RJ Blog

On March 20, Rabbi David Saperstein spoke at the inaugural Coexist Prize Ceremony. The prize forms part of the work of the Coexist Foundation, which seeks to promote understanding of what it means to be Jewish, Christian, or Muslim today and build bridges between these faith traditions and others. The winner of this year’s prize—the first ever—was Lian Gogali from Indonesia, who was honored for her work in establishing the Institute Mosintuwu, which educates Muslim and Christian women and children in post-conflict Poso. The award ceremony followed a day of discussion about national and international interfaith work.

When the founders of modern Zionism hoped that having a country of their own would make Jews like all other nations, they didn’t think that the Jews would adopt any of the despicable traits of the anti-Semites among whom they lived in dispersion. The aim of Zionism was not only to liberate the Jews from their perilous existence as pariahs but also to enable them to live by the highest ideals of their tradition. Yet more than six decades after the establishment of the State of Israel that has indeed afforded Jews who settled here freedom from persecution  – and [...]

by Peter ShapiroRead the review of this book in Reform Judaism magazineSee other Significant Jewish Books Christians and Jews by Rabbi James Rudin is a scholarly analysis of interfaith relations that portrays a tragic history, a promising present and a fragile future. The central theme of the book is: why has “the other” hated us so much and what, if anything, we can do to change that culture. The problem began after the death of Jesus when his disciples referred to themselves and their followers as “New Israel” and the other Jews as “Old Israel”. Years later when their sacred [...]

by Rabbi Eric YoffieOriginally published on The Huffington Post I have been participating in interfaith dialogue as a rabbi and Jewish leader for more than 30 years, and most of the time it just doesn’t work. Most of the time — and it is painful for me to admit this — it is terribly boring. Most of the time there is a tendency to manufacture consensus, whether it exists or not. Most of the time we go to great lengths to avoid conflict. Most of the time we cover the same ground that we covered last month or the month [...]

by Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor Vice President – Philanthropy, World Union for Progressive Judaism All stories that teach a lesson are “true,”but some are also factual.This story is true and factual…Based on an event that occurred in 1999   Although my role as Program Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC) placed several responsibilities on my shoulders, my wife had one very important mission for me on my most recent trip to the Vatican. A co-worker and her husband were about to have a baby, and since they were devout Catholics, my wife thought it appropriate for [...]

by Rabbi Jonathan MillerTemple Emanu-El, Birmingham, AL Temple Emanu-El has started a project, Teyn Yad – Lend a Hand. If your congregation would like to send volunteers to work in Alabama to help provide relief for tornado victims, please email Rabbi Miller or his assistant, Ms. Erika Emody. Yesterday, Temple Emanu-El closed down its annual Giant Garage Sale.  Personally, I hate these things. I look at my Temple’s banquet hall festooned with old stuff hanging around loosely organized and I am reminded of my office and home. But people come in and buy it.  This year we collected a lot. [...]

by Arlene Chernow and Vicky FarhiURJ Congregational Outreach Specialists Recently, we read an article by Edgar Bronfman encouraging the Jewish world to welcome interfaith couples and families. Yasher koach for your intentions, Mr, Bronfman, we are in agreement and have been since 1987. That was the year that  Rabbi Alexander Schindler z”l, President of the then UAHC, changed the view of  interfaith marriage by urging our UAHC congregations to “Take the issues of intermarriage out of the house of mourning and bring it into the house of study. ” This was the beginning of the URJ’s groundbreaking, signature Outreach program.  [...]

by Cantor Sally NeffOriginally posted on Cantor’s Canvas This week, November 14-18, twenty Reform cantors are in Rome to perform at the Vatcian as part of the Second Conference on Jewish-Catholic Relations. See previous posts on this journey. Good evening everyone! It has been a great, but exhausting first day in Rome. I departed the US as Shabbat came to a close. I said the blessing, “hamavdil bein kodesh l’chol,” the blessing that ends Shabbat and praises G-d for creating a distinction between the holy and the profane – the sacred and the everyday. It was a strange blessing to [...]

by Cantor Claire FrancoThe Community Synagoge, Port Washington, NYSee previous posts on the American Conference of Cantors’ upcoming journey to perform at the Vatican So how exactly does one put together a concert in Rome? Apparently it is more complicated than I originally thought. It was nearly 3 years ago that my congregant, Gunther Lawrence wandered into my office, politely asked if I had a minute and when I said I did, asked me if I thought I could get a group of Cantors to go to Rome and sing.  “Sure” I replied.  “Why not?” I do concerts all the time [...]

by Cantor Roslyn BarakThe Congregation Emanu-El, San FranciscoSee previous posts on the American Conference of Cantors’ upcoming journey to perform at the Vatican A concert at the Vatican!  What a once-in-a-lifetime event, one that I couldn’t have imagined at all. Especially now – as a Reform female cantor, it seems rather unusual to be traveling to Rome to sing for the Pope. My congregants are completely awe-struck and can’t refrain from the usual jokes (Good yontif, Pontiff, etc.)  It’s true that at various times in my life, I earned a living as a professional singer on Sunday mornings in all [...]