News (Click here to see EVENTS)

New York Mosque and American Muslim Community Celebrations 2010

We at JRF stand in support and solidarity with our Muslim Sisters and Brothers during this 2010 celebration of the Holy Month of Ramadan and including the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the festival at the end of Ramadan, which this year coincides with the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, as well as the start of the Jewish High Holy Days and Rosh HaShanah. This coincidence of events, particularly the proximity of Eid al-Fitr and the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks presents very specific challenges.  read more »

JRF's Western Region Celebrates “Trailblazers”

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Please join the Western Region of JRF in celebrating our Morei Derekh Reconstructionist Trailblazers. These outstanding individuals have been chosen by their congregations for the Western region’s distinguished leadership award. Whether through building community, tikkun olam (social action) or hesed (acts of service), their volunteerism stands as a model for inspirational values in both the Jewish world and broader secular society.

Honor your congregation’s trailblazer and purchase a tribute ad in the 2010 Western Region Moreh Derekh tribute book!   read more »

Register for the JRF Convention Today!

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What has more than 800 legs, lots of singing and dancing, great Reconstructionist ruach (spirit), and comes every other year?

Why, the JRF Convention of course!

This year the JRF Convention will take place November 11-14 in Newport Beach, California. Registration is open, and space is filling fast! Reserve your spot today.

Check out this year's registration packages and fees

Visit the Convention website



We hope to see you in California!

Emergency appeal: Pakistan Floods

Pakistan has been affected by the worst floods in living memory. 13.8 million people have been displaced by the floods in Pakistan and 6 million of these require immediate help according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The floods have severely affected all of the provinces of the country and the magnitude of the devastation dwarfs other recent natural disasters. The millions who have been displaced were living at or below the poverty line and whatever little possessions and assets they had have been washed away, and their crops destroyed by the flood. The public infrastructure in the region - including access roads and bridges - have been badly damaged or have collapsed. There is a desperate need for temporary shelter, clean drinking water and toilets to avert a public health catastrophe. People also need basic goods and essential medical care.   read more »

What JRF is Doing in Tikkun Olam 2010-11

Reconstrucionist Movement and Global Jewish Community tikkun olam/social justice efforts for 5771- 2010/11  read more »

SHABBAT NOACH AND INTERNATIONAL 350 DAY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, OCT 9-10, 2010

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A CALL TO OBSERVE SHABBAT NOACH, OCTOBER 9-10,2010, AS THE SECOND ANNUAL "GLOBAL CLIMATE HEALING SHABBAT"

The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, as well as leaders and organizations of many other streams of Jewish life, have endorsed a call to focus Shabbat Noach on October 9-10, 2010 as Climate Healing Shabbat. The Torah passage for that Shabbat lends itself to focusing on the danger of destruction of life on our planet, and also on the actions we need to take to prevent destruction and preserve the web of life in which the human race has emerged and created civilization.

We urge congregations to bring sermons, prayer, song, poetry, midrash, resolutions, invitations to public officials, etc., to focus on this issue.
  
The international observance of "Global Climate Healing Shabbat Noach" is a prelude to the crucial United Nations conference on the climate crisis scheduled for December, 2010.
 read more »

Wondering who you’ll see at this November’s JRF Convention?

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Renowned Constitutional Law Scholar Erwin Chemerinsky will be featured during Erev Shabbat (Friday night) services at this year’s JRF Convention. Named one of the "Top 20 Legal Thinkers" by Legal Affairs Magazine, Erwin Chemerinsky is widely held as an expert on American Constitutional law as well as a dynamic and thought-provoking speaker. Luckily for JRF, Mr. Chemerinsky is also a member of University Synagogue, the Reconstructionist congregation in Irvine, California.

Read more about Mr. Chemerinsky and watch a video of his talk on Judaism and the American Constitution

I want to learn more about the JRF Convention this November

Women of the Wall

HaKotel L’Kulam — The Western Wall Should Be For All

A Statement in Support of the “Women of the Wall”

  
Social action based on Jewish ethics is a central part of Reconstructionist community activity. In Israel and North America, Reconstructionists actively support The Women at the Wall, who advocate equal worship rights for men and women in Israel.

                                     

 

The Reconstructionist Movement supports the efforts of the Women of the Wall.   


The Women of the Wall have held a monthly prayer group at the Western Wall (the Kotel) since 1988, in which Reconstructionist, Conservative, Reform and modern Orthodox women have participated. Today, the organization’s existence is being threatened by the Israeli government.  read more »

Announcing the Keruv/Outreach Library: Best practices in creating welcoming Jewish congregational communities

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With tremendous excitement, we are launching the Keruv/Outreach page on the JRF website; a center for collective wisdom and experience in models, programs and resources for best practices in creating welcoming Jewish congregational communities. We welcome you to visit  www.jrf.org/keruv-library, review the wealth of resources and models, and contribute your own.

The site is a product of two years of intensive, creative work connected to the JRF NY/NJ region's Kehillah Kedoshah: Every Voice Matters Keruv/Outreach project.  read more »

JRF Events

Mayyim Hayyim Mikveh Conference

Oct 10 2010 - 12:00pm
Oct 12 2010 - 11:59am

Mayyim Hayyim (http://www.mayyimhayyim.org/) Community Mikveh and Education Center is hosting the international Mikveh Conference, “Gathering the Waters” in Boston, October 10-12, 2010. JRF is a partner for this event, and we encourage you to attend this exciting program.

The conference will provide an in-depth exploration of the contemporary mikveh in theory and practice. Internationally renowned scholars, clergy, and educators will teach about immersion as a powerful tool for spiritual renewal, marking life transitions, and observing mitzvot.  
 read more »

Human Rights Shabbat, December 3-4 or 10-11, 2010

Dec 3 2010 - 4:17am
Dec 11 2010 - 6:17pm
Join with Rabbis for Human Rights-North America for a celebration of Judaism and universal human rights, and observe Human Rights Shabbat 2010 with congregations across North America! In 2009, more than 100 communities (of all sizes and all denominations) around the world participated: they invited speakers, taught about human rights in their Hebrew schools, studied Jewish texts, and incorporated human rights liturgies into Shabbat services (see http://www.rhr-na.org/page/human-rights-shabbat-communities-2009).Now in its third year, Human Rights Shabbat is a chance to talk about the connections between Jewish tradition and human rights in a congregational or Hillel setting. This year, Human Rights Shabbat will be December 10-11, with the alternate date of December 3-4 for communities with a conflicting program. Participation can either minimal or more extensive-the important thing is to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in your community. Human Rights Shabbat is free, and materials will be distributed in early November.  read more »