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Last week, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced The Pain Capable Unborn Child Act (S. 1670), which would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, with very few exceptions for life of the mother and rape or incest when reported to legal authorities. An identical bill, The Pain Capable Unborn Child Act (H.R. 1797), introduced by Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ-8), passed the House of Representatives on June 18, 2013. The Senate bill, like the House bill, severely limits a woman’s autonomy over her own body, and refuses her the ability to make decisions according to her own beliefs and conscience.

Since the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973, anti-choice advocates have worked to restrict access to abortion, including laws on the use of public funds and restrictions on access to abortion services. First passed in 1976, the Hyde Amendment set the dangerous precedent of prohibiting federal dollars from going to abortion services. Until now, this has mostly affected women who rely on Medicare and Medicaid for health care, as well as women in the armed forces. However, under Affordable Care Act, millions more women will be impacted by this law.

Once, when I was a teenager, my father slept-walked right out of our apartment. As soon as the door closed and locked behind him he woke up. I didn't hear the doorbell. Thank God for dignified PJ's, a doorman with keys and a dad with a healthy sense of humor. I've been sleep-walking since I hit my head in December of 2009, whenever that was. I don't mean leaving the house in the middle of the night in my PJ's. I mean living a life, looking awake but feeling asleep. The waking up feeling began the last time there was snow on the ground. Snow ends around April, whenever that was. I don't feel awake all the time but I am more conscious that I am unconscious. Being awake requires so much concentration it has left me with little energy for reflection on the sensation of wakefulness.

By Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell From its founding in 1913, The National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods has served as a powerful and effective vehicle for Reform Jewish women to share their commitment to and advocacy for increasing justice in the world. As such, the women of our movement have been long-standing advocates for the rights of those within the GLBT community, often being among the first to do so. Beginning in 1977, Sisterhood leaders have named and asserted their solidarity with other arms of the Reform movement in supporting, first, gay men and lesbian women, then, gay and lesbian Jews, and, most recently, the rights of transgender and bisexual individuals. In 1977, NFTS passed a resolution calling for "civil, legal, social and political rights and guarantees for education, housing, employment, pursuit of self-fulfillment, the expression of cultural and ethnic identity and the absence of coercion or invasion of privacy [to] be guaranteed for all persons regardless of color, sex, sexual preference of consenting adults, national origin, religion and political point of view." Both the UAHC and the CCAR passed similar resolutions that year.

by Sandi Firsel In Vayeitzei , Genesis 28:10-32:3, there are many emotionsto consider: love, deceit, sibling rivalry, jealousy, betrayal, thievery,  lies, trickery, and reconciliation. As the parashah begins, Jacob meets Rachel and falls in love. However, he must marry her older sister, Leah, first. Jacob continues to work for his father-in-law, Laban, for seven years until he is finally allowed to marry Rachel, who becomes a co-wife. After Rachel overcomes infertility issues and gives birth to Joseph, Jacob decides to return to Canaan and leave Laban’s home in Haran.

In 2008, Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) was honored by the World Union for Progressive Judaism with its International Humanitarian Award. In his introductory tribute remarks, Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, URJ President at the time, said: There are too many people in our Movement who do not know the story of WRJ. The major reason, it seems to me, is that WRJ is not engaged in a continual campaign of self-promotion – which tends to be the norm in the Jewish world. They are simply too busy encouraging the grassroots efforts of their members, and in doing the everyday, nitty-gritty work that sustains our synagogues and strengthens the Jewish people. WRJ’s Centennial year is an opportunity to change this pattern and to tell our amazing story to all who will listen. Through these weekly Ten Minutes of Torah messages, exhibits, and several new and upcoming publications and videos, WRJ has endeavored to raise awareness of what our matriarchs have done to enhance Jewish life in North America and around the world.

The Reform Movement missions include youth, lay leaders and clergy, including a mission from the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) and the Women’s Rabbinic Network (WRN) and a NFTY mission, together totaling 69 lay leaders, 28 clergy, and five young adults.

This week we continue the story of a family, but this week is a woman’s story that raises some important ideas for us to consider. In Tol’dot (Genesis 25:19-28:9), we are reintroduced to Rebekah. This portion focuses on her relationships: her relationship to God, her relationship to her husband Isaac, and her relationship to her twins.

by Sharon Mann The spirit and values of Judaism bind Jews as a people, whether they live in Israel or in the Diaspora. We all share a religion, traditions and a way of life. When I joined Kehillat Emet VeShalom (affiliated with Israel’s Reform and Progressive Movement) in Nahariya, I found that acting as a liaison between my congregation and Jews in the Diaspora spoke to me. I therefore joined in the effort to build connections with other congregations abroad to raise awareness of Israel and strengthen Jewish heritage.

by Norma E. Cohen Two years ago, when Women of Reform Judaism of Temple Emanu-El in Tucson, Arizona, was still morphing from a sisterhood that did a lot of cooking and baking to one with a more educational, spiritual and social action focus, we joined a new WRJ twinning program that we hoped might fulfill a portion of that goal. Joining with the women of Kehillat Emet VeShalom in Nahariya, we launched what has become an incredibly successful intercontinental friendship. Now, many of our members have relatives or friends in Israel and visit often.