Professional Staff
Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie has served as president of the Union for Reform Judaism since June 1996, when he succeeded Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, z''l. He is leading the Reform movement in an exciting new direction, moving congregational life toward greater attention to Torah study and adult literacy, and giving special emphasis to religious school education and youth.

Rabbi Lennard R. Thal, senior vice president, has been with the Union since 1982, serving as director of the Pacific Southwest Council (1982-1995), vice president (1996-2001) and as senior vice president and Chief Development Officer since 2001.

Rabbi Daniel Freelander, vice president, is responsible for all informal and formal education, including URJ camps and Israel programs, NFTY,  the college programs, and religious school and adult learning curricula. He also supervises the work of the URJ Press, Transcontinental Music Publications and Reform Judaism magazine.

Rabbi David Saperstein has been the director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism for 30 years, representing  the Reform Movement in Washington, DC and on numerous religious coalitions.   

Rabbi Daniel Freedlander, Rabbi Lennard Thal, and Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie

The Union's staff of about 300 professionals and support staff provide congregations and their members with creative programming ideas for all areas of synagogue life, including worship, education and social action. The staff also provides ongoing consultation and problem solving for member congregations, and works to anticipate and meet their needs in a rapidly changing environment.

The Union’s North American headquarters are at 633 Third Avenue in New York, where the program departments, book and music publishers and administrative and executive offices are housed. 

The Union also operates the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, DC, fourteen regional offices and twelve camps.