Book Release: And God Spoke These Words: The Ten Commandments and Contemporary Ethics by Rabbi Rifat Sonsino
March 3, 2014, New York, NY -- Rabbi Rifat Sonsino has helped thousands of readers find God, and uncover the truths and legends behind the foundational myths of Judaism. Now, his new book by URJ Press explores one of the best known--and least understood--texts in the Bible: the Ten Commandments.
Six Jewish Teens to Watch: North American Reform Jewish Youth Movement Elects New Board
March 20, 2014, New York, NY --- NFTY, the Reform youth movement, has elected an extraordinary team of leaders for its 75th anniversary year.
Christian and Jewish Leaders Achieve Breakthrough, Resuming Dialogue and Engagement
New York, NY, March 27 – The heads of Jewish and Christian organizations and denominations met in an unprecedented summit in New York City today to discuss strategies to strengthen and maintain relationships even in the face of significant disagreements.
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.
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 Leaders Weigh in on Hobby Lobby, Conestoga Cases at Supreme Court
Rabbis Jacobs, Fox, Feldman, and Saperstein: "We believe that all women must have the right to make their own health care choices according to their faith and conscience - including when it comes to reproductive health."