I Lost My Father in Mitzrayim
Passover is usually one of my favorite holidays. I love the ritual of preparing the house, the smell of the food, and the joyous atmosphere at the seder table. But this year is different. Passover began only three days after the one-year anniversary of my father’s suicide.
Justice Delayed, Justice Denied, For Far Too Many
For many white observers, the protests calling for an end to police violence and Black liberation that erupted over the weekend may have appeared sudden.
"White Jews: It Is on Us"
For many white observers, the protests calling for an end to police violence and Black liberation that erupted over the weekend may have appeared sudden.
US and Canadian Synagogues Partner to Help Refugees
Imagine you are running for your life. Your survival depends on the mercy of strangers. Your home is in ruins and your neighbors have fled. There is no turning back. When you reach the crowded camp, you join thousands who ache for a life they will never know again.
A Promised Land for Those Seeking Refuge
When I learned that I would be spending my spring break in McAllen, Texas, with Temple Sinai, volunteering with migrants fleeing from violence in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, I didn’t know what to think.
For Those Whose Exodus Continues Today
For more than 3,000 years, Jews have gathered to retell the story of Passover and celebrate our deliverance from slavery in Egypt. In the Book of Exodus, we are not only told to observe Passover (Exodus 12: 17); we also are taught that, “In every generation all of us are obliged to regard ourselves as if we ourselves went forth from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 13:8). We must not only gather for seder and replace chametz with matzah, but we also must take ownership of the Passover narrative and experience it anew each year.
Vaccinate Us: A Prayer for Healing from Hate
As our world suffers,
sickened by this virus - we pray:
Our Neighbor’s Blood Calls to Us From the Ground
This statement was written by Rabbi Jocee Hudson from Temple Israel of Hollywood. More than sixty Reform Jewish clergy have signed on to the statement.
Reform Zionism: What Do the Four Children Have to Say?
The Land of Israel is a ghost throughout the haggadah, even as it is a constant presence in the background of the Passover story. Liberation isn’t solely freedom from Egyptian bondage; it’s also intentional direction toward Sinai and the ultimate arrival in the Promised Land. Yet Eretz Yisrael itself is rarely mentioned in the haggadah text.
An Appeal to Aid Jewish Communities in Ukraine
Dear World Union Family, We all share family in Kiev and throughout Ukraine, and that makes the crisis there personal. The headlines do not tell the full story of the fears our congregants are facing, nor the underlying threat to our community. Help is needed. As we write, Rabbi Alexander Duhkovny, rabbi of our Progressive communities in Kiev and Ukraine, expresses hope that the situation on the ground will improve as the Ukrainian Parliament has approved a restoration of the Constitution of 2004 which limits Presidential power. Yet, we know that in recent days the situation was tragic. Unconfirmed reports indicate that nearly 100 people were killed on Thursday, many of whom were victims of police snipers shooting from rooftops. Fires were spreading, electricity is still unreliable, food is scarce, and the banks and public transportation were closed.