Kol Isha, "A Woman's Voice," Heads into Its Sixth Year with Plans to Study God

This past May, a group of women and one man, members of the study group Kol Isha--a woman's voice--met at the home of fellow member Dawn Feldman-Lehker for the annual Kol Isha retreat. After helping themselves to an array of nibbles, group members climbed the steps to a lovely outdoor deck where they began the afternoon's study, the culmination of their year-long study of psalms. Group member Jan Greenberg, serving as the day's teacher, passed out pages of contemporary psalms she had gathered from a variety of sources, and for the next two hours the group read and discussed these beautiful writings. A pot-luck dinner followed, during ich group members discussed approaches to their next year's study on God. Film, someone suggested. Music, another offered. One member had brought a helpful annotated bibliography of Jewish writings on the subject.

The off-campus location and pot-luck dinner aside, the afternoon was a typical one for Kol Isha. Now into its sixth year, the group is self -sustaining. Every year the group votes on a topic of study and a planning committee then meets to outline how to tackle the subject in monthly gatherings that run from September through May. With a penchant for vigorous and creative study, the group has taken on such subjects as the mikvah, the female biblical matriarchs (major and minor), Jewish life cycle events and Kabbalah. Like all the topics, last year's study of the psalms and this year's study of God demonstrate a proclivity toward serious and challenging subject matter.

Most of the teaching comes from within the group itself with members taking on various topics and sharing their learning with the others. The manner of teaching varies from a standard oral presentation followed by a question-and-answer session to the use of learning activities, such as art projects and song. Special guest Liz Lerman, a temple member and choreographer, approached the topic of the female matriarchs through dance. This past year Temple Micah member Nancy Lang, a longtime music critic for Voice of America and now for an Austrian opera magazine, presented the topic of music and psalms by bringing in musical works incorporating Jewish psalms by contemporary Jewish composers. Lynn Bonde, a therapist and hospice manager, led a sensitive and insightful session on psalms for healing.

Occasionally, outside guests have come to share their expertise. This was especially so during the study of Kabbalah, where in-house scholars such as Rabbi Zemel and Bob Dorfman shared their knowledge with the group, along with outside guests such as Georgetown professor Ori Solties, whose presentation on the subject of "Mysticism in Jewish Art" included a gripping slide show of paintings by Jewish artists.

In addition to its Sunday afternoon study sessions, the group holds an annual Seder at the temple. This includes a female-oriented Haggadah written by Kol Isha members. Cantorial soloist Meryl Weiner leads the services and this year Rabbi Toby Manewith provided lively and insightful commentary on the text and the holiday.

Kol Isha meets one Sunday each month, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The schedule is on a flyer in the galleria. The initial meeting this year will be at 9 p.m., Sept. 16, preceding the temple's S'lichot service. As with all Kol Isha meetings, everyone is welcome to attend this gathering--a time of reflection and preparation for the new year.

[By Liz Poliner; from September 2006 Vine.]