Tikkun Olam Email List
Would you like to learn about social justice campaigns happening across the movement and help bring more justice into the world?
Email our Tikkun Olam Specialist, Taryn Wyron, to add your name to our new Tikkun Olam email list.
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Important Dates
June 10
RRC graduation
June 18
Havaya Arts begins
June 24
Camp Havaya begins
Nov. 15-18
Reconstructionist Convention
Convention registration is now open! Visit Reconvention18.org for more information.
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The Forward Synagogue Survey: Be Included
The Forward is compiling a list of American synagogues that will include size, service length, women's roles, accessibility, dress code, and more.
To be included, fill out this survey or pass it on to another leader in your community.
For more information, read the article here.
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Convention Update
Rooted and Relevant: Reconstructing Judaism in 2018
We look forward to seeing you at Convention on November 15-18 in Philadelphia. Please share the following links with your community:
As a leader of our movement, you can help ensure a successful Convention by:
- Encouraging members of your community to register at Reconvention2018.org.
- Designating a Convention liaison from your community.
- Providing a community contact who is responsible for music. Please send us the name and contact information for the person to whom we can direct all music resources.
For more information, visit Reconvention2018.org or contact Jackie Land at jland@reconstructingjudaism.org.
The Plenum held its bi-annual meeting on Sunday, April 29. Highlights include:
- Forty-six congregations were represented during the call, the highest level of participation in the last two years.
- This was the first full Plenum meeting led by its new chair, Ed Baum (West End Synagogue, N.Y.).
- The Plenum voted overwhelmingly to approve a proposal that will allow work to go forward towards the establishment of a new Tikkun Olam commission, to be comprised of a combination of lay leaders and rabbis from across the movement.
- A newly established working group of the Plenum, called the Opt-In Group, reported on the work they’ve done over the past four months. They’re exploring issues such as the internal governance structure of the Plenum and the Plenum’s role within the larger organizational structures of the movement.
The full Plenum will meet again in person at Convention in November 2018, and possibly before that time in an online format.
What are Reconstructionists doing?
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
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New Resources
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:
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Fair Trade: Partnering for Justice
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.
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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.
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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.
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Our podcasts are now available on Spotify. We hope you will consider sharing the links to and explanations of these podcasts with your community.
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Hashivenu: Jewish Teachings on Resilience
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 13
Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz, RRC '97, and Rabbi Deborah Waxman, RRC '99, president of Reconstructing Judaism, discuss how modern Hebrew poets take apart traditional language and ideas and create something new from ancient building blocks.
Listen to Hashivenu on Spotify or visit Hashivenu for more options.
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#TrendingJewish
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 for those who don’t feel compelled by God to live life according to Jewish law? Rabbi Maurice Harris fields this question, and also explains why he avoids “outing” himself as a rabbi while he’s a passenger on a commercial flight.
Listen to #TrendingJewish on Spotify or visit #TrendingJewish for more options.
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Public Positions on Current Matters
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:
A Message of Condolence
All of our statements are available at ReconstructingJudaism.org/positions, catalogued by date and by topic.
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Upcoming Programs
RRC Graduation
2:30pm, June 10
Old York Road Temple - Beth Am, Abington, Pa.
Congratulations to the newest cohort of Reconstructionist rabbis! Join us in honoring their achievements. To RSVP, email graduation@rrc.edu.
Jews of Color Convening 2018
June 17-20
Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Camp
Copake, N.Y.
The 2nd national Jews of Color Convening is a rare opportunity for Jews of Color to gain skills in workshops conducted by leading experts, forge important networking and build nationwide connections to increase leadership, equity and opportunity for Jews of Color throughout the Jewish community. Scholarship opportunities are available. For more information, visit the Facebook page or sign up for the email list.
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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Missed an issue of Leadership Brief or Reconstructing Judaism Today ?
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org/newsletters to see the archive of past issues.
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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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You are receiving this email because you are listed in our records as a leader of a Reconstructionist community. If this is no longer the case or if you would like to update your contact information, please click here.
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.
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