RJ Blog

After a months-long political campaign, we wake up this morning, take a look around at the new additions to the political landscape, and get ready to “think big” about our goals over the next few years. Whatever your political views, liberal or conservative, Republican or Democratic, our responsibility for shaping the world includes choosing who will lead us politically in the forefront of the fight for social justice. Each of your votes counted and played a defining role in setting policy agendas. Exercising your constitutional rights as voters and activists not only strengthens American democracy but our work for social [...]

Few symbols associated with our holiday cycle are as colorful and interesting as the sukkah.  Following the biblical command that we should dwell in this temporary and frail shelter for seven days, many Jews today will not eat under a fixed roof during the entire period of the festival, taking their meals in the sukkah and eating, conversing, singing—truly a moving experience. What is the meaning of this commandment? I offer one insight from a line in the Hashkivenu prayer, contained in each evening service, which reads: “Ufros Aleinu Sukkat Shlomecha—Spread over us the sukkah of Your peace.”

Many ethical values underlying democracy are rooted in what Judaism sees as key characteristics of the human condition. And while at no time in the classical period did Judaism create a system of government and laws fully equivalent to our modern democracy, in applying those values, we see clear manifestations of proto-democratic institutions — with some democratic features that greatly influenced key founders of our nation, from the Puritans to the rationalist (Deist) authors of our seminal legal and political documents. Four key values necessary for democracy are found in Judaism’s view of human society:

This Shabbat falls at the beginning of the Labor Day holiday weekend, which traditionally marks the end of summer. Labor Day today often finds us at barbecues or enjoying the beach one last time before fall, but the holiday originally was created to celebrate unions and the role of workers in our society. Jewish tradition strongly supports the right of employees to be treated with dignity by their employers. The Torah teaches us: “You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer…You must pay out the wages due on the same day, before the sun sets, for the worker is needy and urgently depends on it;” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15).

On behalf of the North American Reform Jewish Movement and all people who appreciate equality in Israel, we offer our sincere and hearty congratulations to Anat Hoffman on her 10th anniversary with the Israel Religious Action Center. It is a true milestone for this committed Israeli activist. Anat has long been a partner of the Reform Movement in North America, and it has been our unique pleasure to work closely with her on matters affecting progressive Jews in Israel and beyond. A fierce and inspiring Jewish leader, Anat has touched the lives of so many people in Israel and around [...]

6:00 a.m.  LaGuardia.  US Air Shuttle.  I am typing over a breakfast consisting of a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin (without cheese) and a cup of tea – a luxury that during the past week I could not have afforded.  Indeed, it cost 30 cents more than my daily allotment for food over the last week.

“It is that command to be holy that calls us to a partnership with the Divine to make God’s vision of justice and peace real here on Earth, to create a better and more hopeful future for all God’s children. You shall be Holy for the Eternal your God is Holy.” There is to me no more exalted formulation of the human condition and our role in the universe than these words of Lev.19:2 and the evocative rules exemplifying the implementation of that idea described in the ensuing verses.