The compromise will bridge a festering schism between Israel and American Jewry, who have voiced concern about the government’s failure to recognize their authenticity and their needs. The hope is that the Western Wall will be an enduring symbol of Jewish unity, not fractious division.

While the Purim celebrations and unpacking of lessons continue, we continue to explore other ways to celebrate - including partnering with our "twin" sisterhood in Israel.

When it comes to teaching our youth about Israel, how do we foster both a deep love and a nuanced understanding of the issues at the same time? How and when do we teach a view of Israel to our children that embraces her beauty and history, her challenges and shortcomings? How do we equip our youth to learn, to enquire, and to develop their own informed understanding of her complexities? How do we teach the full story while fostering a love for our homeland?

How do we teach the full story while fostering a love for our homeland? The methodology we use to teach about Israel must be analogous to the methodologies employed in all our educational endeavors. We surely wish to foster a deep love and nuanced understanding of what it means to be Jewish in the contemporary world. This ought to be achieved through value-driven conversations incorporating moral, ethical and personal dilemmas.

Thirty years ago this month, a modern-day Jewish hero was freed from prison. Back then, it never would have occurred to me that Natan Sharansky and I would become colleagues. Today, nonetheless, I am honored and proud to count this man – who has inspired generations of Jews around the world and engendered goodwill even in politically complex scenarios – within my circles. Ours is a relationship borne of a personal bond that began while he was still a Soviet prisoner.

The prime minister has been generous with his time; in fact, I have had the opportunity to meet with him often since becoming president of the URJ.

In the Western Galilee where I live in northern Israel, the population is diverse – about half is Jewish with the other half a combination of Muslim, Christian, and Druze. Although many of us live in different cities and villages according to faith or culture, some of our communities are mixed, so we share many of the same entertainment venues, businesses, and institutions. We live and work together and must afford one another respect and understanding.

I’m on my way to hear the vice president speak, last Saturday night, in Orlando. He’s about to address the 5,000 attendees at the URJ Biennial, a gathering of Reform Jewish leaders from all over the world.