Excecutive Order Regarding White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Strikes Right Balance, Leaves Unresolved Issues
Rabbi Saperstein: "The executive order is a vital step toward strengthening the constitutional foundation of the rules that must be followed by religious and community organizations providing vital social services with government support."
Outraged Reform Jewish Leaders to Israeli PM: Denounce Degrading Body Searches of Female Rabbinic Students at Kotel
Senior leadership of the Reform Movement, the largest movement in Jewish life, sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in response to unnecessary and demeaning body searches imposed on female rabbinic students at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,
We are writing to express our outrage and dismay about the humiliation of a cohort of Reform rabbinic students, all of whom are the future leadership of the Jewish people, at the entrance to the Kotel on August 23rd, Rosh Hodesh Elul.
Two of our female rabbinic students, who are spending their first year of studies in Israel, were stopped at the entrance to the Kotel. After they passed through a metal detector (which clearly indicated that they were not posing any security threat), they were asked to lift their skirts and shirts in a demeaning way, an action that completely defied the decisions the Supreme Court reached on this matter.
Reform Movement Commends Birth Control Compromise
Rabbi David Saperstein: "We commend the Obama Administration for ensuring both access to contraception for all women and the robust protection of religious autonomy."
Reform Movement Condemns Murder of Journalist James Foley and Spreading Influence of ISIS
August, 22, 2014, New York, NY -- The leaders of the Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis and Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism today posted the following statement:
Reform Movement Condemns Murder of Journalist James Foley and Spreading Influence of ISIS
Contact: Annette Powers, Union for Reform Judaism
apowers@urj.org
Public Statement of Reform and Progressive Organizations, Communities and Congregations in Israel and from throughout the world on the intention to appoint Mr. Efi Eitam to the position of Chairperson of Yad Vashem
Reform and Conservative/Masorti Jewish Leaders Express Concern Over Ir David Foundation Governance of Kotel
Contact: Sean Thibault or Deborah Goldberg