Jonathan Edelman

Jonathan Edelman is a 2014-2015 Eisendrath Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Jonathan graduated in 2014 from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is originally from Jacksonville, FL, where he is a member of Congregation Ahavath Chesed.

Jewish Life Around the World

As the Ink Cools on the Iran Nuclear Agreement, Debate Heats Up

Jonathan Edelman

July 22, 2015

Negotiators from the P5+1 and Iran have concluded their 20-month long negotiations process with an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program, but the agreement still faces major hurdles and a divided country as it moves towards implementation. Chief among

Israel

Reform Judaism Scores a Decisive Victory in Crucial Election

Jonathan Edelman

June 5, 2015

The Reform Movement’s slate for the 2015 World Zionist Congress elections won by a wide margin, according to results released Thursday. The Reform Movement’s ARZA slate won 56 out of the United States’ 145 possible seats (or 39% of the vote), which was more

Ethiopian Jews Continue to Protest Discrimination

Jonathan Edelman

June 4, 2015

Ethiopian Israelis staged another protest Wednesday night in the heart of Tel Aviv, blocking the heavily-trafficked Begin Road. Some protestors had been promising violence, and some minor scuffles did break out after 8 p.m. Israeli time, but the protest was

Immigration Justice

Parashah B'midbar: We All Count, Especially the Strangers Among Us

Jonathan Edelman

May 20, 2015

This week marks the start of a new book of Torah: the Book of Numbers. This week’s portion, B’midbar, or “In the Wilderness,” recounts the census-taking of entire Israelite community commanded of Moses by God. The Israelites are sorted by tribe and all men

Israel

Taking a Look at Disability Rights in Israel and Beyond

Jonathan Edelman

February 27, 2015

As we wrap up Jewish Disability Awareness Month, we think also of people with disabilities in other countries. Worldwide, 650 million people live with disabilities, more than twice the population of the United States.