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Newtown - A Reflection
I have been working with young people for thirty-eight years. Each time I see the faces of the children lost in the Newton, Connecticut massacre, I see such expressions of the presence of God. Each expression is also one of a future denied. Let us not blame others. It is now OUR RESPONSIBILITY to ensure that this will never, ever happen again. The only way to repair the soul of our nation is to encourage our legislators to act responsibility concerning both sensible gun control and proper mental health funding.
Reform Movement Responds to Election Results
In response to the 2014 midterm election results, Rachel Laser, Deputy Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued a statement:
Teens Connect to Judaism Through Justice
Every year, nearly 2,000 high school-aged Reform Jewish students participate in the Religious Action Center's L'Taken Seminar in Washington, D.C. At the beginning of December, Rabbi Greg Litcofsky, took the confirmation class at his congregation, Temple Emanu-El of West Essex, to Washington D.C. to participate in the L’taken Seminar. The program is designed to expose students to a variety of public policy issues, explore the Jewish values surrounding these issues and teach the skills of an effective advocate. Below, Rabbi Litcofsky and one of Temple Emanu-El’s students, Annabelle Hanflig, reflect on their experience.
The Reform Movement Condemns Brutal Attack at Jerusalem Synagogue
In response to the attack that happened at B'nei Torah Kehillat Yaakov synagogue in Har Nof, Jerusalem, the leaders of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) and the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) released the following statements:
Reform Movement Condemns Brutal Attack at Jerusalem Synagogue, from URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs
"The Reform Movement is appalled at the horrific and gruesome attack of worshipers at a synagogue in Jerusalem early this morning. Our hearts go out to the victims of this horrendous attack and we insist the perpetrators be condemned and held responsible. Such violence on innocent people in their place of worship is an affront to all humanity. Israeli and Palestinian leaders must work together to de-escalate the growing violence in the region, particularly in the holy city of Jerusalem. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims taken from us this morning in Jerusalem. May the Holy One comfort these families among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."
Commemorating Transgender Day of Remembrance 2014
Today, we remember:
Brittany Stergis, shot dead in her car in Cleveland, OH, on December 5, 2013.
Kanday Hall, murdered and found in a field, in Baltimore, MD, on June 3, 2014.
Action Still Needed for Unaccompanied Minors
The crisis at the United States’ southern border, caused by violence in Central America’s Northern Triangle region, has quieted since this summer. The gang violence there still rages on, but due to seasonal factors, the number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum has dropped sharply. After Congress failed to give the governmental organizations stretched by the crisis any additional funding, the slowdown in new arrivals has allowed the House and the Senate to avoid another round of funding debates that would likely end in stalemate.
Today We Remember: Commemorating Transgender Day of Remembrance 2014
Today, we remember:
Brittany Stergis, shot dead in her car in Cleveland, OH on December 5, 2013.
Kanday Hall, murdered and found in a field, in Baltimore, MD on June 3, 2014.
Aniya Oarker shot in the head in East Hollywood, CA on October 3, 2014.
Today, we remember. We remember these three individuals who were murdered in anti-transgender violence. And we remember the many other victims of anti-transgender violence this past year whose lives were ended too soon. And we remember that despite increased societal acceptance of transgender individuals, anti-transgender violence is still widespread.
Reform Movement Condemns Brutal Attack at Jerusalem Synagogue
November 18, 2014, New York, NY -- In response to the brutal attack that occurred at Bnei Torah Kehillat Yaakov synagogue in Har Nof, Jerusalem, URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs stated:
The Reluctant Warrior
Because we know how it ends, we may not feel the suspense as Parashat Vayishlach opens. Jacob prepares to return home and confront his estranged brother, Esau, after 20 years apart. They had not parted on good terms.
Religious Freedom Reports Show the Work Left To Be Done
According to a new report published earlier this month in the twelfth edition of the World Report on Religious Freedom, issued by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, religious freedom is at risk. The report looks at the state of religious freedom in 196 countries between October 2012 and June 2014 by collecting first-hand data. The report measures religious freedom in each country by the following factors: the right to conversion, to build places of worship, to conduct missions and whether children are allowed to be educated according to the religious principles of their parents. The report notes that religious freedom is at risk in Europe and has been increasingly suppressed in the United States.