WCA programs are Zooming along

By Emily Berkowitz, WCA Coordinator at Large

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has said, “Difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.” Her idea perfectly describes the continuation of WCA’s many interest groups and programs on Zoom during the pandemic.

Thanks to our members’ determination, online groups have been meeting, expanding and enabling people from all over the U.S., Canada and abroad to discuss, learn, have fun and see old friends while making new ones. This month, we continue to highlight some of these groups and their successful pivot to Zoom.

WCA members are book lovers, and Zoom has enabled its many book groups to continue meeting, including long-established groups, like Modern Playwrights and Book Study. Started 20 years ago, Playwrights met monthly and read aloud excerpts from plays before COVID-19 struck. Judy Isserlis, who facilitates the group with Linda Wertheim, explained that once they started using Zoom, the group decided to watch plays rather than read them, as the pandemic drove many theaters to present plays online.

Isserlis comments that using Zoom has been advantageous in many ways, “While we normally stop meeting at the end of the season, we wanted to continue, and Zoom gave us that opportunity. Zoom enables all of us to communicate, even if we are not in Naples. Women even stay a bit longer for personal discussions. This has made our group even closer. At the conference table, you can’t see everybody, but now we can see each person’s face.”

Zoom has enabled Canadian Louise Novis to continue to lead Book Study and see her Florida friends.

Calling the book club members “fantastic” and “extremely well-read,” Novis adds, “All the friends I’ve made in Naples are my book club friends. Zoom has been an incredible resource for me to connect with my book group.”

Even though the contact and discussions are virtual, they are invaluable.

For lovers of Jewish and Israeli-themed books, the Jewish Experience book club, led by Arlene Sobol, and Modern Israeli Authors, started by Luba Rotsztain and Dina Shein, also meet on Zoom.

Jewish Experience draws 15-20 women monthly to read both fiction and nonfiction. Sobol notes that Zoom enables participants to join who are not in Southwest Florida.

Modern Israeli Authors has been growing, with about 25 women meeting monthly on Zoom. Choosing diverse works — from classics by S.Y. Agnon to graphic novels, like “Exit Wounds,” by Rutu Modan — helps participants “learn and gain insight into Israeli culture compared to us, and discover how much we are all alike,” explains Shein.

Zooming from Israel, Rami Elhanan and Bassam Aramin (top l to r), the protagonists of Colum McCann’s work, “Apeirogon,” are joined by moderator Stephen Apkon (center), son of WCA’s Marlene Apkon, and WCA members to discuss the book.

In a groundbreaking program in January, they joined Sue Bookbinder’s Contemporary Fiction group, and over 125 women Zoomed with the actual protagonists of Colum McCann’s novel, Apeirogon, from Israel!

Due to popular demand, TED Talks, moderated by Sonya Bloom, has expanded from one in-person monthly meeting to two online monthly sessions during the pandemic. “Technology,” “Entertainment” and “Design Talks” are short videos of worldwide conference presentations.

“Zoom has been an ideal way to present the sessions,” Bloom explains. Bloom shows the videos, then facilitates lively discussions of the subject matter. Zoom has also enabled participants from any location to join the sessions.

Two additional WCA groups faced enormous challenges switching to Zoom, succeeding nonetheless. Prior to COVID- 19, New Member Coffees introduced new WCA members to one another, as well as to Board members. Meeting in members’ homes, new members also learned about all that WCA offers.

Membership Director Harriett Kleinman, who coordinates the coffees, says, “It was an easy transition to Zoom ... all we are missing are the pastries and coffee! Even virtually, our members make connections at these coffees. I have seen a connection made when two members found out they had the same exotic dog breed.”

In addition, Kleinman has been able to show the weekly e-blast on the computer screen to illustrate how new members can register for programs. Importantly, since Zoom coffees are smaller, “they give all the members ample opportunity to talk to everyone” she explains, happily realizing, “The new members who attend the Zoom coffees feel like they are now a part of this organization.”

Foodies also faced challenges in pivoting to Zoom.

Lea Bendes, coordinator of the 400-member group, explains, “The enthusiasm of the women involved never ceases to amaze me ... we are reinventing ourselves.”

The popular cookie exchange, for instance, evolved into an online one, with about 27 participants. After some fun activities, members entered breakout rooms, where each woman displayed her cookies while describing the baking method, texture, smell and taste. They shared interesting histories of the delectables, too.

Foodies also transformed their “Tastings” event. Previously, every participant brought a themed dish to a host’s home to share. For their Zoom “Tastings,” participants joined breakout rooms to discuss their recipes and converse while dining.

And their creativity continues; future Zoom meetings might be conversations about favorite gadgets or equipment.

The women of WCA have prevailed, creating multiple virtual paths to continue the tradition of friendship, enrichment and fun, even during difficult times.

Many thanks to Susan Pittelman for her contribution to this article.