Just Table, Green Table
Rabbi Yoffie calls for a commitment to ethical eating, asking synagogue leaders to "carefully, thoughtfully, Jewishly" formulate new eating guidelines for their communities. To that end, the Union has worked to create a three-part educational course, resource and program guides for congregations developing new food policies, planting community gardens, or educating their membership about righteous, healthy eating.

Embracing Technology
Reform Judaism’s opportunity to engage with communities and help congregations relate to members in the online space has reached a tipping point. At the Biennial in Toronto, Rabbi Yoffie urged the Reform Movement to create congregational blogs and experiment with a range of creative technological approaches to strengthen community ties and help build community. To support this improved use of technology, the Union’s professional staff will offer online training to prepare synagogues to launch, maintain and strengthen congregational blogs and other online tools. 

Embracing Shabbat in Your Congregation - In the 19th century, the founder of the Reform Movement transformed American Jewry by moving the major Shabbat worship service to Friday night, thus accommodating Jews who had to work on Saturday. At the Biennial in San Diego, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism began another major transformation, calling for a renewal of communal Shabbat morning worship and encouraging Jews to observe a full 24 hour day of rest. Embracing Shabbat is a complete set of materials developed to guide congregations through a process of communal study about, reflection on and experimentation with Shabbat observance.

Children of Abraham: Jews and Muslims in Conversation -  "Interconnected since the time of Abraham, we Jews and Muslims share much in common... [yet] there also exists profound ignorance between Jews and Muslims. Jews are not well educated about Islam, and Muslims are not well educated about Judaism. In our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, we can ill afford to segregate ourselves within our mosques and synagogues. Rather, we must educate ourselves and each other, thus taking a necessary first step toward global understanding and religious harmony." -- Rabbi Eric Yoffie

In partnership with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Union has developed an adult study program and Jewish-Muslim dialogue program for congregations to adopt. 

Health Care for All - This is a Movement-wide effort to advocate for health care reform in every state. The project provides a toolkit for congregations to educate their communities, work with other congregations, communicate with their state governments, and learn more about the importance of advocacy.

Honoring the Non-Jewish Spouse
Parents who are not Jewish but are welcome members of our congregations are often lovingly and supportively raising their children as Jews. They give us the priceless gift of future Jewish generations. What kind of support and education does your congregation offer them? How do your lay leaders, clergy and religious school teachers ensure that they have the tools to create a Jewish home? And just as importantly, how does your congregation honor and recognize their dedication to raising children in a tradition that is not their own?

Inviting Conversion
Asking someone you care about to consider conversion is simply an invitation. It is not coercion or pressure. It is an expression of valuing the individual and a desire to share a tradition that you consider precious. Inviting conversion is a loving proposal that is offered when a relationship has been established either between two individuals or between an individual and our Jewish community. Conversion involves a solemn covenant where one party makes a commitment to Judaism and the other party (individual or community) makes a commitment of acceptance and support.

Lifelong Membership
Membership drives the synagogue community and is best nurtured when the individuals in your community are known, valued and supported throughout their individual and family life cycle. The Union has created ways to help your congregation welcome and involve new members and to engage and retain longtime members.

Sacred Choices
Our teens live in a culture in which the societal boundaries about what is sacred and what is to be “saved” for adulthood or marriage have changed. They are continually being confronted with pressures to conform and participate in activities and behaviors for which they may not be physically or emotionally ready. In few places where teens spend their time do they have the opportunity to talk openly and honestly about these issues or to develop a sense of personal sexual ethics. The synagogue is a natural place for such conversations to take place.

Hineini: Embracing Our People, Embracing Our Future
The Union is asking every Reform congregation in North America to demonstrate its commitment to Reform Judaism by adopting a project in a growing Progressive Jewish community in Israel or the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The projects, which include sponsoring Reform rabbis in Israel, building Progressive synagogues in Israel, and bolstering Progressive Jewish leadership in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, will strengthen Reform Jewish life in these communities today and for the future.

10 Minutes of Torah
The Union will send you a one-page e-mail each day on a topic of Jewish interest. All you need to do is find 10 minutes a day to "do Torah".

Packing for College: Where Does Judaism Fit?
Created to support both teens and their parents as they make the transition from high school to college, Packing for College: Where Does Judaism Fit? provides congregations with a sorely needed program for the post-confirmation period while connecting families to the community during this transitional time in the family life cycle.

Open Doors, Open Minds: Synagogues & Churches Studying Together
Congregations are asked to join with a church in the community and commit to seven sessions at which adult learners will come together to learn about common aspects of our history and about critical distinctions; to engage in joint study of sacred texts; and to participate in a structured conversation concerning Israel and the Middle East conflict.

The CHAI Curriculum: Learning for Jewish Life
The CHAI Curriculum is designed to facilitate lifelong Jewish learning within Reform congregations. It is designed for Religious School students grades 2-7, Religious School teachers, Education Committees, congregational Boards of Directors, parents of children ages 0-14, and families with children ages 7-14. It focuses classroom learning on Torah, Avodah and G'milut Chasadim and expands beyond these topics in other educational programs. CHAI lessons are based on the "Understanding By Design" curriculum development model, which is widely used in the field of general education.

Brit Kodesh: Sacred Partnerships (PDF)
Readings and Exercises for Self-Study on the Relationship Between the Professional and Volunteer Leadership of Reform Congregations

The Reform Movement's Campaign for Public Education 
A publication of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Read excerpts from Rabbi Yoffie's speech, and learn about the Reform Movement's position on school vouchers.