Our Partnerships
By Karen Goldberg, 5/15/2018
A pivotal moment in my social justice journey happened last May on my first trip to Israel with the Women of Reform Judaism. Celebrating Rosh Chodesh with Women of the Wall, I experienced first-hand the shocking level of intolerance aimed against Reform Jewish women like me for simply wanting to sing and chant Torah. When I returned to California, I felt compelled to speak out against this injustice as well as other injustices at home. Fast forward a year. I'm headed to Washington, DC, for my first meeting as a WRJ representative on the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. With... Read More
By Maya Weinstein, 5/25/2017
On June 2, National Gun Violence Awareness Day, people around the country will Wear Orange to bring attention to the epidemic of gun violence that kills 90 Americans each day. One of those lives lost was Hadiya Pendleton. On January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton – a majorette and high school student from the South Side of Chicago – marched in President Obama’s Second Inaugural Parade. One week later, after finishing final exams, Hadiya was shot and killed in a park near her school, at the age of 15. In the wake of this tragedy, her friends and family wore orange to honor her life... Read More
By Abigail Fisher, 5/09/2017
“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the past few months, I have marched, emailed, sent postcards, made phone calls and wrung my hand a lot, but nothing I have done has been as powerful or as inspiring as the 4 days I just spent in Washington, DC. From mid-day Sunday April 30 through Tuesday May 2, the Religious Action Center (RAC) held its biennial Consultation on Conscience, but I got an early start. As my kids say, I started pregaming on Saturday night. Actually, I’ve been pregaming longer than... Read More
By Miriam Chilton, 4/18/2017
What do you get when you mix 1,000 teenagers, musicians, a selfie stick, and uninhibited enthusiasm for social justice? A few weeks ago, I had the honor and privilege to address NFTY Convention, the largest gathering of Reform Jewish teens in North America. This biennial conference convened teens, young adults, alumni, and congregational leaders for 4 days of learning, celebration, and action, centered on empowering teens with agency to shape the world they want to live in. As Vice President of Youth for the Union for Reform Judaism, my job often entails answering a lot of questions... Read More
By Sophie Hermann, 4/13/2017
Every 98 seconds, someone in just the United States alone is sexually assaulted. That someone is most likely 12-34 years old, which is the age group most at risk for rape and sexual assault. That someone could be anyone, from a friend to a stranger, a brother or a sister, a human being whose life is now forever changed and violated. That someone was me. I was 16 years old when I was raped. I was a junior in high school with my whole life ahead of me. I was a normal teenager and then suddenly, I wasn't. My life had permanently changed and I had absolutely no idea what to do about it.... Read More
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