URJ Biennial, North America's Largest Jewish Gathering, Begins in Chicago
December 11, 2019; Chicago, IL – The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) has gathered more than 5,000 Reform Jewish leaders and community members at the 75th
Jennifer Brodkey Kaufman Elected to Serve as Chair of the Union for Reform Judaism's Board
Jennifer Brodkey Kaufman, of Sacramento, CA, has been elected to serve as the next chair of the North American Board of Trustees of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). The role is the top lay leadership position in the URJ, which represents North America’s largest and most diverse movement in Jewish life.
Torah Scroll Rescued from the Holocaust To Be Returned Home To New Czech Republic Congregation
A Torah scroll that miraculously survived destruction during the Holocaust and was cherished for decades by generations of North American Reform Jewish youth leaders at URJ Kutz Camp will be returned home as a symbol of the rebirth of Jewish life in Central Europe. Reform Jewish Movement leaders chanted from this remarkable Torah scroll during Shabbat worship services at the URJ Biennial, the largest Jewish gathering in North America, and then the symbolic transfer announcement of this Torah was made.
JCC Association of North America and The Union for Reform Judaism Launch Unprecedented Partnership to Strengthen Field of Jewish Early Childhood Education
JCC Association of North America and the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) announced a major new partnership to address immediate challenges facing the field of Jewish early childhood education and family engagement. This marks the first time JCC Association and the URJ, the two largest providers of Jewish early childhood education in North America, are partnering on a joint initiative of this scale. Their work together impacts more than 65,000 children from 50,000 families and 10,000 educators across 475 early childhood centers in the United States and Canada.
Reform Jewish Movement Statement on the 2016 Presidential Election
The people have voted and American democracy is strong. We respect that vote and we extend our hand to President-elect Trump.
URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy's Greg Kellner Receives Prestigious Covenant Foundation Award Honoring Emerging Jewish Educators
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) proudly announces that Greg Kellner is the recipient of a 2016 Covenant Foundation Pomegranate Prize (link), joining four other recipients recognized this year for their tremendous promise, focused leadership, and willingness to take risks in their burgeoning careers.
URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs Calls For President-Elect Trump to Respond to Voices of Hate
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), calls on President-elect Donald Trump for his response to voices of hate and bigotry.
URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs Responds To Death Threats, Hate Vandalism At Reform Synagogue In Israel
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), issued the following statement in response to personal death threats against him and the Reform Movement in Israel: The vandalism of our Reform congregation in Ra’anana—and murderous threats against me and my Israeli colleagues Rabbi Gilad Kariv and Anat Hoffman—are reprehensible. They are deplorable. But, alas, they are far from surprising.
Reform Jewish Movement Responds to School Shooting in South Florida
Reform Movement leadership statements in response to yesterday’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left at least 17 people dead and many more injured.
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.