Communal Aid: How to Ensure No One Falls Through the Cracks
When we made aliyah in 1990, arriving at Shorashim, the community was a moshav sheetufi, a commune of 30 families. The economy was similar to a kibbutz – all salaries, whether from communal businesses or from work “outside,” went to the common bank account; each family received a house to live in and a monthly allowance based on family size. But not anymore.
Red and Blue and White: Being an American and a Jew
I know from conversations I have had with Israelis, they find it difficult, if not impossible, to understand how Jews can feel so at home, so safe, so self-assured in the United States. For so many of our co-religionists—those who were forced to flee from oppressive regimes in the former Soviet Union, or Ethiopia, or those whose parents and grandparents fled from or grew up in the ashes of state-sanctioned hatred—they cannot possibly understand how we can live so calmly and unafraid in this nation. They can’t quite understand what it means to be an American and a Jew.
Stand Up for Racial Justice This Fall by Taking Action on Voting Rights
Starting this summer, the Reform Movement will be taking action around the United States under the banner of Nitzavim: Standing Up for Voter Protection and Participation.
Jewish Men's Groups Agree to an Unprecedented Collaboration
Men of Reform Judaism overwhelmingly approved a “memorandum of understanding” between MRJ and the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC), the umbrella organization of men’s clubs in United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism congregations. Here's what that entails.
Big News: Our Social Media Has Moved!
We’ve got some exciting news: Our social media is changing and expanding, and we hope you’ll follow along. As of today, the URJ’s social media is split into two separate web presences, designed to make sure that our Jewish leaders have quick and easy access to resources that will help them better lead their Jewish communities.
"I Have Hope": A Jewish Teen Reflects on Racial Injustice
For many, the world currently feels chaotic, scary, and dangerous. I, however, hold hope for the future and the great possibility for change. By taking a step back, it is important to remember that even in times of great social duress, the arc of history does bend toward justice.
Now Introducing... "Tent Office Hours"!
The URJ is excited to announce that we will begin hosting “Tent Office Hours” webinars twice a month to answer your questions about how to best use The Tent. These virtual office hours will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. as indicated.
Will the Western Wall Agreement Head to Court?
Reform and Conservative Jewish leaders in North America and Israel are speaking out to tell Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they will not stand for unequal treatment under Israeli law.
Catch 'Em All! If Pokémon Were Jewish…
What would it look like if Pokémon lurked throughout Jewish life – or if they were Jewishly themed? Union for Reform Judaism staffer Jack Kahn, a longtime Pokémon fan, let his imagination run wild and created these images.
When "Old" is the New Way of Engaging Jewish Youth
Last week’s Torah portion, Parashat Chukat, tells us how after forty years of journeying through the desert, the people of Israel arrive in the wilderness of Zin. There, Miriam dies and gets buried. Her passing gives me a pause because I feel connected to her.