RJ Blog

In the six months since Superstorm Sandy devastated coastal communities in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, the Reform Jewish community has rallied to support the rebuilding effort, our synagogues, and the millions of people who were – and continue to be – impacted by the storm. Although much of the Reform Movement’s work has been behind the scenes – raising and allocating funds, coordinating volunteers, and keeping abreast of the rebuilding efforts two of our synagogues are undertaking – our members have risen to the occasion. Countless volunteer hours have been applied to the cause, entire trailers of donated [...]

by Rabbi Barry Block The disconnect is striking. “The Jewish vote,” we were told last year, is all about support for Israel. But here I am at the Consultation on Conscience.  Israel is on the agenda, to be sure. But it’s a crowded agenda. And our friends in Washington seem to “get” that better than the pre-election press. The Consultation’s keynote was a conversation between Rabbi Rick Jacobs and Ambassador Susan Rice. They talked about Israel. But they also struggled with Sudan and Syria. They emphasized international LGBT human rights. Senators and members of Congress of both parties are poised [...]

On Friday, 20 children and eight adults were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School. These children, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, family, friends and teachers are just the latest victims of senseless and preventable bloodshed. The recent tragedy in Newtown, CT is a devastating reminder that over 30,000 Americans die each year as a result of gun violence. The number and severity of violent shootings in recent years can only be described as an epidemic. The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting forces us to address the crippling nature of gun violence. It serves as a clarion call to action: “If not [...]

We’ve been hearing a lot recently about the so-called fiscal cliff: that moment, a few weeks off, when massive spending cuts kick in and major tax breaks expire. There has been a lot of frantic talk and heady discussion about how (and whether) America will dig in right now and face the hard facts about our federal deficit and debt. Amidst all of this it can be easy to ignore the truly crushing debt afflicting countries all across the Global South, and to ignore America’s implications in this crisis and to forget to consider what we could do to help.

Earlier this week the Human Rights Campaign, a frequent coalition partner of the Religious Action Center, released its first ever Jewish Organization Equality Index. Based on the model that HRC has used for years to evaluate corporations, the JOEI seeks to illustrate how well various Jewish communities have sought to welcome and integrate LGBT members. The JOEI surveyed over 200 Jewish organizations and contains a wealth of information and ideas on how the Jewish community can best work toward justice and live the values of equality that we espouse. In the document’s introduction HRC president Chad Griffin says the JOEI [...]

by Shirah Kraus As the conclusion draws closer, the 15-year-old aspiring cantor leading havdallah asks the circle of friends what we would bring back home with us. Everyone. The few vs. the many. Community. Connection. Love. Chocolate Moses. Friends. Social Action. Social justice. Babies and starfish. Questions. What happened here will not stay here. Even though this havdallah marks the end of Shabbat, the separation of the holy and the profane, the holiness of Shabbat is not confined to Shabbat. The holiness of Shabbat, the holiness of community, the holiness of learning will transcend this one weekend at Hebrew Union [...]

Sunday’s shooting outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is yet the latest reminder that, for the safety of our communities, the fight for sensible gun control policies must become a national priority. Just before 11:00 on Sunday morning, Radcliffe Haughton, who was involved in a domestic dispute with his wife, opened fire at a spa.  The facts in this tragic event are stilling surfacing and investigations are ongoing. Reports show that Haughton shot seven women, three of whom died – the other four are receiving medical attention. Haughton’s wife was among those killed. Police found Haughton dead at the scene of the [...]

On August 6th, 2012, Wade Michael Page – identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as having ties to white supremacist and neo-Nazi organizations – open fired at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights responded yesterday by holding a public hearing on “Hate Crimes and the Threat of Domestic Extremism.” This hearing came after the Sikh Coalition mobilized over 150 organizations – including the Union for Reform Judaism, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and several other Jewish groups – to write to the committee and request [...]

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).

Religion and politics go hand in hand in American life. The relationship between the government and religion were of such importance and concern that our founders thought it necessary to write the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses into the First Amendment. But while the relationship between the government as a whole and religious entities has been defined for over two centuries, the American public still demands expressions of faith from elected officials. A recent study by the Pew Forum found that 67% of adults believe that it is important for the President to express strong religious beliefs.  This number has [...]

by Rabbi Jack Paskoff I don’t know how tall Robert Gerofsky is, but he’s a lot bigger than I am. Last Monday morning, as I stood in my tallit, my vintage NFTY-PAR hat (it counts as a head covering), shorts and a t-shirt, I had Robert stand next to me as I spoke with 55 campers (pre-school through 7th grade), 16 high school students, and five adults, we talked about how we can feel small and insecure when we stand next to giants. We might feel as insignificant as grasshoppers. And so it was for 10 out of 12 spies [...]

Over the last year, many Americans have spoke against the voter suppression laws that have swept the nation, state by state. But there are few who can speak with more passion or heart than those who actively organized, rallied and marched during the Civil Rights Movement to fight for expanded rights, including voting rights, for all. One of these leaders is Representative John Lewis (D-GA), who, 50 years ago, put his body on the line to defeat Jim Crow laws that blocked African Americans and other citizens of color from accessing the polls and exercising their rights as Americans.

The Connecticut Jewish Ledger recently profiled the Religious Action Center‘s Rabbi Lynne Landsberg, Senior Adviser on Disability Issues, in advance of her speaking engagement early next month at Congregation B’nai Israel in Bridgeport. In it, Rabbi Landsberg makes a powerful and personal case for the Jewish community’s role in fighting for the rights of people with disabilities:

April 20, 2010, began as an ordinary day for residents of the Gulf Coast. Fishermen woke up early to head out for the daily catch, and news outlets reported on the perils of the U.S. economy. Outside, the skies were overcast with temperatures in the high 60s, standard conditions before summer’s suffocating humidity settled in. But by the end of the day that began as so ordinary, the lives of Gulf residents would be changed forever.