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Available FREE to affiliates: Paperback copies of The Rabbi-Congregation Relationship: A Vision for the 21st Century, produced by a commission drawn from all sectors of the movement. Released in 2001, this visionary report provides evergreen insights into the multiple roles that rabbis play in congregations and explores the tensions that arise when these roles inevitably conflict. Addressing practical matters such as rabbinic search, contract negotiations, evaluation, staff and board relations, and rabbinic departure, the report continues to help rabbis and congregations succeed together in shaping healthy covenantal communities.

To obtain copies for your leadership, please contact Jacob Weinberg at JWeinberg@ReconstructingJudaism.org or 215.576.0800 ext. 113.

New York Day of Learning

We are thrilled to invite you to the New York Day of Learning on Sunday, Jan. 26 from 12:30 – 6 p.m. EST at SAJ: Judaism That Stands For All. This year's theme will be “A Jewish Response to Homelessness in the New York Area.” Our keynote speakers will be Eric Rosenbaum, President & CEO of Project Renewal, and Rabbi Lina Zerbarini of Kehillath Shalom, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. Speakers also include Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough President, and NYC Council Members Mark Levine and Helen Rosenthal. For more information or to register, please click here.

Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations - Invite Your Community Members to Participate

How to Have Healing Public Conversations About Israel/Palestine

Essay: Looking for ways to engage the members of your community in healing conversations about Israel/Palestine? Harry Webne-Behrman shares his experiences as a facilitator of Jewish Dialogue Groups in an Evolve essay.

Preparing Our Communities for Conversations on Race

Adult Education Beit Midrash: Your community members are welcome to sign up for Evolve's Adult Education Beit Midrash, which provides participants with study guides for the Evolve essay of the month. This month’s topic is Preparing Our Communities for Conversations on Race. If you are interested in participating, please contact Rabbi Jacob Staub, RRC ’77.

Promoting Progressive Jewish Values in Israel

All those who are 18+ and identify as Jewish are eligible to vote in the upcoming World Zionist Congress Elections, which are critical to promoting progressive Jewish values in Israel. Reconstructing Judaism is proud to be running in partnership with the Reform movement as part of the ARZA slate in the 2020 election, as we did 5 years ago.

You and members of your community can vote online NOW until March 11. Voting takes less than 90 seconds. Please remember to invite your community to vote ARZA!

If you would like to learn more or help organize members of your congregation to commit to vote, email Rabbi Maurice Harris, RRC ’03, Associate Director for Thriving Communities and Israel Affairs Specialist, at MHarris@ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Dream With Us

This animated video, updated from 2016, is an easy-to-digest explanation of Reconstructionist Judaism. We hope you’ll find it useful in your outreach efforts to new and prospective members. As an example, see how University Synagogue in Irvine, Calif. used the video on their “Who We Are” webpage. Please feel free to reach out to Jacob Weinberg at JWeinberg@ReconstructingJudaism.org if you’d like help uploading it to your congregational website.

Weekly Torah Newsletter

"How does oppression come about? It happens when we lose our names." — Rabbi Michael Strassfeld, d'var torah for parashat Shemot, Jan. 2020.

Rabbi Michael Strassfeld, RRC ’91, editor of the groundbreaking Jewish Catalogs, our makhzor and our haggadah (with his wife, Rabbi Joy Levitt, RRC '81), offers a free weekly email newsletter. Each edition features a d'var Torah for the upcoming parashah, a kavanah (intention) and a song. We invite you to subscribe or view a sample newsletter.

New Directors’ Institute

For the third year in a row, Reconstructing Judaism is partnering with the USCJ on the highly regarded New Directors’ Institute, which supports education directors, early childhood directors, principals, directors of congregational learning, and rabbi and cantor educators within their first two years of directing an educational program. This multi-day institute will be held at the Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, Md., July 6 – 9, 2020, and will be followed by additional conference calls and webinars for continued learning. To learn more, please visit USCJ or contact Cyd Weissman, vice president for Innovation and Impact, at CWeissman@ReconstructingJudaism.org or 215.576.0800 ext. 257.

Convention Suggestion Box

We want your input on what you'd like to see and experience in our next Convention! Please take a moment to let us know through our Virtual Suggestion Box for Convention 2022.

Video: Global Day of Jewish Learning 2019

On Sunday, November 17, 2019, Reconstructing Judaism participated in The Global Day of Jewish Learning with a live-streamed talk by Rabbi David A. Teutsch, Ph.D. You are welcome to watch the video of Rabbi Teutsch's talk and share it with your community.

New Resources

The following resources may be relevant to your work and the work of the other leaders of your community:

Please let your community know that registration is open for our Havaya Summer Programs, including Camp Havaya, Havaya Arts, and Havaya Israel. Financial aid is available for eligible families.

Upcoming Events

View all upcoming events at ReconstructingJudaism.org/Events

New York Day of Learning
Jan. 26
SAJ: Judaism That Stands For All
New York City

Please join us on Sunday, Jan. 26 from 12:30 – 6 p.m. EST at SAJ: Judaism That Stands For All for the New York Day of Learning: Jewish Response to Homelessness in the New York Area. Our keynote speakers will be Eric Rosenbaum, President & CEO of Project Renewal, and Rabbi Lina Zerbarini of Kehillath Shalom, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. Speakers also include Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough President, and New York City Council Members Mark Levine and Helen Rosenthal. For more information or to register, please click here.

Save the Dates - Reconstructing Judaism in Southern California

Shabbat Worship and Discussion on Reconstructionism
March 27
University Synagogue
Irvine, Calif.

Shabbat worship and discussion with Rabbi Arnie Rachlis, RRC '75 of University Synagogue and Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., RRC '99, president of Reconstructing Judaism, on “Reconstructionist Judaism: The Past, Present and Future of the Reconstructionist Movement.” A d'var torah will be offered by Rabbi Yael Ridberg, RRC '97, of Congregation Dor Hadash.

Shabbat Services and Day of Learning
March 28
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. PDT
Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue
Malibu, Calif.

Shabbat services and day of learning featuring small group sessions with key Reconstructing Judaism staff and lay leaders at Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, Malibu, Calif.

Havdalah and Dessert Reception
March 28
7:30 p.m. PDT
Kehillat Israel
Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Please join us for havdalah and dessert reception with Rabbi Amy Bernstein, RRC '97, senior rabbi of Kehillat Israel; Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben, rabbi emeritus of Kehillat Israel; and Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., RRC '99, president of Reconstructing Judaism.

Save the Date - Chesapeake Annual Celebration and Day of Learning
April 19, 2020
Oseh Shalom
Laurel, Md.

This year's theme will be Reconstructionism Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Our keynote speaker will be Rabbi Jacob Staub, Ph.D., RRC '77.

Save the Date - Convention 2022
March 23 – 27, 2022

Please mark your calendars for the next Reconstructing Judaism convention, which will be held in partnership with the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association and Havaya Summer Programs.

Convention will take place March 23 – 27, 2022, at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, in McLean, Va., just outside of Washington D.C. Join us to learn, pray, sing, dance, eat and network with other Reconstructionists from all over the world. More information to follow!

Reconstructionists in the News

Trump’s expected executive order on campus anti-Semitism draws praise and concern

The reason for this major New York rally is violence against Hasidic Jews. But will they go?

In 2020, Make Your New Year’s Resolution Getting Arrested

Havdalah: Time to get to work!

Twenty-Sided Dreidel

Could A Third Israeli Election Hinge On Religious Pluralism?

An American Hiloniut

Embracing What It Means to Be Jewish, and…

On Human Rights Day, 70 Jewish Communities Start Confronting Racism

My View: Police provide comfort to Jewish community

I’m still trying to figure out my Jewishness. Rising anti-Semitism doesn’t help.

Hateful graffiti, swastikas upset culture of acceptance on Wheaton campus in Norton

Family, activists gather to honor the nearly 80 victims of fatal gun violence in Allegheny County in 2019

Public Positions on Current Matters

Statement on Hanukkah Antisemitic Attacks

Amicus Brief Opposing Overbroad Exemptions to ACA Contraception Mandate

Click here for our previous statements.

How to Reach Us:

Tresa Grauer, Ph.D.
Vice President for Thriving Communities
TGrauer@ReconstructingJudaism .org
215.576.0800 ext. 144

Jackie Land
Associate Director for Thriving Communities
JLand@ReconstructingJudaism .org
302.500.0863

Rabbi Micah Geurin Weiss
Assistant Director for Thriving Communities/Tikkun Olam Specialist
MWeiss@ReconstructingJudaism .org
215.576.0800 ext. 155

Jacob Weinberg
Thriving Communities Associate
JWeinberg@ReconstructingJudaism .org
215.576.0800 ext. 131

Rabbi Maurice Harris
Associate Director for Thriving Communities and Israel Affairs Specialist
MHarris@ReconstructingJudaism .org
215.576.0800 ext. 118

Rabbi Joel Alpert
Director of Rabbinic Placement
JAlpert@ReconPlacement.org
215.576.0800 ext. 304

Rosa Cohen
E-Newsletter Editor
RCohen@ReconstructingJudaism.org
215.576.0800 ext. 120

Our business hours are Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST; Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. EST

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This email went to rabbis/spiritual leaders, cantors, presidents, executive directors, education directors, board members, Plenum representatives, and administrators at congregations and havurot affiliated with Reconstructing Judaism. If you would like us to add another member of your leadership to the list, please email rcohen@reconstructingjudaism.org.