom.org, or call 973-936-9006.
Please see JWOW!’s ad on page 39.
