Related Blog Posts on Israel

In North America, we take for granted freedom of choice in marriage. Not so in Israel, where it is wholly controlled by the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate.

Imagine if PM Benjamin Netanyahu, as he begins his remarks to next week in Tel Aviv, decided to honor true dialogue - and not the teleprompter.

In light of the bills passed by the Knesset this week, I am asking myself: Is this a crisis point in Israel engagement?

“It’s time for there to be a new way to give peace and justice to the people of Gaza, an end to the destructive policies and dangerous leadership of Hamas, and security to the Israelis who live nearby the Gaza border.”

Real issues divide the world’s two largest Jewish communities: religious pluralism, preserving Israel’s Jewish democratic core and working toward two states for two peoples.

The title of a recent article was “It’s time to show a little love,” but the truth is that there was no love or integrity in what the author wrote.

This year, three new Reform congregations: one in Emek HaYarden, another in Ramat HaNegev, and a Russian-speaking congregation in Be’er Sheva. 

Read Rabbi Gilad Kariv's remarks from the rally outside Prime Minister Netenyahu's residence on Saturday evening, July 1.

When we disagree with this Administration, as we have with presidents from both parties over many decades, we do so as clearly and powerfully as we can.

We are delighted to share with you a few observations about our recent URJ North American Board mission to Israel -- a non-stop week of listening and learning in a manner that, we think, only the URJ could organize.