Rabbi Pesner's Statement on Party Platform Draft Progress
Washington, D.C., July 6, 2016 – In response to the release of the draft 2016 Democratic Party Platform, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner issued the following statement:
Reform Movement Reacts to Week of Tragic Violence
Washington, D.C., July 8, 2016 – In response to the police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the deaths of the five police officers in Dallas, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
Interfaith Sign-on Letter in Opposition of First Amendment Defense Act
In advance of tomorrow’s hearings on Religious Liberty and H.R. 2802, the ‘First Amendment Defense Act’ (FADA), the undersigned organizations, representing a diverse group of beliefs and faith traditions, write to express our opposition to this measure, (S. 1598/H.R. 2802), introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative Raúl Labrador (R-ID). We would ask that this letter be included as part of the official hearings record.
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner's Testimony in Opposition to First Amendment Defense Act
On behalf of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), whose over 900 congregations include over 1.5 million Reform Jews across North America, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), which represents over 2,000 Reform rabbis, I submit this statement for the record in strong opposition to the First Amendment Defense Act, H.R. 2802
Reform Movement Leader Mourns Loss of Life in Nice
Washington, D.C., July 15, 2016 – In response to a deadly attack on French citizens yesterday in the town of Nice, France, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
Stories We Tell: What it Takes to Get in
Statement Of Rabbi Rick Jacobs On The Death Of Elie Wiesel
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, released the following statement after learning of the death of Elie Wiesel.
Open Letter To Donald Trump From Rabbi Rick Jacobs
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), sent the following letter to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump today in response to statements attributed to his campaign about foreign policy regarding a two-state solution.
Donald Trump Adviser's Response To Rabbi Rick Jacobs' Questions On Middle East Policy Raises New Concerns
New York, NY; July 7, 2016 -- Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ), wrote an open letter yesterday to the campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in response to comments made to CNN by campaign adviser David Friedman about a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Mr. Friedman's comments about the campaign's views on Israel mark a significant departure from the policies of the governments of both the United States and Israel, as well as the traditional positions of both the Republican and Democratic parties.
Mr. Friedman's detailed reply to Rabbi Jacobs' letter raises additional questions and concerns. The URJ has posted Mr. Friedman's letter in its entirety below. Rabbi Jacobs has written annotations to the letter which are shown attributed to Union for Reform Judaism.