RJ Blog

by Annette Powers, Dana Stein and Jane Herman Annette:  Despite the drenching rain in New York City, it was standing room only at Town and Village Synagogue this morning, where hundreds gathered to daven Rosh Chodesh Nisan in solidarity with Women of the Wall’s mission for the rights of all people to pray freely at the Kotel. The crowd was a mix of men, women and children across the spectrum of Jewish denominations. There were students from day schools and youth groups, Jewish professionals and lay leaders, rabbis and cantors. Some women wore tallitot; some didn’t. Some women wore tefillin; [...]

Read about how KESHER Birthright alum Alexis Drattell found a home for herself in Israel, then carried her experiences with her as she discovers Reform Jewish life in Milan, Italy.

How can one best participate in building the State of Israel? In the long history of the Jewish people, this is a very new question. The question of what is the best way to build or protect Israel has been, and continues to be, at the center of many debates. These debates were present in Israel before the declaration of the state. There were two groups in the land; those who worked to return the Jewish people to the land as farmers, workers, and builders, and those who wished to bring about a state based on Torah study. The chalutzim [...]

I have heard it said that the single most valuable Jewish experience young people can have is Jewish camp. Jacobs Camp is the absolute personification of this belief. We love it and so do two more generations (so far!) of Orgel family members!

By Rabbi Micah Greenstein Rabbi Greenstein is the Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel in Memphis, TN.  He is the father of Cara (Songleader & Marketing Intern), Jake (Garin Counselor) and Julia (Talmidim Camper). Here’s the question: What is the strongest factor in the Jewish identity formation of a rabbi’s kid? School? Shul? The fact that the child’s dad or mom is a rabbi? Divine intervention? In my case, it’s none of the above.  It’s Jewish summer camp. While there are many worthy pieces to the Jewish identity jigsaw puzzle, in my rabbinic family, Jewish summer camp is the hands down winner. [...]

And you shall also take a chieftain from each tribe through whom the land shall be apportioned for you… From the tribe of Asher: a chieftain, Ahihud son of Shelomi. -Numbers 34:18, 27

Israelis for years rejected Reform as an import. They imported jeans and Coca Cola with enthusiasm – but pluralism and egalitarianism were stopped at the border… -Rabbi Naamah Kelman-Ezrahi, dean of HUC Jerusalem, at the Israel Biennial The Reform movement in Israel recently held its biennial convention, at the beautiful Shefayim convention center on the bluffs overlooking the Mediterranean, just south of Netanyah. The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere festive. A thousand laymen and communal professionals gathered from the movement’s congregations throughout the country, including lots of teenagers from the youth movement and the pre-army preparatory program in Yaffo. Students [...]

Dear The Mums, I know that I just wrote to you a week ago, but this past Sunday — and again on Monday — I was surrounded by so many things that you would love that I need to give you a quick update. On Sunday — thanks to Donnie C. Cutler’s mother, who invited me as her guest — I attended the annual luncheon of the Jewish Women’s Archive.  It was held in the big event room at the Museum of Jewish Heritage and had the weather been better (Did you forget to order up some good weather?), we [...]

Last week as I gathered with thousands of participants, including hundreds of Reform Jews, at the AIPAC conference, I was proud to see that Reform Jewish leaders are deeply involved in AIPAC and other organizations that work to strengthen and support Israel. These groups strive to move the peace process forward and address Israel’s internal challenges such as democracy, religious pluralism, women’s rights and human rights, as well as build bipartisan support to help ensure that the Jewish state is safe, strong and secure.  Increasingly, all groups working in support of Israel are alarmed by the threat posed by Iran. [...]

by Jim Cherney I had the great pleasure to participate in the Beutel Seminar in Israel for 10 days in January. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the program, it is an education/ enrichment seminar sponsored by the Saltz Education Center of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.  Reform and Progressive Jews from throughout the world can apply to the program which is held in the first quarter every year in Israel. For participants, the cost is subsidized by a generous sustaining gift from Austin and Nani Beutel of Toronto; the program is only one example of their [...]

by Beni Wajnberg When we think about remodeling a building in need of repair, the way to safely and accurately perform such reform depends on the structure of the edifice itself; and the same is true to religion. A lot of what a Reform Jewish identity relies on is the cultural repertoire of those involved. Different cultural contexts result in different developments of one’s religious characteristics/identifications. Reform Judaism, in Latin America, is always struggling with itself; not that Reform Judaism does not (or should) struggle in other places. There always seems to be a tension even in the terminology: Reform? [...]

I give up. It is time for me to admit that—with very few exceptions—young men in Israel’s haredi community will not go into Israel’s army. I find it difficult to say this because I have always advocated for political measures to compel their conscription. Their failure to serve is a terrible injustice. Those who give up years of their life to protect Israel from enemies bent on her destruction are infuriated by those who refuse to share this burden. And tragically, this failure to serve is a primary reason why so many non-religious Israelis view Judaism with contempt. If Torah [...]

by Rabbi Jan Katzew When a sage dies, everyone becomes kin. -Babylonian Talmud A sage, Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut, has died and once again we are all family. You may never have met Rabbi Plaut personally, yet it is likely that he taught you Torah. He served as the editor and primary author of the first liberal Jewish commentary on the Torah. Published initially in 1981, The Torah: A Modern Commentary was a literary pioneer, leading the way for multiple contemporary interpretations of a sacred ancient text. Rabbi Gunther Plaut was a renaissance rabbi, who led congregations in Chicago, Illinois, [...]

The first temple, in Jerusalem, was built by King Solomon, after God deemed his father, King David, unworthy of the task. Nonetheless, a dozen member congregations of the Union for Reform Judaism have deemed King David worthy enough to name their temples after him (although none explains on its website the reason for their choice). But among contemporary URJ temples, only one bears the name Solomon. You could readily surmise that the Jews of that congregation wanted to honor the great builder and wise man who is credited with writing Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs.  (Daddy only has [...]