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Six Teen Leaders Elected to Lead North American Reform Jewish Youth Movement
February 23, 2015, New York, NY -- Six outstanding teen leaders will lead NFTY, the Reform Jewish youth movement, for the 2015-2016 program year.
We Are Done Waiting
I am done with people in power ending their action at “thoughts and prayers.” The thoughts and prayers that were sent a day ago, year ago, and decades ago have not and will not save human life, nor protect us.
Protecting the Right of Public Protest: RAC-FL’s 2021 Legislative Campaign
Learn more about RAC-FL's 2021 legislative campaign.
From Struggle to Progress: Reflecting on Women’s History Month 2021
Each March, dozens of countries across the globe commemorate Women’s History Month as a time to highlight the political, cultural, and socioeconomic achievements of women.
Finding Hope for International Religious Freedom Amidst More Acts of Violence
The news from around the world has recently been filled with visible and violent instances of religiously-targeted violence. Just last week, as many as 250 gravestones were vandalized in a cemetery in Eastern France, an area that used to have a large Jewish population. The Jewish community in France has seen this as a reminder of the increasingly visible and vocal anti-Semitic sentiment that lingers in the country. Though French government leaders have quickly spoken out in condemnation of these attacks and in reassurance to French Jews that they are integral to France, the attacks are upsetting, unsettling and sadly no longer unimaginable acts of hate.
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.
Protecting the Right of Public Protest: RAC-FL’s 2021 Legislative Campaign
This legislative session, members of the Florida legislature are working to pass legislation that will chill free speech and assembly by threatening to criminalize peaceful public protest. The bill would intimidate and punish peaceful protesters.
Rabbi Jacobs Reports from NFTY Convention
I dare any of those who are uneasy about the North American Jewish future to maintain their pessimism after spending, as I have just done, 72 hours with the teen leaders of our Movement at the 2015 NFTY Convention and Youth Summit in Atlanta. I attend a lot of conferences, and I have never walked away from one feeling as inspired and energized as I am today. After spending time with 1,000 teens, upwards of 200 adults and an incredible group of more than 200 volunteers and URJ staff who live and share the values and dreams that we as Reform Jews seek to represent in the world, I am inspired by the power of our community and ready for a spirit-filled future.
I had the honor of sharing the bimah with NFTY's extraordinary president, Debbie Rabinovich from Temple Beth El in Charlotte, NC, as she and I presented a joint D'var Torah on Shabbat morning. Drawing insightfully on this week's Torah portion, Debbie observed that this convention marks a fundamental turning point for NFTY, as it embraces a more mission-driven future. "Never be afraid to go big! The more focused each of us is - the more change we can make." she said powerfully to a sea of NFTY teens.
From Empathy to Action: Raising Our Voices for Uyghur Freedom
This Passover, we turn our attention to the plight of the Uyghur Muslims in China, one of today’s most horrific human rights crises. Roughly 12 million Uyghurs live in Xinjiang Province, a region in northwestern China.