North America's Largest Jewish Gathering, URJ Biennial, Begins: 5,000 Reform Jewish Leaders Representing 1.5 Million Individuals Convene for Targeted Learning, Leadership Development, Spirited Worship, and More

November 4, Orlando, FL – The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) has gathered 5,000 Jewish leaders at the 73rd URJ North American Biennial convention, taking place November 4-8, 2015, at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida.

The URJ is the most powerful force in North American Jewish life, representing the largest segment of the Jewish community and inspiring 1.5 million people from nearly 900 congregations. The URJ Biennial is the largest religious Jewish gathering on the continent, this year attracting 5,000 Reform Jewish leaders from 52 states/provinces and around the world, including more than 450 rabbis, 120 cantors and 250 congregational presidents.

Clergy, educators, lay leaders, youth leaders, and high school and college students will learn, pray, share ideas, network, celebrate, and make Reform Movement policy. Featured speakers include U.S. Vice President Biden, URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs, Academy Award-winning actor and Reform Jewish inclusion activist Michael Douglas, as well as many other leading authors, scholars, and Israeli and North American opinion leaders. The URJ Biennial also features the most comprehensive line-up of Jewish musicians.

Highlights include:

• 130 learning sessions of intensive, focused training for lay and professional leaders; programming is organized within four intensive tracks: Strengthening Congregations, Audacious Hospitality, Tikkun Olam (social justice), and Transforming Texts (presented in partnership with the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion)
• Inspiring worship, Torah study, and Jewish learning opportunities
• A 5,000-person Shabbat celebration
• An exhibit hall featuring more than 150 vendors and Jewish organizations
• Youth engagement initiatives, including a Youth Social Action Symposium and an interactive exhibit highlighting 75 years of Reform Jewish youth
• URJ resolutions address social, economic, and humanitarian issues, and this year's topics include paid family leave, mandatory immunization laws, predatory lending, and the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people

“Biennial 2015 is about enacting and enhancing the URJ’s 2020 Vision, a clear, bold plan of action for the next five years,” said Rabbi Jacobs. “To achieve our ambitious goals, we continually strengthen Reform communities by investing in targeted new resources and tools, all of which will be explored and advanced by Biennial delegates. Our leaders come to Biennial to have the ‘big conversations’ about Jewish life.”

Biennial attendees will hear inspiring speakers and expert practitioners including:

• Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States
• Charles Bronfman, chairman, Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies
• Cornell William Brooks, president and CEO, NAACP
• Anita Diamant, bestselling author
• Michael Douglas, Academy Award-winning actor, inclusion activist, and Reform Jew
• Rabbi Daniel Freelander, president, World Union for Progressive Judaism
• Apoorva Gandhi, vice president of multi-cultural affairs, Marriott International
• Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president, Union for Reform Judaism
• Jodi Kantor, correspondent and author, New York Times
• Gilad Kariv, executive director, Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism
• Nicholas Kristof, op-ed columnist, New York Times
• Michal Lemberger, author
• Ron Lieber, columnist, author and New York Times
• Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group
• Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
• Letty Cottin Pogrebin, author
• Rocio Sáenz, executive vice president, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
• Rabbi David Saperstein, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State
• Stav Shaffir, member of Knesset
• Ari Shavit, Israeli journalist and author
• Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, president emeritus, Union for Reform Judaism

Visit www.URJ.org/Biennial for event info. Use hashtag #URJBiennial, and follow the URJ onFacebook & Twitter. Plenary and worship sessions will be streamed live at URJ.org/Biennial and onlocal JLTV stations. Download the URJ Biennial 2015 app for mobile devices in the Apple App Store and Android Play Store. Photos will be available on Flickr.

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About the Union for Reform Judaism

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) builds community at every level—from the way we collaborate with congregations, organizations, and individuals to how we make connections across North America to advance contemporary and inclusive Jewish life. Providing vision and voice to transform the way people connect to Judaism, we help congregations stay adept and agile, motivate more young Jews to embrace Jewish living, agitate for a more progressive society, and foster meaningful connections to Israel.

Founded in 1873, URJ has grown into the most powerful force in North American Jewish life, with almost 900 member congregations and work that inspires millions of people. Our legacy, reach, leadership, and vision mean that we can unite thousands of years of tradition with a modern, evolving Judaism to strengthen Jewish communities today and for future generations.

Visit us at www.URJ.org to learn about our social justice initiatives, camps and programs for young Jews, services for congregations and communities, and how you can work with us to create a more just, whole, and compassionate world. Enjoy related content at ReformJudaism.org and connect with URJ on Twitter and Facebook.