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Remembering Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
It was Saturday evening, November 4, 1995 – the 12th of Heshvan, 5756 – when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin joined hundreds of thousands of Israelis at the square in front of Tel Aviv’s City Hall as the main speaker in a rally: "Yes to Peace; No to Violence.”
Statement of Union for Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs Responding to the Mass Shooting in El Paso, TX
"Clergy colleagues throughout El Paso will faithfully and lovingly hold up the families of the slain and wounded. So too our hearts – indeed the hearts and prayers of all people of good conscience across the nation – are with those families."
Israel Update: New Terror Attacks, and a Legal Battle over Jerusalem
The past two weeks have been scary ones for Israelis and Jerusalem residents, as three separate attacks on light rail stations have left three people dead and injured a dozen more. On October 23, a Palestinian man drove his car through a light rail station near Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, killing a three-month-old infant who was also an American citizen, as well as an Ecuadorean woman. And just this Wednesday, a van rammed into another light rail station in Jerusalem, killing a border patrol agent and wounding two others. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Later that night, another van rammed into a three IDF soldiers in the West Bank, sending them to the hospital.
The attacks come in the wake of tensions over the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem. Right-wing Israeli activist Yehuda Glick was shot there last week, prompting Israeli authorities to close Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, for a day. This in turn sparked riots near Al-Aqsa and the Temple Mount (which exists essentially on the same site), and has created diplomatic tension between Israel and Jordan.
Thanksgiving Meditation
God on High, What an amazing array of gifts Stand before us. Food, family, friends. Your bounty and grace. Let us remember those in need, And those who are also present here in silence: The fruit and vegetables picked by migrant workers.
Jewish Leaders' Letter to Under Secretary Sigal P. Mandelker
Dear Under Secretary Mandelker,
7 Things to Know About Jewish Genetic Diseases
Genetics may seem complicated, but even simple messaging can go a long way toward informing members of the Jewish community, especially when it comes to genetic disorders that are more common among Jews than in the general population.
A Reform Jewish Look at the Impact of Tuesday's Election
With a few days’ distance from the 2014 midterm elections, we are beginning to put the results of this election in context — including what it means for Congress, state legislatures, state laws and, of course, our work to advance social justice in the United States.
Midterms 2014: What the Election Means for Jewish Social Justice
With a few days' distance from the 2014 midterm elections, we are beginning to put the results of this election in context -- for what it means for Congress, state legislatures, state laws and of course our work to advance social justice in the United States. The day after the election, Rachel Laser, Deputy Director of the Religious Action Center released a statement welcoming the resounding success of three key state ballot initiatives and noting our long history of working successfully with members on both sides of the aisle to advance shared priorities. We look forward to another exciting chapter in Washington, D.C. and in the states.
On Thursday, Rachel Laser moderated a conversation between RAC Director Rabbi David Saperstein, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Executive Vice President and Director of Policy Nancy Zirkin and RAC Senior Advisor Michael Horowitz. To watch the exciting conversation, visit our Election Day resources page, or watch it here:
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwBlxf9xu3c[/embed]
In Advance of the Ferguson Grand Jury, What Have We Learned?
The grand jury in the Ferguson case is expected to meet today in what could be its final session. If a decision is made, it will likely not be made public until at least Sunday because the prosecutors are expected to provide law enforcement 48 hours notice. The FBI has warned that the decision will likely lead to violence by some individuals and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has already declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard. As we approach this decision, it is important to reflect on how we can address the root problems that allowed the August 9 shooting and subsequent events to occur. The reports and articles below discuss what we can learn from Ferguson, how we can improve police and community relations and why it is important to prevent discrimination and promote diversity.
New Report is a Call to Action to End Child Homelessness
A recent comprehensive state-by-state report sponsored by the National Center on Family Homelessness at American Institutes for Research shows that the number of homeless children in the country has reached a record high, amounting to one in thirty children being homeless! This means that 2.5 million children in the United States go to sleep without a home of their own each night, a historic high in the number of homeless children in the U.S.
From 2012 to 2013, the number of children experiencing homelessness annually in the US increased by 8% nationally and increased in 31 states as well as in the District of Columbia. But, every state has children experiencing homelessness, with estimations indicating that about half of homeless children are under the age of 6.