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Why We Wear Orange on June 4th
Everyday more than 100 Americans are killed by guns and over 300 more people are injured. Friday, June 4 is Wear Orange Day, a national day of awareness about the scourge of gun violence in the United States.
Reflections on the 1-year Anniversary of the Atlanta Shootings
Around this time last year, I was preparing for my legislative assistant interview with the RAC when tragedy unfolded in Georgia. A racist and misogynist gunman, entered two Atlanta-area massage businesses and murdered eight people, including six Asian women spa workers.
Mental Health Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental illness, please know that you are not alone. You can always reach out to a family member, friend, clergy member, or other trusted adult. Please see below some lists of major national hotlines and crisis resources in the United States and Canada as well as selected Jewish communal resources. Some of these resources offer 24/7 crisis support, while others provide information and referrals in non-crisis situations.
Shabbat Message: A Galvanizing Visit to Israel That Fills Me With Encouragement
In meetings with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli, and Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid, we discussed the crisis in Ukraine, the future of the Kotel, ensuring more funding and rights for non-Orthodox Jews, combatting racism, and stopping extremist violence against Palestinians, in addition to other pressing issues.
We Hold All of these Truths
The current wave of violence in Israel and Gaza is a heartbreaking human tragedy. The loss of innocent life (including that of children) rends the heart, destruction of homes and endemic fear defy the peace and security in which every human being deserves to live.
Working in Solidarity Against Anti-Asian Hate
In the past two years, the simultaneous spike in anti-Asian and anti-Semitic violence has brought my identity as an Asian American Jewish woman into sharp focus. In fact, here in New York City, I have keenly felt the sharp rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and against Jews.
Reform Jewish Leader Addresses Situation in Israel
“We are deeply concerned and pained by the spiraling violence happening over the last several days in Jerusalem and beyond. At this challenging moment we want to emphasize that attacks perpetuating the cycle of violence delay peace and increase bloodshed."
Don’t Sacrifice My Trans Child on the Altar of Political Opportunism
Editor's note: this piece was originally published 05/10/2021 and was updated 06/13/2022.
A Prayer for Peace
As Reform Jews, we stand strongly together with our brothers and sisters in Israel. Over the past 48 hours, Hamas has launched a massive barrage of rocket fire on southern and central Israel. At last report, six Israeli civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands more - from Tel Aviv to Beersheba –are confined to bomb shelters. Innocent civilians in Gaza have fallen victim to this latest round of violence as well. Furthermore, the rapid escalation of violence within Israel's own borders between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel is a new, and deeply troubling, development. We pray that calm will be restored soon.
Resources for Understanding the Current Israeli-Palestinian Crisis
While some see this conflict in only stark black and white terms, it is intensely complex. To help navigate this complexity, we offer this resource guide, including material that may be helpful in laying out the context and nuances of this latest round of violence between Hamas and Israel.