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More than 130 adults and children spent a few days earlier this month building a communal sukkah, eating shared meals outside, singing songs and sleeping in tents under the stars.

And they did it all in Russian.

Temple Emanuel of the Merrimack Valley in Lowell, MA, won a 2019 URJ Belin Award for its LGBTQ+ “Uninitiative,” a series of audaciously hospitable actions to welcome and support the congregation’s LGBTQ+ community. 

With the High Holiday season behind us, I hope that every service and event was meaningful and beautiful for you and your entire congregational family.

You’re motivated to engage families with young children. Where can you find information about their interests, needs, ideas about meaningful Jewish experiences, and more?

Here are three ways that your congregation can take action through Reform Movement-wide social justice efforts that are grounded in our sacred and enduring Jewish values:

“When you grow up, you’ll understand.” Have you heard this sentiment recited to young people by parents, and perhaps teachers who didn’t know the answer to a probing question, or were simply hesitant to approach it? It framed generations, in a way. Set boundaries. But in a time when we have just recently witnessed a 17-year-old becoming the youngest Nobel Peace Prize Laureate to date – I’d say the sentiment has expired.

Belin Award-winning Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, TX, applied the idea of breath and soul (nefesh) to monthly learning opportunities around social justice themes.