OM DETTA AVSNITT
Welcome back, Just For This listeners! Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.
Our guest today is Shelley Niceley Groff, chair of the North American Board of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). Reform Judaism is the largest, most diverse Movement in North American Jewish life.
We talk about different paths into Jewish leadership and involvement, oftentimes outside of a congregational setting, and ways to broaden our tent.
Some terms that may be unique to URJ insiders include:
- Scheidt Seminar - convenes congregational presidents and president-elects to learn, network, build relationships, and enhance leadership skills
- Youth Summer Immersives – URJ operates 14 summer camps, multiple Israel programs, and NFTY: The Reform Youth Movement, engaging more than 50,000 young adults this summer.
- Every Voice, Every Vote – the Religious Action Center's 2026 campaign that organizes participation in phone and text bank opportunities to join in community with others while ensuring that all eligible voters can exercise their right to vote.
We also discuss the upcoming WRJ Fried Women's Summit and URJ Biennial this December in Philadelphia. Make sure to sign up by September 30 for an early bird discount! You can register for either or both conferences at: https://events.urj.org/event/2026Biennial
Just For This will be off next week for observance of Yom Kippur.
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