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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.
The URJ-ADL Partnership to Combat Antisemitism and Hate
Amid an alarming rise in antisemitic rhetoric and violence, the Union for Reform Judaism has joined with the Anti-Defamation League, the world’s leading anti-hate organization, to create a multi-faceted digital resource that provides congregations and individuals with tools to respond to acts of antisemitism and hate in their communities.
This Tishah B'Av, Act as if There is No God
Tishah B'Av is a day of mourning, commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples. In recent years, it's also a day to mourn other tragedies that have darkened Jewish history - the Romans putting down the Bar Kochba revolt, mass murders of Jewish communities during the Crusades, expulsions from England, France, and Spain in the Middle Ages, and the Holocaust.
Responding to Antisemitic Incidents: A New Resource for URJ Communities
Amid an alarming rise in antisemitic rhetoric and violence, the Union for Reform Judaism has joined with the Anti-Defamation League, the world’s leading anti-hate organization, to develop “Responding to Antisemitic Incidents: A New Resource for URJ Communities,” a toolkit to assist congregational leaders in preparing for and responding to incidents of hate and antisemitism.
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.
Addressing Antisemitism While Keeping Our Eyes on Collective Freedom and Racial Justice
More than a year after the murder of George Floyd, as we continue to manage the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as increased antisemitism, I fear that white Jews are beginning to lose steam and the ability to continue to engage in antiracism work is beginning to wane.
Traliant Compliance Training Classes Now Available
As part of our ongoing efforts to create safe, respectful, and equitable workplaces, the URJ requires all staff to regularly participate in sexual harassment prevention training classes, provided by Traliant Compliance Training. Now, through the Reform Movement Marketplace, the URJ is making Traliant Compliance Training classes available to our affiliated congregations at a reduced cost.
What a Trip to Israel Taught Two Faithful Progressives
Last week, we traveled together to Israel and the Palestinian territories with a remarkable group of Black civil rights leaders and Reform Jewish leaders, including those who sit at the intersection of being Black and Jewish. We imagined that there would likely be bumps along the way, and there were. However, our group knew one another from our ongoing social justice and racial equity work in the United States, so there was a reservoir of goodwill and commonality that served us well.
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.
L'Taken Seminar Frequently Asked Questions
Learn everything you need to know about the L'Taken Social Justice Seminars.