A New Community of Practice: Moving Social Justice to the Center of Synagogue Life
On an otherwise unremarkable Friday night in January, extra chairs were being set up as Reform Jews filled the sanctuary for Shabbat evening services at Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas, California. The room shone with the positive energy of a community engaged in a shared purpose.&nb
Lessons from Bad Segeberg after 80 Years
The faces in the photo that hangs in the new synagogue in Bad Segeberg haunt me. They seared themselves into my brain the first time I saw it, and they do not let go.
What were these 26 souls thinking when – in hiding – they celebrated Purim in 1936? Their eyes and their smiles betray fear, and their resolve to celebrate the festival with joy.
How My Texas Congregation Led the Way to Support Immigrant Families
Our congregation in McAllen, TX, is the go-to congregation for donations in support of immigrant families; the response from the Reform Jewish community has been amazing.
Reform Movement Response To News That Donald Trump Will Speak At AIPAC Policy Conference
The Reform Jewish Movement has always worked very closely with AIPAC. We respect completely its decision to invite all the viable candidates for president to speak at its upcoming Policy Conference. By inviting the candidates to speak, AIPAC does not support or oppose their candidacies, nor does it condone or commend their policies. AIPAC has, as it must, a singular focus: the U.S./Israel relationship. AIPAC's intent – and its responsibility – is to better understand the candidates' views on issues that impact the U.S./Israel relationship.
Why We Must be Like Abraham and Speak Truth to Power
It is no secret that social action is a central maxim of Judaism.
Trouble at the Borders — and Within
This post is adapted from a sermon given at Temple Sinai in Washington, DC on Friday, June 29, 2018.
Identity and Ethics: Knowing Who and Whose You Are
If someone tells you that Judaism is X or Y, you should never believe them. Judaism is such a complex civilization — it is made up of religion and culture, language and land, and a particular kind of peoplehood. ... The Israelites’ preparations both to enter the Land and to create an ideal society are central motifs of Deuteronomy, and a particular focus of the extensive Parashat R’eih.
A Liturgy after Terror Attacks
This is a four-prayer liturgy to be used after terrorists strike.