How the Last Words of Moses Prepare Us for an Election Season
At the end of the book of Bamidbar, which we just completed reading, it seemed that Moses’ career as a leader had come to an end. His successor, Joshua, had already been determined, and it would be he, not Moses, who would lead the people into the Promised Land. Still, in the midst of transition and the last month of his life, Moses assembles the people and delivers a series of addresses. This week’s parasha begins with the phrase Eleh ha-d’varim, meaning “these are the words.” As the children of Israel assemble in front of him, Moses prepares them for a new beginning. He ceases to be the liberator, the miracle worker who parted the sea, and the redeemer who was called upon to replenish a depleted well. The people gain responsibility.
What Jewish Life in the South Taught Me about Judaism as a Whole
Together, my travel group and I visited Greenwood, MS, where the community at Ahavath Rayim, formerly an Orthodox synagogue, hosted us for Shabbat services. Just as we came from different places yet are united in our Judaism, so, too, did the congregants of Ahavath Rayim show just how diverse – and yet how linked – American Jews can be.
How to Reframe the Doorway into Jewish Life
A while back I had an opportunity to chat with Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, a longtime Chabad-Lubavitch leader with whom I am friends. When I asked him what his top three priorities are for the coming year, here's how he responded - and why it matters to us.
Jews Around the World Ascend to Leadership Positions
Outside of Israel and the United States, it is rare to hear that a Jew has been elected to a national office. Twice this year, though, Jewish leaders in both Uganda and Ukraine have won election to prominent seats in their national governments.
From Melancholy to Love: A Journey for the Jewish People and Me
I first learned about Tu B’Av during the summer I began rabbinical school in 1996. On a basic level, I understood it to be one of those minor Jewish holidays that did not have a “real name,” but was referred to simply by its calendrical date – the 15th of Av. Clearly a post-biblical holiday.
Not Only Our Daughters: A Prayer for Women Throughout The World
The following is a prayer expressing gratitude for what those of us blessed with privilege and freedom can offer our daughters - and so too is it a prayer of protest and concern for those of us who cannot provide these things.
The URJ Annual Report is Here!
This report reflects the full range of the URJ's work, providing a high-level overview of our entire agenda.
Stopping Voter Suppression
Commissioners on the Board of Elections in Guilford Country, NC proposed to cut by nearly half the number of early voting sites, including many inside Greensboro and one that primarily serves African- Americans; to completely eliminate Sunday voting, which is used primarily by low-income co