Sisterhood Shabbat was a beautiful experience. Bonnie Halprin's remarks were inspiring and uplifting! -Rabbi Philip Weintraub
Shabbat Shalom.
Standing here today, on Sisterhood Shabbat, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a modern Jewish woman — how we balance tradition and independence, how we honor the women who came before us while shaping a Jewish future that feels true to who we are today.
And this year, that question has felt especially personal for me, because I recently became a grandmother for the first time. Holding my granddaughter, I felt something shift — a sense of continuity, of responsibility, and of deep joy. I looked at her tiny face and thought: This is why we do all of this. This is why we gather, why we pray, why we build community. Because every generation deserves to inherit a Judaism that is strong, loving, and alive.
And in this week’s Torah portion, Va’era, that sense of connection across time feels especially powerful. God reminds Moses that the promises made to our ancestors — promises of hope, of liberation, of a future filled with possibility — are still unfolding, still alive. The Israelites can barely lift their heads; they are tired, hurting, overwhelmed. And yet God whispers to them that the story isn’t over. That the future is still being woven.
When I hold my granddaughter, I feel that whisper, too. I feel all the women who came before me, standing behind me, placing their hands gently on my shoulders. I feel the weight and the wonder of generations. And I realize that Sisterhood is the thread that ties us all together. It is how we pass down love, strength, courage, and faith. It is how we make sure that every little girl who joins our world inherits a Judaism that lifts her, protects her, and celebrates her. That she grows up knowing that she is part of something ancient, beautiful, and unbreakable.
Modern Jewish women walk a beautiful tightrope. We carry the weight of tradition — the rituals, the melodies, the recipes, the stories — and at the same time, we insist on independence, on having our own voices, our own choices, our own paths. We honor the past, but we don’t freeze ourselves inside it. We take what is meaningful and we make space for what is new. This looks different for each of us. Growing up one of three sisters, we live our Jewish lives with similarities, but also differences.
And that’s where Sisterhood comes in.
People sometimes hear the word “Sisterhood” and imagine something old fashioned — a relic from another era. But the truth is the opposite. Sisterhood isn’t old fashioned — it’s a lifeline. It’s the structure that holds us when life gets complicated. It’s the circle that celebrates our joys and carries us through our losses. It’s the place where Jewish women can show up exactly as we are — traditional, modern, questioning, confident, exhausted, inspired — and still belong.
Women’s groups have always strengthened synagogue life, even when their work was quiet or behind the scenes. Today, that role is more important than ever. We create the warmth people feel when they walk through the door. We build programs that bring generations together. We make sure no one sits alone at an oneg, no one feels out of place, and no one is left behind.
And as our community changes — as families look different, as schedules get busier, as people seek connection in new ways — Sisterhood becomes the anchor. We create spaces where a young mother, a single woman, a widow, a teenager, and a grandmother can all sit at the same table and feel equally valued. We make room for every story, every background, every level of observance. We remind each other that Judaism is not one size fits all — it’s a tapestry woven from many threads.
When I look at my granddaughter, I think about the Jewish world she will grow up in. I want her to inherit a community where women’s voices are strong, where tradition is cherished but never used to limit her, where independence is celebrated, and where Sisterhood is not a side group but a heartbeat.
And I know that future begins with us — with the way we show up for each other, the way we lead, the way we welcome, the way we build.
So today, on Sisterhood Shabbat, I want to honor every woman here. The ones who bake, the ones who organize, the ones who teach, the ones who pray, the ones who show up even when they’re tired, the ones who quietly keep the world turning. You are the reason our synagogue is not just a building, but a home.
May we continue to balance tradition and independence with grace.
May we continue to strengthen our synagogue with creativity and courage.
May we continue to build inclusive spaces where every woman — and every little girl — knows she belongs.
And may our Sisterhood remain what it has always been: not old fashioned, but a lifeline.
Shabbat Shalom.
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