Displaying 1 - 10 of 42
Why We Closed Our Synagogue’s Preschool and Started Over from Scratch
by Rachel Stein
As a former preschool teacher and director, I was enjoying my role as a parent and lay leader on the “other side” in our preschool at North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, IL. As my two boys happily made their way through our small preschool, I chaired the parent committee and volunteered on our early childhood task force, which explored ways to expand the school and reach target families, many of whom were sending children to other area programs.
Seeing is Believing: Visual T’filot and the Future of Jewish Worship
Rabbi Lance Sussman, the senior rabbi of Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, PA, wrote a piece published today in eJewish Philanthropy titled "Seeing is Believing: Visua
Chaveirai n'vareich - Let's Praise Birkon Mikdash M'at: NFTY's Bencher
That is how a leader begins the Birkat HaMazon, the blessing recited after a meal. When I think about the process that led to the publication of Birkon Mikdash M'at: NFTY's Bencher, this proclamation resonates like the beautiful walls of sound created by NFTYites and campers as they sing this blessing.
The Porch: It’s Southern, It’s Open, and It’s Jewish
For the past 18 months, the URJ supported three “Communities of Practice,” cohorts of congregations that came together to learn, discuss, and experiment in a specific field.
Building a Robust, Reform Shabbat Community
by Harry Frischer
Imagine a room filled to capacity each Shabbat with worshippers who derive deep satisfaction from regular communal worship. Imagine the ruach (spirit) of many voices lifted together each week in energetic, musical, participatory prayer. Imagine a community whose members enjoy rich, rewarding spiritual lives, nourished by regular prayer, ritual, and learning.
Imagine a worship community where participants come to know each other and care for each other. Imagine a worship community where members celebrate together in times of joy, take care of each other in times of illness, bereavement, and other times of need. A community where members are welcomed in each other’s homes for Shabbat and other occasions, and where members enjoy each other’s company both inside and outside the synagogue.
Pandemic in the Petri Dish of Prison: A Jewish Call for Justice
The Book of Proverbs instructs us to “speak up for those who cannot speak...to raise our voices on behalf of the vulnerable and downtrodden.” (Proverbs 31:8-9). The individuals who make up America’s prison population are isolated, vulnerable, and voiceless.
Observing MLK Day & Shabbat Tzedek in Your Jewish Community
Each year, the Reform Movement honors the legacy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by commemorating the Shabbat nearest to MLK Day as Shabbat Tzedek.
Standing for Inclusion and Love
"What if people protest the program and disrupt Shabbat?" I admit, I heard a loud voice in my head repeating this question as our Pride Shabbat festivities approached last June.
Resources for Celebrating Shabbat Tzedek
On the weekend of January 15-18, the Reform Jewish Movement will commemorate the legacy of the civil rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with its annual observance of Shabbat Tzedek.