Women connect around the world for Rosh Chodesh

April 1, 2021

On Sunday, March 14, the Jewish Community of San Antonio participated in the second Women’s International Rosh Chodesh event. Partners for the event included the Jewish Community Relations Council, Congregation Agudas Achim, the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, and the Partnership 2Gether Western Galilee Region.  

The event was a wonderful way to bless the new month of Nissan with women from Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, New York, Israel, Texas and Hungary. Sammi Mazuz, Director of Congregational Learning at Congregation Agudas Achim, kicked off the event with a candle lighting and meditation. Rabbi Yael Karrie gave a limmud or study session, where she shared an endearing story about her grandfather. 

Rabbi Karrie’s grandfather emigrated from Estonia to Israel as a 17-year-old. Rabbi Karrie grew up with a sense of pride that her grandfather was one of the founders of a moshav (a type of cooperative agricultural settlement) and that her family had such deep roots in Israel. She found out, as a young woman, that her grandfather’s dream was to come to America. He was late for his boat, however, and missed the boat to America by five minutes. The next boat arrived soon thereafter, and it was going to Israel. He decided, in that moment, to take the boat to Israel. He turned his missed opportunity into a new dream. Rabbi Karrie’s mother told her, “The only thing separating you and Americans, is 5 minutes!” The story resonated with the women and demonstrated that we are all not that different from one another.  

During a group breakout session, the women discussed how we can turn what we “missed” out on this year into a new opportunity. 

The third installment in the Women’s international Rosh Chodesh series will be June 13 at 10 a.m. CST.