Rabbi Rick Jacobs
Netanyahu Government Subverts Supreme Court to Court Favor with Haredi Parties
Late last night, the Israeli Knesset passed a law instigated by ultra-Orthodox leadership to overturn a recent Supreme Court decision banning discrimination against non-Orthodox converts from state-funded mikvaot (ritual baths), which are integral to the conversion process. The Supreme Court case was brought by the Israel Religious Action Center, on behalf of both the Reform and Conservative movements. This new legislation is expressly meant as an attack on the role of the Reform and Conservative Jewish movements in religious practice in Israel.
Donald Trump Adviser's Response To Rabbi Rick Jacobs' Questions On Middle East Policy Raises New Concerns
New York, NY; July 7, 2016 -- Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ), wrote an open letter yesterday to the campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in response to comments made to CNN by campaign adviser David Friedman about a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Mr. Friedman's comments about the campaign's views on Israel mark a significant departure from the policies of the governments of both the United States and Israel, as well as the traditional positions of both the Republican and Democratic parties.
Mr. Friedman's detailed reply to Rabbi Jacobs' letter raises additional questions and concerns. The URJ has posted Mr. Friedman's letter in its entirety below. Rabbi Jacobs has written annotations to the letter which are shown attributed to Union for Reform Judaism.
Open Letter To Donald Trump From Rabbi Rick Jacobs
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), sent the following letter to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump today in response to statements attributed to his campaign about foreign policy regarding a two-state solution.
URJ Responds To UUA Rejection of Divestment From Israel
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), issued the following statement today reacting to a vote taken on June 25th at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association defeating a resolution to support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel:
“I am pleased that the UUA did not adopt the resolution supporting BDS. Our two communities must continue to work toward creating justice and security for both Israel and a future Palestinian state. I look forward to working with the leadership of the UUA to strengthen those who are constructively building support for a just and secure resolution to this tragic conflict."
URJ's Rabbi Rick Jacobs On Today's Prayer Service At The Western Wall's National Plaza
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) President, issued the following statement:
“Today’s prayer service, 500 strong, at the National Plaza adjacent to the Kotel represents simply the legitimate right of the Jewish people to gather in prayer as we have done in that holy place for millennia. The National Plaza, especially, must be a place where all Jews are treated equally and no stream of Judaism has a monopoly."
