Related Blog Posts on Birth Rituals, Death and Mourning, Israel, Lifecycle Rituals, Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (REDI) Communities of Belonging, Social Justice, and Worship

Dear Israel: A Story of Love and Longing

Ellie Rudee
In the pages of a hand-drawn picture book, your story first unfolded before me, telling the tale of my parents' first journey together to your distant lands.

Sam Griffin: Aftermath

Jean Bloch Rosensaft
Israeli artist Sam Griffin's paintings, forged in the crisis of war, convey the human capacity for healing and hope for a peaceful future for Israel and humankind.

I Have No Other Land

Rabbi Josh Scharff
This year, Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, finds me in a place that the past 10 years have not: in my birth country, the United States. My journey to and from Israel includes chapters that people can instinctively understand: a year of protesting judicial overhaul in Israel, the events of October 7th, and the bitter war in which we are still immersed.

Welcoming Baby

Rabbi Jen Gubitz
A brand-new baby is an astonishing being! How a tiny human could emerge from a mere bundle of cells, and the simple fact that any human being exists earthside, is truly remarkable.

Global Jewish Solidarity in Times of Crisis

Maayan Aviv
The events of October 7th left an indelible mark on Israeli society, reshaping the nation in ways that have yet to be fully realized, and will be felt for generations. The solidarity so many Jewish communities around the world have expressed, along with emotional, financial, and actionable support, have been sources of hope and resilience.

Chutzpah in the Darkness: Finding Strength Through Jewish Resilience

Julie Silverstein
As a college student studying during a year abroad at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem years ago, I participated in programs offered by the Reform Movement’s Religious Action Center (RAC), which trained students to advocate for civil and human rights through a Jewish lens. That experience defined my Judaism as one rooted in action and activism.

For Some of Us the Holidays Are Just…Hard

Jaimie Green
As we head into the holiday season, I am acutely aware of how much different this year is going to be than previous ones. I will be celebrating without my mom for the first time. My mother died in January 2021, and I'm still dealing with the unexpected waves of grief that wash over me, sometimes out of nowhere. As I head into this first winter holiday season without her, I'm not quite sure I know what to expect, other than everything is going to be very different.

Hope and Pride in Be’er Sheva

Rabbi Dara Lithwick
During Pride Month, I participated in a leaders' trip to Israel through A Wider Bridge, an organization dedicated to connecting LGBTQ+ people in North America and Israel. Around Israel, pride events this year focused on calls to free the hostages, support the hundreds of thousands of displaced people, and reach a meaningful ceasefire.