How Many Jews Are in Congress?
The 115th Congress's freshman class boasts the largest percentage of Jewish members in recorded history, at 8%.
How to Leave a Mark by Giving Teens Israel Travel Opportunities
Last week, as the calendar filled with important occasions for Israel, I thought about the role the country plays in shaping Jewish identity for our movement’s young people. For decades, the URJ has been sending teens to Israel for life-changing experiences. This summer, Sci-Tech Israel, a new specialty trip, will join our family of teen and young adult Israel programs, which includes NFTY in Israel, URJ Heller High, and URJ Kesher, the only Birthright trip associated with Reform Judaism.
3 Reflective Questions for Emerging Leaders to Explore
Leadership development is critical for any congregation that expects to thrive now and in the future.
My Life in Israel Today: Faith, Vision, and Reality
Even before I made aliyah, I celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) with my community, members of a small Reform congregation in Kerch, Crimea.
The Terrific Jewish Life We Found in Rural Alabama
There aren’t many people out there willing to uproot their entire lives to relocate to Dothan, Alabama. Read what prompted one family to do just that.
Why It’s So Vital to Support Reform Communities in Israel
North America’s Reform Jews have an opportunity to join with friends and colleagues in Israel who seek a Judaism that is inclusive, and reflects our shared values.
How to Bring Biblical Agricultural Traditions to Life
In the 1940s, two Israeli pioneers created a new Jewish holiday specifically for agricultural settlers who were bringing the Jewish people back to working the land.
The Ten Commandments: The Symbol That Split the Synagogue
In the early 20th century, stained glass windows were incorporated into many newly built, grand, European synagogues in a self-conscious act of cultural appropriation and affirmation.
How I Found Life in the Business of Death
People often ask me how a nice Jewish girl from the Midwest landed in New York City running one of the largest Jewish funeral chapels in the region.
Remembering the Stylist Who Truly Understood Curly Jewish Hair
If you were a girl with curls in the straight-haired culture of the 1960s, you know from my angst. I owe a debt of gratitude to Rose Evansky, of blessed memory, the inventor of the blow drying technique.