Women of Reform Judaism

By Rabbi David Ellenson The history of the rapport between the Women of Reform Judaism and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion starts with the founding of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods in 1913 when NFTS established a National Committee on Hebrew Union Scholarships. Through Harvest Balls, dances, raffles, card parties, rummage sales, bazaars, the [...]

From WRJ to the Rabbinate by Rabbi Jill Berkson Zimmerman If it weren’t for the Women of Reform Judaism, I wouldn’t be writing this piece today as a rabbi. Growing up in a Chicago suburb in the 60′s, every house on our block was Jewish, as was 70% of our high school. Schools were closed [...]

By Liz Piper-Goldberg As a student in the Rabbinical Program of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, I am supported by a generous scholarship from the Women of Reform Judaism. I am deeply honored to be the beneficiary of an organization that does such important and significant work for our movement and our congregations. [...]

By Jordán Raber Since it is always difficult to begin a piece of writing, I will resort to a quotation. In “Shosha,” the eminent Isaac Bashevis Singer, states: “The walls were covered by paintings of Jewish artists …. In a display cabinet there were some Jewish antiques, boxes with spices, a gold and silver benediction [...]

During our visit, a new study was released in Israel by the Guttman Center, which showed that there are more Israelis who identify as Reform or Conservative Jews than those who identify as ultra-Orthodox. This is interesting and important news! It shows that our Movement is growing and that Israelis are learning ways to develop [...]

Today has been our busiest day so far on our WRJ-Israel Mission, involving meetings with many of our institutional partners in the Reform Movement. It was a veritable alphabet soup of organizations: IRAC (Israel Religious Action Center) IMPJ (Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism) HUC-JIR (Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion) WUPJ (World Union for Progressive [...]