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CCAR on the Road General CCAR News Reform Judaism

Chanukah Blessing in the White House: Only in America

Rabbi Steve Fox and President Barack Obama

Many mixed emotions ran through me last night as the harmonious voices of hundreds of Jewish community leaders joined with the President and First Lady of the United States in the singing of the Chanukah blessings.  We then joined in a Shehecheyanu prayer as we celebrated the sixth night of Chanukah and the sixth annual Chanukah White House celebration, led by a military rabbi who just last year helped Jewish soldiers in combat.

Surrounded by rabbinic colleagues, family and friends from the community – new and old ones – and, my excitement and energy was tempered by a twinge of melancholy.  I could not help but think of my immigrant parents who never would have been invited to the seats of power in their countries of origin, Germany and Austria – in fact, just the opposite was true; they fled from the oppressive governments that sought to destroy them and their communities.

I can hear their accented voices saying “only in America”:  for only in America can immigrants from Germany and Austria rebuild lives, raising a son and a daughter who both now serve the Jewish people as rabbis.  Only in America would their son be invited to the White House – the home of the highest leader of the government — representing the Reform Rabbinate.  Only in America can the President, First Lady, Rabbis and community leaders join together singing blessing representing our enduring capacity to overcome oppression, be it 2,000 years ago or a mere 70 years ago or in the world today. As my parents would say, “only in America – Happy Chanukah.”

Categories
Israel News Reform Judaism Statements

Reform Movement Response to
United Nations

Photo By Bill Aron

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has joined with the Union for Reform Judaism, ARZA and ARZA-Canada to issue a Reform Movement statement about the United Nations decision to upgrade the status of the Palestinians as a “non-member observer state.”
http://ccarnet.org/joint-statement-un-palestinian-status/

A CCAR Mission of Reform Rabbis is currently in Israel.  Follow our Rabbis as they show our support for Israel and as the CCAR leads our communities in engagement with Israel by visiting Israel.

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Israel News Reform Judaism Statements

Reform Movement Response to United Nations

Photo By Bill Aron

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has joined with the Union for Reform Judaism, ARZA and ARZA-Canada to issue a Reform Movement statement about the United Nations decision to upgrade the status of the Palestinians as a “non-member observer state.”
http://ccarnet.org/joint-statement-un-palestinian-status/

A CCAR Mission of Reform Rabbis is currently in Israel.  Follow our Rabbis as they show our support for Israel and as the CCAR leads our communities in engagement with Israel by visiting Israel.

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Israel Statements

The Path to Peace

The CCAR continues to express our long-standing commitment to peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors. We believe that the only way to achieve peace is a negotiated settlement with two states for two peoples.
The path to peace lies between Ramallah and Jerusalem, not in New York or Washington or the Netherlands.

CCAR member rabbis represent a diverse range of opinions as to the best ways to move forward, but we are united in our desire for peace, and our support and love for Israel.

The CCAR’s Mission to Israel begins today, with our rabbis arriving in Jerusalem now. The trip has two core purposes — to express our support for Israel and take provide an opportunity for more recently ordained rabbis to engage in conversations and learning as to how best lead their own communities into an engagement with Israel by visiting Israel.

We are engaging in conversation with other leaders of the Movement in CCAR Board of Trustee discussions and at the URJ Board meeting now in progress as to how best to respond to the myriad of issues presented and we will continue to coordinate our efforts for the benefit of Israel and peace in the Middle East.