Watch "Healing, Hope, Action," a Reform Jewish Gathering after the U.S. Capitol Insurrection

Before the start of Shabbat, the Reform Jewish community hosted a live webinar, "Healing, Hope, Action: A Reform Movement Pre-Shabbat Gathering," an opportunity for Reform leaders to share a Jewish framing for what we’re experiencing both communally and as a country – including words of comfort, a discussion about what role we have to play in this moment, and how we can move forward in a unified way during these deeply troubling times.

Speakers were:

• Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, Union for Reform Judaism
• Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
• Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive, Central Conference of American Rabbis
• Yolanda Savage-Narva, Director of Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Union for Reform Judaism
• Cantor Rosalie Will, Director of Worship, Union for Reform Judaism
• Rabbi Andrea Weiss, Ph.D., Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Provost, HUC-JIR/New York
• Liana Friedman, Social Action Vice President, NFTY

Full text of Rabbi Jacobs' address is available online. If you missed this webinar, watch a recording on the Union for Reform Judaism's Facebook page, and be sure to like that page for future updates. 

Here are some of the resources shared on the call that may be helpful to you in this moment:

• Reform Movement official statements: Read statements issued in the wake of Wednesday's events amid the insurrection itself and regarding the element of white supremacy. NFTY: The Reform Jewish Youth Movement shared its own statement, as well. 
    
• Values & Voices: Rabbi Andrea Weiss, Ph.D., shared a prayer for the United States. Subscribe to the Values & Voices letters by visiting valuesandvoices.com, and follow Values & Voices 2021 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @valuesandvoices.
   
• Jewish resources for coping: Find Jewish resources for coping with these events, including discussion guides, prayers, and more.
   
• Racial justice tools: The Reform Jewish Movement works in partnership with representatives from diverse communities to fight the structural racism that is embedded in our society and to advance justice for all people.
   
  • Reform Judaism believes, unequivocally, that Black Lives Matter. Learn more about racial justice work in Reform congregations, write to Congress, and more by visiting the Religious Action Center's racial justice page. 
        
  • Access a wealth of REDI-focused resources, such as the URJ's congregational toolkit, created by the URJ Audacious Hospitality team to help you make your community more equitable and inclusive.
      
  • Each year, the Reform Jewish Movement honors the legacy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by commemorating the Shabbat nearest to MLK Day as Shabbat Tzedek. Find congregational, communal, and individual resources for both MLK Day and Shabbat Tzedek observation.
      
  • The Union for Reform Judaism shares a robust list of resources that provide a look into institutional racism, privilege, and the lived experiences of Jews of Color.

You're invited to join the Reform Movement for another live webinar, “Healing, Hope, Action: The Capitol Insurrection – Where Do We Go from Here?” on Wed., January 13 from 8-9 p.m. ET. Register now at www.urj.org/whatsnext.