RJ Blog

Leaders of the Reform Movement issued a statement today about a recent ruling from the Jerusalem District Court that determined that recent detention of Women of the Wall members for their activities at the Western Wall was unjustified and for denying local police requests for restraining orders against the group. Haaretz has more on the ruling and its implications. URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs said of the ruling, We were especially pleased to hear the judge state that the Law of Holy Places, which gives visitors to the Kotel the opportunity to pray according to ‘local custom,’ does not mandate [...]

In the wake of Monday’s bombings at the Boston Marathon, the Reform community continues to come together to offer prayers and hold special services. At urj.org/bostonmarathon, you’ll find resources for you and your community to cope with this tragedy, including resources on Jewish mourning, for use in the aftermath of a communal tragedy, and guidance for parents trying to talk to their children about death. These resources include: Prayers for Current Events Prayers for Mourning A Prayer for Those Affected by the Boston Bombings A Prayer in the Aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombing What Israeli Resilience Can Teach Us [...]

by Cantor Rosalie Boxt Man, I’ve been talking a lot. Hours and hours! More than usual, even (In grade school, I was called Ms. Butt-insky for chatting so much.) I don’t love talking on the phone and do not keep up by phone with as many friends as I should, but in the past three weeks, I’ve had a dozen or more hours of conversations, and all about the same thing: prayer and worship. In all aspects of my life these days, I’m talking to people about what makes “good worship” – at a cantors’ convention, at Reform Movement events, [...]

I have been to the mountaintop and I can see the future of Jewish education. Take your shoes off, friend. We’re walking on holy ground and praying with our feet.

by Rabbi Dan Medwin Last week, I was given a wonderfully challenging task as the CCAR rabbinic staff member at the NFTY Convention:  Take fifty participants from the Youth Engagement Conference and a two-hour prayer lab session, and plan multiple services for about 900 NFTY Convention participants.  While seemingly impossible, I jumped at the opportunity.   After all, we produce Visual T’filah and all the prayer books for the Reform Movement – I could do this! Working with my colleague Rabbi Noam Katz and Jewish musician Dan Nichols (and joined by rabbis Erin Mason and Ana Bonheim), we were tempted to [...]

At home, we sometimes used to struggle to feed balanced meals to our three teenagers. Imagine trying to feed 1,000 as these Jewish teens sat together to for Shabbat dinner. And that was only the beginning. We are gathered at a hotel in Los Angeles for the NFTY Convention, perhaps the largest Jewish teen gathering around. NFTY, of which our synagogue’s kids are third-generation members, has brought together teens from all over the US and Canada (and also, I heard, teens from Israel and a half dozen other countries) for five days of fun, socializing, Jewish learning, energetic music, teen [...]

Last Friday morning, Israeli police detained four women as they prayed at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The group of 138 men and women was organized by Women of the Wall, an organization that fights for women’s right to pray freely, while donning prayer shawls and other religious articles, at the Western Wall. Among those detained was Reform Rabbi Elyse Frishman, senior rabbi of Barnert Temple in Franklin Lakes, NJ, the oldest synagogue in New Jersey and editor of the Reform Movement’s siddur (prayer book), CCAR’s Mishkan T’filah, used in over 700 North American congregations. (Rabbi Frishman is also married [...]

by Rabbi Elias Lieberman Like many congregations within the Reform Movement, our community of 310 households has many interfaith families. Some 65% of the children in our education program have a parent who is not a Jew. In every case, however, these interfaith couples have made a decision to raise their children as Jews and have turned to our synagogue to help them in that process. In the 22 years that I’ve been privileged to serve as rabbi of the Falmouth Jewish Congregation, I have witnessed firsthand a generation raised by interfaith parents come of age with strong Jewish identities. [...]

by Rabbi Jen Gubitz What exactly does it mean that “Am Yisrael Chai” – the People of Israel live? Perhaps it is a song of joy and relief! The People of Israel Live – because there were times when our living, when our survival was unclear. Perhaps it is a refrain of power and dominion! The People of Israel Live – because for only 64 years have we had a modern land to call our own, sustaining our survival. What exactly does it mean that “Am Yisrael Chai” – the People of Israel live?

Today I took a new route to work. It might seem like a simple thing. After all, I’ve been driving from the same house to the same synagogue for seven years (that’s how long we’ve lived in this house. I’m actually celebrating my 10th year at the synagogue!). But today I got a little lost. On purpose. Part of my 36 Reasons to Say Shehecheyanu project is, in my mind, teaching an old dog new tricks. Not to call myself old (or a dog), but I wanted to shake things up just a teensy bit. Nothing crazy, mind you. But [...]

by Alden Solovy A “Color Red” siren went off in Jerusalem yesterday. For the second time in four days, rockets were launched from Gaza at the City of Gold. We got a taste of what the south has been suffering, quite literally, for years. My first reaction: the IDF has my back. No need to worry. Of course, it’s not quite so simple. And still, we’re counting on the IDF. We must. Last week, RJ Blog posted my three-part liturgy for Operation Pillar of Defense. The first prayer is for the safety of the IDF, called “For the IDF: Operation [...]

by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat As a mother, as a human being, as a Jew, and as a rabbi, this prayer/poem is the best articulation I can offer of what my heart and soul are feeling right now. I pray for God to heal the hearts of all who suffer: Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and non-Jews, “us” and “them,” combatants on both sides, those who fear on both sides, those who mourn on both sides, those who benefit from the existing systems in place and those who struggle within those systems. Please, God, speedily and soon. All are welcome to share [...]

by Alden Solovy We do not hear the warning sirens here in Jerusalem, but the city sounds different, as if suddenly this town began holding its breath. We are, like the rest of the nation. Like Jews all over the world. And like Jews everywhere, we’re praying for the sons and daughters of our people who are risking their lives to end the rain of missiles on Israel from Gaza. This is a three-prayer liturgy for use as Operation Pillar of Defense continues. The first is a new prayer is for the safety of soldiers serving in the IDF, as [...]

Eloheinu velohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, Our God and God of our fathers and mothers, The flood waters came, wreaking havoc upon our cities, our homes, our rescue workers, our sense of security, And we turn to You for comfort and support. Help us to differentiate between floods of destruction and down-pouring of Your love and comfort.