Jewish History

Lessons from Megillat Esther: The Need for Study and Action
When I was a child, I remember saying to my mother about the Purim story, "Maybe Haman wouldn't have done anything if he'd known Queen Esther was Jewish." King Ahasuerus' easily manipulated nature laid the foundations for the story, while Haman's vociferous antisemitism drove the story forward.
America Needs a Just and Equitable Immigration Policy: If Not Now, When?
It is difficult to imagine anyone not moved by the scenes of children seeking asylum at our southern border. As I look into their eyes and hear their stories of the violence, poverty, corruption, and hopelessness in their home countries, I think of the million
Owning Our Racial Equity Work Ahead: Three Things We Must Do
In the video “Owning Our Racial Equity Work Ahead,” Yolanda Savage-Narva, the Union for Reform Judaism’s director of Racial, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI), calls on each of us in the Jewish community to do three things.
Following the Footsteps of the Prophets to Selma: A Conversation with Civil Rights Activist Rabbi Everett Gendler
Rabbi Everett Gendler is known for his involvement in progressive causes, including the civil rights movement, nonviolence, and environmental justice. From 1978-1995, he served as the first Jewish Chaplain at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, and is the author of
Observing MLK Day & Shabbat Tzedek in Your Jewish Community
Each year, the Reform Movement honors the legacy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by commemorating the Shabbat nearest to MLK Day as Shabbat Tzedek.