Honoring a Legacy of Leadership: Recapping the 33rd Annual Women’s Seder

On Tuesday night, the Temple Sisterhood gathered together to celebrate the Rabbi Julie R. Spitzer Memorial Women's Seder. Now in its 33rd year, this event continues to honor the life and trailblazing work of Rabbi Julie Spitzer, a Jacksonville native whose career was defined by a commitment to social justice and the prevention of domestic violence.

A Service of Meaning and Connection

Led by Rabbi Maya Glasser and Jo-Ellen Unger, the service utilized a specialized Haggadah dedicated to Rabbi Spitzer's memory. The evening moved beyond the traditional Exodus story to address modern struggles for freedom. Key moments included:

• Miriam’s Cup: We honored the "living waters" and the courage of Jewish women past, present, and future.
• The Four Daughters: Our community explored reimagined archetypes of the wise, daring, creative, and silent daughters.
• Plagues of Today: In a poignant moment of reflection, we identified modern plagues such as domestic violence, food insecurity, and healthcare disparities.

Tikkun Olam (Social Action) in Practice

In keeping with Rabbi Spitzer’s definitive work on domestic abuse, the program featured Colleen Rodriguez, CEO of JFCS, who spoke about the JFCS Domestic Violence Program. 

Special Thanks We extend our heartfelt appreciation to WRJ Temple Sisterhood President Marie Reitzes, event leaders Beth Goldman and Susan Cahn, our Seder donors and volunteers, Temple Brotherhood for helping serve the food, and the administrative staff who made this special evening possible.