Rabbi Shawn Zevit, RRC '98, and a child at Mishkan Shalom's sensory-friendly Purim Party.
Disabilities, Special Needs, and Inclusivity
How is your synagogue including and embracing children/families with special needs? Has your community held inclusivity-focused programs, provided ASL interpretation, or adapted buildings to increase accessibility?
We are gathering stories for a possible upcoming feature on how Reconstructionist communities are welcoming members who have disabilities. Do you have a story?
Reconstructing Judaism is partnering with the Jewish Women’s Archive to capture and preserve the #MeToo stories of Jewish women. Consider adding yours to this important communal record.
Graphic from this year's Graduation Program, by Rabbi Me'irah Iliinsky, RRC '07.
New Resources
Yom Ha’atzma’ut
To commemorate Israel's 70th anniversary this year, T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights created a Talmud page. Four Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Deborah Waxman, president of Reconstructing Judaism, described their love, criticism, hopes and dreams for Israel through the lens of four lines from the Tanakh.
Feel free to use this resource with your community as a Yom Ha'atzma'ut activity or at any time of year.
eJewish Philanthropy provides valuable articles for Jewish organizations on topics from marketing to community engagement. The following articles may be relevant to your work and the work of the other leaders of your community:
Rooted and Relevant: Reconstructing Judaism in 2018
Before we open convention registration in late April, we’d like jumpstart the conversation around the Reconstructionist convention in Philadelphia on November 15-18. On the convention website is a question we’d love for you to share with your community:
Are the members of your community receiving the latest movement news? Is your community curious about how Reconstructionists are making a difference? Do your leaders look for new resources and nuggets of wisdom?
If so, encourage your members to subscribe to our email newsletters. Share this link with your community: http://bit.ly/ReconEmail
2018 Reconstructionist Learning Networks
Reconstructionist Learning Networks connect leaders and members of affiliated Reconstructionist communities with RRC faculty, leading authors, social justice activists and Reconstructing Judaism staff. Network participants meet online to explore the issues that matter most to their community through case studies, texts and real-life challenges.
Networks are free for members and staff of affiliated communities, RRA members, RENA members and direct contributors. New networks starting in April include:
In collaboration with Fair Trade Judaica, Reconstructing Judaism has created educational resources about fair trade, focusing on the core Jewish values of human dignity and sanctity of the earth. We welcome you to share these resources with your communities as a springboard to discussions with congregants of all ages.
Camp Havaya (Pennsylvania) is an incredibly diverse and welcoming community where campers are encouraged to discover what being Jewish means to them—no matter who they are or where they come from. We hope you will share the video with your community. Camp Havaya will start on June 24. More information is available at CampHavaya.org.
Havaya Arts (California) is a high-quality arts and summer camp experience. Havaya Arts aims to be a joyful, welcoming and progressive Jewish community where campers grow as intentional artists and human beings. We hope you will share the video with your community. Havaya Arts will start on June 18. More information is available at HavayaArts.org.
Podcasts From Our Studio
We hope you will consider sharing the links to and explanations of these podcasts with your community.
Hashivenu is a podcast about Jewish teachings and practice around resilience. Cultivating resilience, both individually and collectively, is an essential path to personal renewal.
About Episode 11
In this special extended episode for Yom Hasho'ah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), we hear from Rabbi Phillip Lazowski, who survived the Holocaust as a child. He shares experiences that shaped his vision and sense of purpose: amidst horror and loss, episodes of hope and humanity.
How does Judaism intersect with contemporary culture and illuminate how people live their lives? Hosts Rachael Burgess and Bryan Schwartzman have a lot of questions, both profound and goofy.
About Episode 11
What does Judaism do and what it is for? What does it do for those who don’t feel compelled by God to live life according to Jewish law? Rabbi Maurice Harris, RRC '03, fields these questions and explains why he avoids “outing” himself as a rabbi while he’s a passenger on a commercial flight.
Reconstructing Judaism endorses and co-sponsors numerous petitions, public letters and statements from aligned organizations and also issues its own public statements on occasion. Here are the statements we have issued and public letters we have signed onto in the last month, either alone or jointly with the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association:
Plenum Representatives, please expect further details from the Affiliate Support Department.
Reconstructionist Convention
Nov. 15-18
Philadelphia
This year's convention, titled "Rooted and Relevant: Reconstructing Judaism in 2018," will feature learning, singing, dancing, eating and praying. Early bird registration will open in late April. Check out the convention website for more information and click here to add the event to your calendar.
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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.
