Caring Community practices help us each of us to feel truly known, cared about, supported and valued. They are based on the development of trusting, positive relationships in which we give and receive care, assistance and acknowledgment during the most difficult and sometimes even during the most wonderful moments in our lives . Hundreds of Union congregations have developed Caring Community Programs and approaches centered on Jewish values which have transformed them into centers of belonging, mutual support and friendship. Get started with our "Caring Community 101" guides.
Families
The changes in the contemporary Jewish family have brought challenges and opportunities to congregations to provide care, support and creative programmatic responses. The URJ has created a wealth of programmatic resources to assist congregations in their responses.
Disabilities Inclusion
Our goal is the full participation in the spiritual, educational and communal aspects of synagogue life for people living with disabilities and for their families. Download our guides for disability inclusion and read personal stories.
Health & Wellness
Jewish Tradition commands us to respect our bodies and to strive for health as a means of honoring our relationship to God. Health Issues have become a major concern for our families and increasing numbers of congregations have begun to develop responses and programs that speak to the Jewish view of health and wellness.
Connect with a Specialist
Member congregations are encouraged to contact a specialist from the
Union's Congregational Consulting Group for additional resources and
support:
Rabbi Edythe Held Mencher, LCSW Caring Community Specialist for Jewish Family Concerns Time Zone: EST Phone: 212.650.4296 emencher@urj.org
Rabbi Richard F. Address Fund for Jewish Family Concerns
Help create caring communities that will meet the
needs of Jewish families and individuals of all ages. This special fund named
to honor Rabbi Address supports efforts around such issues as Sacred Aging,
health and disability issues, addictions and destructive behaviors, Jewish
genetic diseases, family life and relationships, LGBT rights and Bio-Ethics.
Economic Concerns
Caring Community on a Fixed Income Ways that our congregations can enhance their mission of being a "caring community" (with no or little cost to the congregation).
We have resources to help congregations and communities to develop a more welcoming, inclusive culture: referrals to local organizations, liturgy appropriate for a variety of communities andKulanu, our program guide for congregations implementing LGBT inclusion.
A Time to Prepare (Revised Edition)
Connect with 
Multimedia: 