Hanukkah Reconsidered: A Split in the Jewish Soul
I grew up loving this holiday – until I learned the dark side and felt like a kid discovering that there’s no Santa Claus. It turns out Hanukkah is, in part, a tale of Jew vs. Jew.
Reclaiming the Public Square with Hanukkah Lights
According to Rashi, we light Hanukkah candles to “publicize the miracle.” What exactly is the miracle we’re publicizing – and what’s the best way for us to do so today?
How the Jewish Holidays Help Us Create a Better World
Each year, the voice that speaks to my soul about the contrast between the inward focus of Yom Kippur and the outward thrust of Sukkot grows louder and louder.
We're a Multiracial Jewish Family; We Don't Have the Answers, but Here’s a Place to Start
Including Jews of Color or multiracial families for the point of “checking it off the list” needs to bite the dust. Multiracial families do not want to be ignored, but neither do they want to be seen as a way to achieve some sort of board directive
60 Years a Rabbi: What I Learned from My Rabbinic Mentors
Six decades have not diminished my appreciation of the rabbinic mentors who symbolically escorted me to rabbinical school and upon whose shoulders I stand.
5 Lessons from Camp for an Accessible, Inclusive Purim Carnival
Purim is often celebrated by dressing up as the brave and honest characters from the Megillah, who stood up for their peoplehood. Purim is also a wonderful opportunity to affirm our commitment to community. In keeping with the URJ’s core value of Audacious Hospitality, Camp Harlam is proud to call itself an inclusive camp, welcoming campers of all needs and abilities who want to be here. Here are 5 lessons from camp that can help make your synagogue’s Purim Carnival accessible to all this year:
Greening Your Congregation as One Way to Make It Holy
What People with Disabilities (and Their Families) Wish Their Rabbis Knew
As a Jewish professional dedicated to issues of disability inclusion and awareness, I’m all about solutions. When I read this article, I wanted to yell, “This is exactly the type of piece that must be required reading in our seminaries!”
New Paths Toward a Very Jewish Summer: Announcing RJ on the Go and Other Digital Programming
While nothing can replace the feeling of being together in person, the URJ is pleased to introduce several exciting opportunities to connect families to Jewish life in a new way this summer – to all those who seek Jewish meaning, purpose, and joy in their homes.