Reform Movement Response To News That Donald Trump Will Speak At AIPAC Policy Conference
The Reform Jewish Movement has always worked very closely with AIPAC. We respect completely its decision to invite all the viable candidates for president to speak at its upcoming Policy Conference. By inviting the candidates to speak, AIPAC does not support or oppose their candidacies, nor does it condone or commend their policies. AIPAC has, as it must, a singular focus: the U.S./Israel relationship. AIPAC's intent – and its responsibility – is to better understand the candidates' views on issues that impact the U.S./Israel relationship.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, Responds to Donald Trump's Remarks at AIPAC
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, responded today to presidential candidate Donald Trump’s remarks at the AIPAC Policy Conference
URJ President on United Methodist Church Rejecting BDS
This week’s clear decision by the United Methodist Church rejecting the efforts of those who misguidedly sought to draw the Church into the boycott, divestment, sanctions campaign to delegitimize Israel is a welcome step in support of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
URJ Launches JewV’Nation Fellowship: An Interfaith Outreach Incubator for Emerging Jewish Leaders
Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) today launched the JewV’Nation Fellowship, an innovative year-long project incubator and leadership development program supporting emerging Jewish leaders and creative interfaith outreach initiatives. The program, which will begin in early 2017, is supported in part with a Jewish Funders Network grant from Avenues to Jewish Engagement for Intermarried Couples and their Families, in honor of 2015 Genesis Prize Laureate Michael Douglas.
The JewV’Nation (pronounced “juvination”) Fellowship program will be led by April Baskin, URJ’s Vice President of Audacious Hospitality, and seeks to engage a new generation of leadership by valuing the perspectives and insights of the younger members of the community and supporting them with resources and strategies to bring their best ideas to life. The fellows themselves will define and create exciting and contemporarily relevant Jewish programming.
Opposing BDS
Reform Movement Applauds First U.S. Deposit to the Green Climate Fund
Washington, D.C., March 8, 2016 – On the occasion of the first deposit of U.S. funds to the Green Climate Fund, Barbara Weinstein, Director of the Commission on Social Action, issued the following statement:
Reform Movement Leader Condemns Recent Attacks Across Israel
Washington, D.C., March 9, 2016 – In response to several violent attacks that have taken place over the past day in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
Reform Jewish Movement Urges Swift Senate Consideration of Supreme Court Nominee
Washington, D.C., March 16, 2016 – In response to the nomination of Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
Reform Movement Leader Requests Meeting with Donald Trump
Dear Mr. Trump,
On behalf of the 1.5 million Reform Jews of the Union for Reform Judaism and the 2,000 rabbis of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, I write to request a meeting at the soonest possible date.
Reform Movement Requests Urgent Meeting with Donald Trump; Engages in Movement-Wide Conversation on Leadership and Human Dignity
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18, 2016 - Today, the Reform Movement reached out directly to Donald Trump, requesting a meeting at the earliest possible date to discuss our concerns about his campaign rhetoric and views, which have included appeals to bigotry and have been offensive to women, people of color, and others. Such statements have challenged our longstanding commitment to civil rights, religious freedom, gender equality and other deeply held American values.