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This Tishah B'Av, Act as if There is No God
Tishah B'Av is a day of mourning, commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples. In recent years, it's also a day to mourn other tragedies that have darkened Jewish history - the Romans putting down the Bar Kochba revolt, mass murders of Jewish communities during the Crusades, expulsions from England, France, and Spain in the Middle Ages, and the Holocaust.
Reform Movement Welcomes House Passage of Inclusive VAWA; Looks Forward to Swift Enactment
Weinstein: "Although it has taken far too long to reach this day, we commend both chambers in Congress for passing a reauthorization bill that includes better training for law enforcement, victim service providers and personnel; improved protections for women in t
Traliant Compliance Training Classes Now Available
As part of our ongoing efforts to create safe, respectful, and equitable workplaces, the URJ requires all staff to regularly participate in sexual harassment prevention training classes, provided by Traliant Compliance Training. Now, through the Reform Movement Marketplace, the URJ is making Traliant Compliance Training classes available to our affiliated congregations at a reduced cost.
What a Trip to Israel Taught Two Faithful Progressives
Last week, we traveled together to Israel and the Palestinian territories with a remarkable group of Black civil rights leaders and Reform Jewish leaders, including those who sit at the intersection of being Black and Jewish. We imagined that there would likely be bumps along the way, and there were. However, our group knew one another from our ongoing social justice and racial equity work in the United States, so there was a reservoir of goodwill and commonality that served us well.
Vassar College Powerfully Responds to the Westboro Baptist Church
Early last week the Westboro Baptist Church, which has made its mark by spreading a message of hate toward the LGBT community at schools, churches and even soldiers’ funerals, announced its intentions to protest at Vassar on February 28th. The WBC’s statement not only made clear their opposition to Vassar’s acceptance of LGBT students, but also derided its academic pursuits and insulted its history as a woman’s college. All things that I, as a Vassar alum, am proud of.
Chancer, a Service Dog Who Offers Healing Through Fur-Covered Spirituality
In 1999, my husband and I created a family when we adopted two unrelated babies, just 16 months old, from Russia. Like all parents, we had dreams for our son, Iyal, and daughter, Morasha, to grow up happy and healthy. The future held such promise!
URJ Ethics Accountability Update: August 5, 2022
As part of the URJ’s ongoing ethics work, we are writing to let you know of new and expanded reporting channels and protocols, including the hiring of a new Ombuds. These steps have been informed by our field experts and the courageous voices of victims and survivors who have publicly and privately shared their experiences and feedback.
Galilee Diary: Purim
Perhaps the real reason Purim is so popular here is that it takes place somewhere else, in the Diaspora – a place with which we Israelis have a love–hate relationship.
Johannesburg: Culture & Community
Now 80 years old, Progressive Judaism has a credible record here. It reached a seeming high point about mid-way along that timeline; the period since the violent Soweto student uprising in 1976 has seen a decline in both the overall number of Jews and Progressive Jews.