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Meet the 2021-2022 Eisendrath Legislative Assistants
We are excited to dive into our work as the 2021-2022 Eisendrath Legislative Assistants! We bring a diverse set of interests and experiences to the RAC but share a deep commitment to the pursuit for a more just, compassionate, and equitable world. We are proud to represent and join the Reform Movement and its values in this crucial moment in history.
Hate Crimes Continued to Rise in 2020: Will the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Give Us Hope for the Future?
In late August, the FBI released its annual compilation of hate crimes statistics, summarizing all hate crimes reported to the FBI in 2020. The data is alarming and only tells part of the story, as an increasing number of law enforcement agencies did not report data to the FBI. A new law will strengthen hate crimes data collection, reporting, and response measures, giving us hope that future statistics will be more accurate.
The URJ and CCAR Join Other National Jewish Organizations in Sending Recommendations to Administration and Congress on Urgent Steps to Take to Combat Antisemitism
January 29, 2021 - Building on our endorsement of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis and Union for Reform Jud
This MLK Day, We Celebrate, Reflect Upon, and Act to Advance Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy
This MLK Day, we can honor the legacy of Dr. King and fight back against white supremacy and systemic racism by urging Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
Reform Jewish Movement Statement on the Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump
We applaud the House of Representatives’ bipartisan vote to hold President Trump accountable for his incitement of violence against the United States government and we urge the Senate to act on this Article of Impeachment.
A Letter to My Charlottesville Congregation
I write this as the Sines vs. Kessler trial commences. This long-awaited lawsuit seeks to hold the organizers of the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally accountable for their actions. Bone-chilling evidence will be presented in this trial that will make us realize how close we came to experiencing an even greater tragedy than the death of Heather Heyer and the wounding of so many others.
Democracy Is a Promise We Renew Every Day
Democracy is, indeed, a promise we renew not just on election day, but every day. Democracy does not exist independent of our contributions to it. Citizens and immigrants, voters, and presidents – all of us build democracy.
An Appeal to Aid Jewish Communities in Ukraine
The following was sent on Friday afternoon as an email on behalf of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. The bottom of this post includes a link to donate to help Jewish communities in Ukraine during this time of crisis.
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.
Jewish Resources for Coping with the Insurrection in Washington, D.C.
What we saw Wednesday was not just an unprecedented assault on the U.S. Capitol but on our constitutional democracy and the values we as Reform Jews – and Americans of all faiths and cultural backgrounds – hold so dear.
Reform Jewish Movement Statement in Support of Filibuster Reform
In response to the Senate filibuster of the motion to proceed to the consideration of the Freedom to Vote Act, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center, issued the following statement on behalf of the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis in support of filibuster reform that achieves a proper balance between majority and minority rights in the Senate.