Reform Jewish Leader Supports First Muslim Member of Congressí Right to Take Oath of Office Using Koran
In Response to today's column by Dennis Prager and the ensuing criticism of Repersentative Keith Ellison's request to take his oath of office on the Koran, Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
URJ President to Spend Night at Synagogue Homeless Shelter He Founded 30 Years Ago
Brooklyn, NY, January 14, 2014 – In 1983, when Rabbi Rick Jacobs was the rabbi at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue (BHS), he had a vision to start a shelter to address the growing problem of homelessness in New York City.
URJ Responds to Accusations Reportedly Made By Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
Union for Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs issued the following statement reacting to reports of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ invocation of the classic anti-Semitic canard of water poisoning:
It is deplorable that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas engaged in spreading libelous accusations against Israeli rabbis in his remarks to the European parliament today. This persistent lie dates back thousands of years and is no more true today than it was in medieval ages.
URJ Responds To UUA Rejection of Divestment From Israel
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), issued the following statement today reacting to a vote taken on June 25th at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association defeating a resolution to support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel:
Reform Jewish Leader Supports First Muslim Member of Congress’ Right to Take Oath of Office Using Koran
In Response to today's column by Dennis Prager and the ensuing criticism of Repersentative Keith Ellison's request to take his oath of office on the Koran, Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
URJ Board Adopts New Resolutions on Paid Leave, Immunizations and Predatory Lending
The Union for Reform Judaism North American Board this week overwhelmingly adopted new resolutions on Paid Family Leave, Mandatory Immunizations and Predatory Lending. The resolutions’ adoption concludes a consultative and inclusive process that began before the recent Biennial assembly held in November 2015 in Orlando, FL. The resolutions add to the canon of hundreds of URJ resolutions adopted over more than a century and which outline the URJ’s values and priorities.
URJ President: We're Opposed to Israeli Legislation on NGOs
In response to attacks against human rights NGOs in Israel, including the advancement of a “Transparency Bill” in the Knesset, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), issued the following statement.
Reform Jewish Leader Responds to Implementation of the Iran Nuclear Deal
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) issued the following statement in response to the announcement that the P5+1 have fully implemented the Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
North American Reform Movement Applauds Passage of Plan to Enhance Egalitarian Prayer Space at Western Wall
Years of Organized Efforts Yield Significant Victory for Reform Jews, Women of the Wall: New Area to be Under Non-Orthodox Oversight
In the most significant development in the nearly generation-long campaign by Women of the Wall and their allies for religious equality at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the Israeli government today approved the creation of an enhanced egalitarian prayer space at the Wall, which, for the first time, will be under the authority of non-Orthodox leadership.
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.