The future is now

Introducing the WCA Younger Division

By Shelly Bell, WCA Younger Division Coordinator

Community plays a pivotal role in Judaism. From the celebration of life at a Bris to the mourning at a Shiva, Jews rely on our connections to each other for support and comfort. Sometimes, creating these connections in Southwest Florida can prove diffi cult, especially for women still working or raising families. The Women’s Cultural Alliance Younger Division hopes to remedy that by providing weeknight and Sunday programming for women younger than 60.

According to a 2019 University of Notre Dame study, spending time with female friends improves a woman’s health and can increase her lifespan. Unfortunately, many women, to their detriment, often place the needs of others ahead of their own.

I’ve lived in Naples for six years, but until recently, I hadn’t forged many friendships, because I threw all my energy into my career and family. The months I spent quarantining at home gave me the opportunity to reevaluate my priorities. While I could have joined a chavurah through my temple, I decided my energy would be better spent serving my Jewish community. If I was having issues making friends, surely I wasn’t the only one. Along with my mother, WCA board member, Leslie Wasserman, I approached the Women’s Cultural Alliance with the idea of creating a division for women who are unable to attend daytime programming.

In the summer of 2021, I began publicizing the formation of WCA’s new Younger Division. Forced to postpone our first event at Empty Bowls due to COVID, nine women were finally able to meet in October for an outdoor dinner at Patio Café in Naples. For some of us, it was the fi rst time engaging with other Jewish women in the community since moving to the area.

WCA Younger Division Chanukah Celebration at Seasons 52

Dana Strull, an educational consultant originally from Louisville, Kentucky, attended the dinner “to connect with Jewish women and develop friendships.” Having recently moved to Southwest Florida, she explained that living here without knowing many people can feel “isolating.” Now that she’s a part of WCA’s Younger Division, she is looking forward to participating in more activities.

In the first week of December, a dozen of us gathered at Seasons 52 for the Younger Division’s First Annual Chanukah Party. After a delicious dinner, we did a pampering-themed gift exchange of items such as bath and body products, wine and chocolate. Like the first time we met, the conversation flowed easily and naturally. To me, it felt as if I’d known these women for longer than a couple of months.

As the COVID case numbers decrease and the population of snowbirds increases, we anticipate expanding our Younger Division programming beyond our getto-know-you dinners. The Women’s Cultural Alliance currently offers more than three dozen groups, ranging from canasta and bridge to book and film clubs. In addition, WCA organizes special events, such as the speaker series, new member coffees, a Community of Friendship Luncheon and Annual Mah Jongg and Canasta days.

Not only will members of the Younger Division have access to all WCA’s current groups and programs, but they will also have the bonus opportunity of participating in our evening and Sunday programs.

As to the kind of groups and programming we’ll offer, we’re limited only by our imagination. This spring, we hope to add activities, such as nature tours, cooking classes and pickleball. We’ve also discussed attending the theater and starting a book club.

To accomplish this, we need liaisons, members who act as the contact and organizer for the group. The time commitment for serving as a liaison is usually minimal, but the reward is great.

If you’re unable to act as a liaison right now, we still invite you to participate in the Younger Division as a member. You’ll have the opportunity to provide input and shape the division to ensure that it offers a little something for everyone. With restoration of indoor programming in Southwest Florida, I urge every woman to take advantage of our ability to connect to others in our community and spend time with female friends.

After all, it’s good for our health.

To learn more about the Younger Division or if you’re a WCA member who would like to be a part of the Younger Division, please email Shelly Bell at sbell987@aol.com.