URJ Receives $5 Million Gift From Heller Family To Enhance Transformational NFTY-EIE High School in Israel Program
New York, NY, October 19, 2016 – The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) announced today that the Heller family of Scotch Plains, NJ, has made an endowment gift of $5 million to fund the NFTY-EIE High School in Israel Program, which is being renamed URJ Heller High: Isaac and Helaine Heller EIE High School in Israel. This is the largest gift in EIE history, and the URJ’s largest non-capital gift.
The Union for Reform Judaism's Camp Newman Dedicates $4 Million Koret Conference Center Serving Northern California Jewish Community
On November 5, the Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Newman will dedicate the Koret Conference Center at URJ Camp Newman, a sacred new space for the Northern California Jewish community to enjoy immersive year-round Jewish experiences. The Koret Conference Center’s completion is a critical phase in the major development project completing the Jewish retreat center at URJ Camp Newman.n November 5, the Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Newman will dedicate the Koret Conference Center at URJ Camp Newman, a sacred new space for the Northern California Jewish community to enjoy immersive year-round Jewish experiences. The Koret Conference Center’s completion is a critical phase in the major development project completing the Jewish retreat center at URJ Camp Newman.
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.
Reform Movement Appaulds Bipartisan Compromise on Senate Rules Reform
Saperstein: "While the compromise fails to address the unprecedented increase in the use of legislative filibusters, we are hopeful that this debate served as a wakeup call to the Senate.
Rollback of Reproductive Rights, Tone of Debate Must Change
Rabbi Saperstein: "We will continue to sound a strong, moral, Jewish voice for the full range of reproductive rights -- including the right to a safe and affordable abortion, the right to comprehensive sex education, and the right to accessible and affordable cont
House Vote to Repeal Health Reform Deeply Troubling
Pelavin: While we are pleased that the Senate is unlikely to consider this legislation, we nonetheless call on all Members of Congress to focus on legislative priorities that reflect our nation's commitment to life, liberty and happiness - none of which are possible wit
Troubling Comments Continue to Erode Public Discourse: Saperstein
Rabbi Saperstein: "Gov. Bentley and Rep. Cohen's comments, though different in context and word, erode the atmosphere of civility and open-mindedness that is indispensable to the health of our democracy."
Jewish Leader urges Death Penalty Repeal in Illinois
Saperstein: "It is clear that the application of the death penalty has, for far too long, been unfair; the racial and class disparities among those sentenced to death as compared to those who receive life imprisonment are stark."
Jewish Leader Calls on Gov. Palin to Retract "Blood Libel" Statement
Pelavin: "The 'blood libel' stirred hatred and violence against Jews; it contributed to massacres, pogroms and banishments. These are events very different in kind and degree than the criticism to which Gov. Palin is being subjected."