Related Blog Posts on Israel, Israel and Its Neighbors, Jewish Values, and Torah Study

Israel at 75: Forging the Path Together

Rabbi Josh Weinberg
April 21, 2023
In November 2006, I set out with a pack on my back to walk the Land. I knew that before I enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces, I wanted a more intimate relationship with the country that I had made my home.

Celebrating the Trailblazing Mothers of Zionism

Crystal Hill
Ellie Rudee
April 13, 2023
While many are acquainted with the "fathers" of modern Zionism (Theodore Herzl, Leon Pinsker, David Ben Gurion, and others) early women Zionists have been largely overlooked. Their contributions to Zionism and Jewish kibbutzim were vital to establishing the state of Israel. It's time that their work was celebrated and recognized.

How to Help Support Israel's Democracy

Rabbi Rick Jacobs
Jennifer Brodkey Kaufman
Rabbi Josh Weinberg
Daryl Messinger
April 1, 2023
Here are some ways you and your community can support Israeli democracy and the Israeli Reform Movement during this critical moment.

The Importance of Storytelling

Rabbi Maya Y. Glasser
March 14, 2023
The Jewish people love to share stories, as memory is a central Jewish value. We cannot forget what has happened to us because we must share it with future generations. The past is one of our best learning tools.

He’Brews, He’Leads

Ellie Rudee
February 23, 2023
Third-year Hebrew Union College-NYC student Jesse Epstein hopes to make Judaism more accessible, meaningful, and relevant for today’s Jewish community – through beer. He recently became the owner of Shmaltz Brewing Company, a beer-brewing brand aimed at providing community members with a mode and environment for consumption steeped in Jewish ethics, text, and tradition.

Envisioning Home

Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg
January 19, 2023
Some of the best stories from our tradition involve a question presented on one level that is answered on a completely different and surprising level.

Seeking Jewish Values Amidst Broken Glass

Kara A. Wilson
January 18, 2023
Nearly two months ago, our Just Zionism group landed in Israel as the election to cement a far-right government in the Knesset was taking effect. When we landed, I had a surface-level understanding of Israeli politics but was about to get a crash course on the election's implications for the activists who were heartbroken by the results.

Israel is Messy and I Love It

Joshua Maxey
December 20, 2022
On November 2, 2022, I landed at Ben Gurion Airport for the first time. Filled with many emotions, this being my first trip to Israel, I decided to keep an open mind as I joined twelve young adult leaders on a journey to learn more about Israel, Zionism, and why Jews in the Diaspora, especially in the United States, should be engaged.