In June 2026, London welcomed Progressive Jewish women from 12 countries for the fourth edition of the International Wilkenfeld Women’s Leadership Seminar.
The 2026 cohort brought together participants from communities across four continents: Brazil, China, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, South Africa, the Netherlands, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. Although its geographic reach has expanded, the mission remains the same: to strengthen the role of women within their own Jewish communities, connect us with WRJ, WUPJ, and the global Reform/Progressive movement, and provide the tools needed to foster the growth of Judaism around the world.
London also hosted the EUPJ/WUPJ Darkeinu Conference, celebrating the centenary of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, founded there in 1926 by Lily Montagu and Claude Montefiore. The Wilkenfeld Seminar was also part of this milestone, marking ten years since its first edition in 2016. Returning to London was therefore more than a logistical decision—it was a symbolic one. Everything began here, and here we returned to celebrate a decade of women who, inspired by the vision of Dolores K. Wilkenfeld, former WRJ President, believe that Judaism is stronger and richer when women lead.
Guided by Sally Klein-Katz, we learned the importance of setting clear goals and defining the personal “why” behind our projects. Sally led the sessions with extraordinary warmth, introduced a memorable exercise on active listening, and continually reminded us that our projects are ultimately about people—and that what matters most is how we make others feel. As we strengthened our connections and developed leadership through a women’s perspective, each participant brought a project designed to be implemented in her own community.
In just three days, we built deep bonds and a sense of sisterhood that will remain with us for years to come, while also gaining valuable tools to continue strengthening women’s leadership around the world.
Progressive Judaism in Latin America has much to offer. In the 2026 edition, Raquel from Brasília and Esther from Guatemala represented the region, marking Guatemala’s first participation and Brazil’s second.
Esther Hernández
“This was my first opportunity to share a space surrounded exclusively by extraordinary women—active leaders who play key roles in their communities. Beyond the theoretical learning, the most valuable experience was connecting deeply with their ideals, their vision, and their aspirations for change.”
Raquel Fernández
“One moment that remains vivid in my memory was the exercise of presenting our ‘why’ in just one minute. It sounded simple, but in practice it was deeply revealing. When you have only sixty seconds to express what matters most, you discover what you truly believe in. The stories shared in the room became the heart of the seminar. Although we came from very different contexts, we quickly realized that many of the challenges our communities face are universal.”
Strengthening women’s leadership in Latin America is a shared responsibility, and this seminar provided valuable tools to help make that vision a reality.
