Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman (she/her) is the Union for Reform Judaism's director of congregational innovation and sits on the Central Conference of American Rabbis' task force on the experience of women in the rabbinate.

Two pomegranates sitting on a black reflective surface with their mirror images shown below

Jewish Values

Introducing a Meaningful New Way to Reflect This High Holiday Season

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

Rabbi Leora Kaye

August 20, 2020

If the High Holidays were to be pared down to their very essence, what are some words and phrases that might come to mind?

Belonging. Connection. Memory. An accounting of the soul.

These are just some of the words that drove the creation of the URJ

Aerial view of hands holding a Yahrzeit memorial candle

High Holidays

The URJ Reflection Project: Go Deeper on “The Memorial”

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

Rabbi Leora Kaye

August 19, 2020

The rituals of our tradition help us reflect on the reality and permanence of death and loss, remind us of our need for belonging and connection to others, and keep us tethered to the beauty of living.

Person wearing a purple prayer shawl and holding a prayer book

Yom Kippur

The URJ Reflection Project: Go Deeper on “The Spiritual”

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

Rabbi Leora Kaye

August 15, 2020

As part of the URJ Reflection Project, a new set of offerings and experiences for the High Holidays in a time of social distance, we’ve also developed three short essays that allow you to go deeper into the essence of Jewish wisdom that grounds these rituals.

Jewish Learning

The URJ Reflection Project: Go Deeper on “The Setting”

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

Rabbi Leora Kaye

August 15, 2020

At its heart, this is a religion which holds dear the idea of connection – of belongingness. To each other, to self, to your understanding of God. What you bring matters.

Stories We Tell: The Perfect Seder

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

What is the real meaning of Passover? Is it ritualizing the seder and reading the Haggadah, or is there something more? This week, Rabbi Esther Lederman, the Union for Reform Judaism’s Director of Congregational Innovation, tells a story about a rabbi, a water carrier, and the prophet Elijah, and asks what it means to truly celebrate this sacred festival.

Passover