US President Barack Obama celebrated Elena Kagan's confirmation to the Supreme Court on Friday with a White House reception in her honor, ahead of her swearing-in on Saturday. Read more »
People of different faiths from all over the world will stop at noon and pray for peace for one minute - each in their own way on September 21st - the U.N. International Day of Peace. Sign the pledge, individually or on behalf of your group or organization. Read more »
Each year, The Covenant Foundation honors three exceptional Jewish educators with the prestigious Covenant Award. Designed to honor, thank, and celebrate those who have made an impact on Jewish life through innovative educational practices and models, the Covenant Award carries a prize of $36,000 for the educator and an additional $5,000 for his or her home institution. Nominations are due by November 18, 2010. Read more »
Mayyim Hayyim, Boston's
acclaimed, unique community mikveh (ritual bath) and education center, will hold the second International Mikveh Conference, Gathering the Waters, on October 10-12, 2010. The three day conference will bring together diverse, inter-denominational attendees to explore how immersion can be a source of spiritual renewal and understanding for today's Jews. Read more »
On November 14-18, Cantor Susan Caro of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, and the President of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC) will join 19 of her colleagues to present for the first time, a concert of Jewish music at the Basilica of Santa Marie degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome, Italy, before Pope Benedict XVI and other Vatican leaders utilizing music for greater understanding among Catholics and Jews. Read more »
There's no shortage of opinions -- or theatrics -- at the site of a proposed Islamic centre and mosque two blocks from where the World Trade Center stood before two hijacked jetliners crashed into its twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001. Read more »
The URJ is launching a new
e-card feature, just in time for you to send a Shanah Tovah greeting to friends, family, and colleagues. Choose your favorite from several designs and greetings, and customize it with a personal message. Read more »
Moist, cake-like challah is
a big hit at Entree to Judaism author Tina Wasserman's Rosh HaShanah open house. Get the recipe now for your celebration! Read more »
Tashlich is the
long-standing practice of throwing pieces of bread into flowing bodies of
water to symbolically "cast off" the past year's sins. In the brand-new
RJ magazine article "Into the Deep," Russ Levine reflects on the real meaning of this ritual for our lives. Read more »
S'lichot, a Hebrew
word meaning "forgiveness," refers to the special penitential prayers
recited by Jews throughout the High Holy Days. We've got plenty of guides
and tools for your community to make s'lichot a meaningful part of your High Holy Day season. Read more »
The Reform Movement family is mourning the passing of a beloved colleague, rabbi, mentor, teacher, and friend. Rabbi Larry "Jake" Jackofsky was the founding director of URJ Greene Family Camp (see the GFC tribute), and later served as director of the Southwest Regional Council for decades, providing wisdom and guidance to the camp and congregations, even in retirement. He will be greatly missed. Read more »
Connect with hundreds of
NFTYites at NFTY Convention. It is THE place for Reform Jewish teens to
experience ruach-filled song sessions, cutting-edge
tefillah , and make new friends from across the United States and Canada! Read more »
It's hard to believe five years have passed since Hurricane Katrina landed in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. Reform Jews jumped into action to help support the relief and reconstruction effort, and continue to do so in the wake of the oil spill disaster as well. Read more »
Mark J. Pelavin, director of the Commission on Interreligious Affairs joined Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission to debate the controversial Cordoba Initiative planned a few blocks from "Ground Zero." The RAC also has a round up of coverage and action taken by the Reform Movement. Read more »
There's a new hatred in town. It's called Islamophobia and it is poisoning our society. We are living in a time of suspicion and fear that has turned into vitriolic hatred. Read more »
We say, chant, and sing most prayers in Hebrew in my Reform Jewish congregation in suburban Boston. And during High Holy Days, as a member of my temple chorus, I sing two overstuffed binders of prayers almost exclusively in Hebrew. Read more »
A current discussion on the
Union's worship listserv started with a simple question about Reform
practice vis-a-vis hakafa -- marching around the sanctuary with the Torah before reading from it. Practice of course varies from Reform congregation to Reform congregation (and perhaps in some congregations between Shabbat and the High Holy Days). Read more »
Cookbook author Tina Wasserman aims to create a link to ancestry through the foods of Jews who migrated from country to country with their recipes and adapted to the cuisines they encountered. Read more »
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has joined a coalition of Muslim, Arab and human rights groups that plans to taking a boat to Gaza this autumn. Read more »
The Obama administration briefed Jewish leaders on the proposed Israeli-Palestinian talks, but this week they were still struggling to make sense of the vague plan. Read more »
As the two major parties in Australia's federal election vie for the title of Israel's most ardent backer, most Jewish leaders believe that Australia’s longstanding, strong bilateral support for the Jewish state will not be jeopardized regardless of the outcome. Read more »
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