RJ Blog

The following column is part of a series. For more, go to Liberal Zionists Speak Out. I am a Zionist. Zionism is the belief that the establishment of a Jewish and democratic state in the Land of Israel is essential for the creative survival of the Jewish people. Being a Zionist does not require that I live in the Jewish state, but it does require serious and thoughtful advocacy for the proposition noted above. My definition is carefully phrased and is rooted in the values and ideals of historical Zionism. Zionism calls for a state that is democratic, and that [...]

I usually spend Yom HaAtzmaut here in New York, but when the day comes, I am always sorry that I am not in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. I have been a proud Israel activist all of my life, but the problem with being an activist is that when you spend so much time focusing on Israel as a cause, you sometimes lose touch with Israel as a place. Thus I always find myself thinking how much I would prefer to be there for this day—for the sounds, the smells, the arguments, the passions, and the language of the Jewish state. [...]

It’s time to fight for the Zionist dream.  And it’s time to give some thought to what that dream is—and what it’s not. During the recent hostilities in southern Israel, the image that caught my attention was the picture of terrified Israeli schoolgirls cowering behind the school bus that they had just evacuated and looking to the sky for missiles launched from Gaza.  That image has remained with me.  I know that the Iron Dome defense system performed admirably and that the military operations of the Israel Defense forces were deemed successful.   I know that plans are underway to expand [...]

Religious conservatives are drawn to the language of religious war, even if no such war exists. This is a bizarre, dangerous and troubling phenomenon. I experienced it directly on Feb. 9 when I appeared on the Sean Hannity show on the Fox News channel as part of a panel of a dozen religious leaders, all of whom, except for me, were conservatives. During the hour long show, the panel was called on to respond to interviews conducted by Mr. Hannity dealing with government funding of contraceptives.

I read with great interest Rabbi Eric Yoffie’s February 10th blog piece on the Huffington Post entitled “Religious But Not Spiritual” . In his capacity as President of the Union for Reform Judaism and, especially, after four years of working under his leadership in this organization, I am among those who have had occasion to revel in his intellectual and moral rigor, his passionate voice for justice and his vision for our people – for all people – and of what can and should be expected of us. In the truest spirit of prophetic Judaism, Rabbi Yoffie always presents us [...]

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 [...]

Jefferson Bethke’s YouTube video, “Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus,” has been viewed by more than 18 million people. Bethke raises questions about the intentions of Jesus and the nature of Christianity, and these questions are properly dealt with by Christian thinkers. But the video and its incredible popularity touch upon broader issues that are deeply rooted in the history of the Abrahamic traditions and that impact the lives of all American religious believers. Many of the commentators have seen Bethke’s arguments as a reflection of recent trends that show growing skepticism among younger Americans about organized religion. These [...]

When we look at Rabbi Plaut’s influence on the greater Reform Movement, it seems to me that there are two areas of accomplishment that deserve special mention. The first, not often discussed but of great importance, is his remarkable courage. As a spokesman for Jewish values and tradition, Gunther Plaut was usually ahead of the pack.  He said things that others did not want to hear, or were not ready to hear.  He articulated unpopular beliefs, and he fought for those beliefs.  But Gunther knew no other way.  He spoke the truth as he say it, with no apologies and [...]

by Rabbi Daniel Freelander Since we last gathered for a Biennial convention two years ago in Toronto, the Union for Reform Judaism has been hard at work strengthening Reform Judaism in North America. We have had two interesting years of growth, of challenges and excitement with an eye to the future.

National Harbor, MD December 17, 2011 We gather again on this Shabbat as a Reform family – experiencing together these precious hours of sacred time, praying as only we know how. Shabbat, above all, is a time for celebration and praising God – and that is what we have done. As usual at these services, we do it mostly through music. We sing because we are commanded to sing; because music reaches deep down into the crevices of our souls and connects us to God; because music is God’s gift that summons our emotions and ties us to our tradition [...]