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Gun Violence Prevention Shabbat (I Should Have Gotten Involved Sooner)
Gun Violence Prevention Shabbat is December 9-10 this year, and in the Torah portion, Parshat Vayishlach, Jacob wrestles with an angel to receive protection from a battle he foresees coming with his brother.
Divine Violence and Abolition in Egypt
In Parshat Va-eira, we watch as God's message of freedom unfolds across Egypt and is ignored, scorned by Israelites and Egyptians alike. We watch as moral suasion, peaceful resistance, and God's word fail to bring about liberation and an end to oppression. In the wake of this failure, God visits 10 plagues on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, the first 7 of which appear in this week's portion.
Dinah’s Legacy
Twenty years ago, as a fourth-year rabbinic student, I gave my senior sermon on Parashat Vayishlach. The sermon focused on the rape of Dinah and the prevalence of violence against women in modern times. As I had the opportunity to reflect on this parsha again, I started to consider what has changed since 2001 and what has stayed the same.
First Time Voters Speak Out About Why They Will Show Up to Vote This Year
For those who turn 18 years old by this November 8, this will be their first year as voters. Whether they cast their first vote during a primary this year, fill out an absentee ballot while at college, or plan to visit their polling place on Election Day, these are all Shehecheyanu moments.
"Unite the Right" Organizers Lose Big in Court
Amy Spitalnick is the executive director of Integrity First for America (IFA), the civil rights nonprofit behind Sines v. Kessler - the successful federal lawsuit against the neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and hate groups responsible for the violent "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. I sat down with Amy, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, to get her views on the significance of this lawsuit.
Afterword
New from CCAR Press, The Social Justice Torah Commentary demonstrates that the Torah is a guide to addressing the most urgent challenges of our time. This excerpt is from Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center and Senior Vice President, Union for Reform Judaism.
Reform Movement Statement on Conversion Issue / Law of Return Grandchild Clause
Jews around the world are experiencing a rise in antisemitism on a scale not seen in nearly 80 years. As such, it is deeply disturbing to see members of Israel’s likely new governing coalition advancing an effort to shun those worldwide who identify as Jews, including those who are fleeing horrific violence, persecution, and discrimination based on their Jewishness, either through revoking recognition of Reform, Conservative, and modern Orthodox conversions or abolishing the Law of Return’s grandchild clause.
2021 is Almost Over: Congress Must Act Before the New Year
We are in a time of great crisis, facing pandemics of systemic racism, poverty, climate change, voter suppression and COVID-19. Millions of Americans experience unemployment, hunger, and housing insecurity, facing the threat of climate change daily. People of Color and other marginalized communities experience the most adverse consequences. And the country continues to face endless attacks on our voting rights and reproductive rights. Before Congress breaks for their winter recess, there is much left to be done.
Resilience of the Soul Breaks Ground in Adolescent Mental Health
SAN DIEGO, CA—To help families and congregations offer teens a safe place to mature into adulthood, the Union’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns has published Resilience of the Soul – Developing Emotional and Spiritual Resilience in Adolescents and Their Families, A Resourc
Congress Must Expand the Child Tax Credit, a Powerful Tool Proven to Reduce Poverty
In the American Rescue Plan of 2021, Congress temporarily expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC). This measure significantly reduced child poverty during a time of economic fallout and uncertainty, but the expansion expired at the end of 2021. As families continue to struggle to make ends meet, with inflation on the rise, Congress must urgently make the CTC expansion permanent in year-end tax legislation.