Blog

Any day now, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk will issue a ruling in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine et al v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration et al, a case that asks the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas to order the Food and Drug Administration to rescind its 20-year-old approval of mifepristone (one of two medications commonly used in medication abortion)--a major decision that could pull the drug off the market nationwide.

WRJ and the Women's Rabbinic Network are leaders in the fight for pay equity. As an organization, we are conducting training on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and implicit bias, sexual harassment (WRJ says STOP), and equitable hiring practices. In addition, WRJ will continue mobilizing advocacy for legislative interventions for pay equity.

We know in our own lives the importance of leadership, collaboration, and structure, and what occurs when these essentials fall apart. There is distrust, crisis, and failure to communicate from the top down. Dealing with multiple changes and insecurity is exceedingly difficult, especially in new circumstances with little stability or predictability for the future. Self-government is a new concept that creates uncertainty, insecurity, and vulnerability. Leadership is a challenge. Responsibility suffers. Yet, Parashat Ki Tisa is a story of evolution.

For six years, I’ve been lucky to be one of the representatives from WRJ to the United Nations (UN). One could attend a UN session two or three times a day if one had the time and inclination! There are so many meetings and much to learn. Our practice has been to choose the sessions most relevant to WRJ and divide them among us.  

Parashat T’tzaveh is not terribly well-known and is filled with details about which most people have little interest. It is a portion that requires a lot of slow, careful reading, which ultimately leads to some fascinating and fulfilling insights. But one must read carefully to find those insights and see their connection to our lives as Reform Jews.

Should this topic trigger trauma, please consider reaching out to the resources offered below.

It is undisputed: the Purim story is implausible—never happened. Megillat Esther/the Book of Esther is a farce.

Thanks to WRJ’s YES Fund, Avodah's Corps Members, who self-identify as Jews of Color (JOC), are given the opportunity to live in a JOC-only space for the duration of the program. This allows participants to enjoy deep learning and community building while maintaining a space to disconnect, process, and celebrate their experiences.

Just as the Israelites struggled with their post-slavery life after leaving Egypt, so do we find ourselves facing uncertainty as we navigate our post-pandemic freedom. Which parts of our Zoom world do we want to keep? Which parts do we want to cast away? What skills have we honed and which habits should we cast aside? Here are four things to consider as we gather together in person at the upcoming conventions in March, and at upcoming Sisterhood events.

This parashah tells us that the gifts that the Israelites brought to Moses were freewill offerings. This kind of giving does not come from guilt, coercion, or competition but from the heart. It is important for us to continue to make freewill offerings to help sustain our Jewish community. We bring the realm of the holy into our lives when we bring our voluntary gifts of money, time, and monetary resources. When we give of ourselves, we strengthen ourselves as Jews and exemplify our Jewish commitment to make the world a better place for everyone.