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As a Jewish professional dedicated to issues of disability inclusion and awareness, I’m all about solutions. When I read this article, I wanted to yell, “This is exactly the type of piece that must be required reading in our seminaries!”

The day of the Women’s March on Washington, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism will welcome and support members of our Reform Movement who will be participating in Washington for the day's events.

In the early 1980s, I was a camper in the UAHC (now URJ) Camp Swig Hevrah unit. In addition to the usual fun camp activities, this particular unit at camp focused on social justice. Our theme that summer was Soviet Jewry, and during our three weeks we learned the ins and outs of the issues, heard stories about Soviet Jews, and explored what we could do to make a difference. During the last few days of the session, we traveled to San Francisco to march in solidarity with Soviet Jews, equipped with “Save Soviet Jewry” banners and t-shirts, ready to perform, sing, and make our voices heard.

As we return from the Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's break, we have a natural opportunity to reflect on what was, celebrate all that is, and dream about what will be. This year's holiday "break" for my family was a staycation. One of the many benefits of staying put, other than the obvious benefit of not having to travel, is having the time to do simple things like watching several of the great feature films that are currently playing in movie theaters. We chose to see "Lion," "Manchester By the Sea," and "Jackie." Each had a unique story to tell, but all three shared a common thread expressing the importance of family and relationships and illuminating how each person can make a difference in the world.

Today, more than ever, congregations that wish to remain relevant and effective centers of Jewish living must articulate their “why” – the reason they exist and the reasons people should invest time and energy in them. 

There are a multitude of options to get your community involved in climate change and environmentalism. Here are just three ways to get started:

Our temple boards simply cannot be successful if the leaders on the board, reporting committees, and task forces are not engaged.

In 2017, people of faith, their voices, and their actions will be integral to fighting back against injustice and ensuring that all people are treated with dignity and equity.

There was a time when congregational leadership roles were clearly defined. Staff members served one role and volunteers served another. When an “expert” was needed, congregations either turned to outside consultants, or, if they were part of a denominational movement, they called the movement office to ask, “Who on your staff can work with our synagogue?”

Times have changed.