URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs: We Condemn President Abbas' Recent Statements
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, responds to recent statements by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas: We condemn unequivocally President Abbas’ recent statements rejecting the Jewish people’s connections with Israel, denying the legitimacy of a Jewish State of Israel, and promulgating conspiracy theories about the creation of the State of Israel.
Reform Jewish Movement Statement on Expulsion of Asylum Seekers from Israel
Organizations of the Reform Jewish Movement, the largest movement in Jewish life, issued a statement strongly urging the Israeli government to reverse its decision and recognize the legitimate status of the 37,885 asylum seekers in the country.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs’ Podcast “On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah” on ReformJudaism.org Celebrates Third Anniversary with First Live Studio Audience Recording
ReformJudaism.org, the flagship website of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) reaching 3.2 million visitors annually, is celebrating the third anniversary of the On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah podcast featuring Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the President of the URJ with its first episode recorded before a live audience. The special anniversary episode, “Courageous Leadership,” focusing on parashat Yitro, was recorded at the sold-out URJ Biennial convention in Boston last month.
URJ’s Rabbi Rick Jacobs: Statement on Polish Government’s Proposed Holocaust Law
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, issued the statement below in response to the Polish government's approval of a new law barring discussion of Polish responsibility during the Holocaust:
We were deeply disheartened by the Polish government’s approval of a new law that not only bars reference to “Polish death camps” but to discussion of the responsibility of Polish citizens during the Holocaust.
Reform Movement Appaulds Bipartisan Compromise on Senate Rules Reform
Saperstein: "While the compromise fails to address the unprecedented increase in the use of legislative filibusters, we are hopeful that this debate served as a wakeup call to the Senate.
Rollback of Reproductive Rights, Tone of Debate Must Change
Rabbi Saperstein: "We will continue to sound a strong, moral, Jewish voice for the full range of reproductive rights -- including the right to a safe and affordable abortion, the right to comprehensive sex education, and the right to accessible and affordable cont
House Vote to Repeal Health Reform Deeply Troubling
Pelavin: While we are pleased that the Senate is unlikely to consider this legislation, we nonetheless call on all Members of Congress to focus on legislative priorities that reflect our nation's commitment to life, liberty and happiness - none of which are possible wit
Troubling Comments Continue to Erode Public Discourse: Saperstein
Rabbi Saperstein: "Gov. Bentley and Rep. Cohen's comments, though different in context and word, erode the atmosphere of civility and open-mindedness that is indispensable to the health of our democracy."
Jewish Leader urges Death Penalty Repeal in Illinois
Saperstein: "It is clear that the application of the death penalty has, for far too long, been unfair; the racial and class disparities among those sentenced to death as compared to those who receive life imprisonment are stark."
Jewish Leader Calls on Gov. Palin to Retract "Blood Libel" Statement
Pelavin: "The 'blood libel' stirred hatred and violence against Jews; it contributed to massacres, pogroms and banishments. These are events very different in kind and degree than the criticism to which Gov. Palin is being subjected."