Little Failure
The Yiddish phrase lachen mit yashtsherkes literally means "laughing with lizards" but is usually meant as "laughing through the tears." It's an idea that is prevalent throughout Gary Shteyngart's latest book, Little Failure, a memoir of his childhood as a Russian immigrant in A
Reform Movement Reacts to Palestinian "Unity Government"
June 5, 2014, New York, NY – In response to the formation of a Palestinian "unity government," Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) President Rabbi Rick Jacobs, issued the following statement:
Divestment Vote Undermines Presbyterian-Jewish Relations
Detroit, June 20, 2014 - In response to the Presbyterian Church's vote to divest from Israel at their General Assembly meeting, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
Reform Jewish Movement Mourns the Deaths of Three Murdered Israeli Teens
JERUSALEM, Israel, June 30, 2014: In response to the news that the bodies of three missing Israeli teens, Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar, and Eyal Yifrach, have been found, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
Multi-Denominational Chicago Area Jewish Youth Received Pluralistic Leadership Training
New York, NY, January 5, 2015--The Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) was the proud recipient of a $25,000 Jewish United Fund (JUF) Breakthrough Fund Grant awarded to NFTY Chicago Area Region (NFTY CAR), to host a leadership training program for teens and staff across Jewish denominations in Chicago.
Reform Movement Reacts to Tragic Attack in Paris
January 7, 2015--The World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) expresses our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims murdered on Wednesday January 7, when hooded gunmen stormed the Paris offices of a weekly satirical magazine, killing at least 12 people, including two polic
Violence in Paris Condemned; Religious Freedom Must Be a Principle Valued by All
New York, NY January 9, 2015 - In response to the terror in Paris this week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
More Than a Thousand Jewish Teens, and Adults Invested in Their Future, Gather at Historic Convention
January 20, New York, NY -- Thousands of Jewish teens and adults will come together for the NFTY Convention and Youth Summit February 13 through 17, 2015, in Atlanta, GA.
Reform Movement Condemns Terrorist Attack in Tel Aviv
January 21, 2015, New York, NY -- In response to the brutal stabbing on a Tel Aviv bus this morning, URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs made the following statement: