YES Fund

The YES Fund represents WRJ's commitment to supporting the institutions of Reform Judaism and its future leadership throughout North America and the world.

Annual contributions are the way WRJ provides scholarship assistance for rabbinic students at the Hebrew Union college - Jewish Institute of Religion, supports activities for high school and college age youth through the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY), and contributes to special projects of religious education and leadership development within Sisterhood.

How to Directly Contribute to the YES Fund:

• Purchase of YES Fund materials including Uniongrams, Goldengrams, Note cards, our new e-cards and more.
• Cash donations that are credited towards a Sisterhood's contribution to the YES Fund
• Sisterhoods may raise funds by selling Uniongrams and YES Fund items for an amount greater than the purchase price. The cost of the product is paid to the WRJ, directly supporting the YES Fund.
• All money sent to WRJ for Uniongrams and YES Fund items during the fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) is credited to each Sisterhood's annual contribution to the YES Fund. Sisterhoods are recognized for these contributions in the Book of Honors and are eligible for special awards and recognition.

Make Your Sisterhood a YES Fund Winner!

There are three awards your Sisterhood chapter can be awarded based on YES Fund contributions:

• Roll of Chair Honor - Contribution of $18 or more per member
• Roll of Special Merit - Contribution of $10 or more per member
• Roll of Honor - Contribution of $5 or more per member

Lifeline Membership

Lifeline Membership, which is $1800 payable in one, two or four segments, contributes to a special endowment whose annual interest is used to support the YES Fund.

As of January 1, 2009, there will be no converting of previous Lifelines to a new Lifeline level. If a Silver Lifeline donor wishes to contribute a Gold Lifeline, she will contribute $5,000 in four years. When converting to a Lifeline, the donor will receive her pin upon completion of payment for the new Lifeline. A donor converting to a new level of Lifeline will be requested to donate her previous level pin to the Living legacy of Lifelines program in which donated pins will be presented to new Lifeline donors in a meaningful way.

The new levels and time frames for Lifelines are as follows:

• Centennial: $100,000
• Emerald: $36,000
• Diamond: $18,000
• Pearl: $10,000
• Gold: $5,000
• Silver: $1,800

You can donate to a Lifeline , or make an individual donation of any amount you wish, online at the WRJ Website. We thank you for your support of WRJ's Lifeline Endowment Fund and the YES Fund!

YES Fund Awards

The following awards are presented to Sisterhoods every two years at each WRJ Assembly:

• The Kavod (Honor) Award in Memory of Helen M. Dalsheimer

Helen M. Dalsheimer serves as president of both WRJ (formerly National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods) and the district federation.
The Kavod award acknowledges Sisterhoods who have demonstrated exemplary support of the YES Fund for three consecutive Assembly periods (six years). When a Sisterhood becomes part of the distinguished Kavod Society, it is exempt from receiving other YES Fund awards. This enables more Sisterhoods an opportunity to be recognized for their support fo the YES Fund. To continue as a member of the Kavod Society, a Sisterhood must qualify to win or receive honorable mention in at least one YES Fund Award category at each successive Assembly.
If a Sisterhood does not qualify to either win or achieve honorable mention of a YES Fund award, the Sisterhood will no longer be a member of the Society and will need to win or achieve honorable mention of a YES Fund award over three additional consecutive Assemblies to be reinstated into the Kavod Society.
Sisterhoods that are members of the Kavod Society will not receive an award in any other YES Fund category, but will be honored as a member of the Kavod Society for their model support of the YES Fund.

• The Achat (individual) Award is given to the one Sisterhood with the largest per capita contribution through the sales of YES Fund items and/or cash contributions to the YES Fund during the two-year period prior to the Assembly.
• The Avodah (Service) Award is given to the Sisterhood in each of the four membership size categories that has made the highest total contribution through the sale of YES Fund items and/or cash contributions to the YES Fund during the two year period prior to Assembly.
• The L'Chaim (To Life) Award is given to the Sisterhood with the highest percentage of new Lifeline members during the two year period prior to the Assembly. One winner and two honorable mentions are named
• The Ma'agal (Circle) Award is given to the one Sisterhood with the highest percentage of new Circle of Service members (at any level other than Lifeline) during the two-year period prior to the Assembly. One winner and two honorable mentions are named.

Women of Reform Judaism is committed to meeting the ongoing needs of the Reform/Progressive Community. With your help, WRJ can say YES to those who ask for help today.