Rabbi David Ellenson

Rabbi David Ellenson

Rabbi David Ellenson, past president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, is a member of the Operation Benjamin Board of Directors.
Israel Peace and Security

The Ethical Conundrum of a Jewish and Democratic State

Rabbi David Ellenson
When the State of Israel was established in 1948, its secular founders envisioned a nation that would be both Jewish and attuned to the values of liberal democracy. They were confident that a country with an overwhelming Jewish majority could maintain a Jewish character and ensure civic equality for all its inhabitants.
slow salute of LTC Kim to CPL Sam Cordova
Secular Holidays

A Memorial Day Vow: We Will Never Leave Them Behind

Rabbi David Ellenson
Shalom Lamm

 

“When the telegram arrived, we all knew what that meant.  But my parents  didn’t speak English, so I went inside and read it to them. You can imagine, it was a very tough day.” That’s 99-year-old Harry Cordova’s recollection of an event that happened 79

Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary

Rabbi David Ellenson
Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Ancestors) stands out among the 63 tractates of the Mishnah as a treatise devoted to ethical exhortation and guidance. Some scholars claim it was originally a manual directed at rabbi-judges. However, there is no question that its words have gained widespread popular currency. Traditional rabbinic
Israel

Room for Pluralism in Israel

Rabbi David Ellenson

I would like to share with you a recent circular, written on official State letterhead bearing the imprimatur of the Chief Rabbinate, In the letter, Chief Sephardic Rabbi Shlomo Amar expresses “sorrow” and “terrible pain” over IRAC's victory in the courts that