Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

JRF invites our Midwestern Region's congregants to join us for our annual celebration, this year to be held at Ravinia. The event is on Tuesday, July 20 at 6:00 pm, and will feature Peter and Paul in a tribute to Mary.

We will be honoring our Moreh Derekh (Those who show us the path) Honorees:

Steve Blonder  - Four term president of Ezra Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation, Steve led the synagogue through a significant transition and transformation.

Deborah Newberger - Deborah Newberger is a two-term past president of Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue in Northbrook, IL. A member since 1997, Deborah has served on the board of directors, youth group committee, fundraising committee, sabbatical committee, and is currently chairing  the capital campaign committee -- working to secure a permanent home for Shir Hadash.

Carole Caplan - Carole Caplan is proud to be a past president of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, IL, and to have helped build their new building as the "greenest" house of worship in America

Marc Hurwitz - Two-term President of Congregation Shir Hadash synagogue in Milwaukee, WI, has been a member since its founding in 1989. He chaired the Membership committee for 10 years, and has been actively involved in special programming and the development of the congregational school.

For more details and to register, contact Melanie Schneider at mschneider@jrf.org or 212.870.2483

JRF Supports Immigration Reform

The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation continues to work with a coalition of Jewish and interfaith organizations towards comprehensive reform of the immigration system in the United States. Our key partner in this endeavor is HIAS (The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society).  read more »

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 »

Beginning on the eve of the second day of Pesach, we are instructed by our tradition to count the days of the “Omer” until the fiftieth day, which is when the first barley crop would be harvested. It is also the Jewish holiday of Shavuot when, according to our tradition, the Jewish People received the Torah at Mt. Sinai. The counting of the Omer is a bridge between Pesach and Shavuot – between a moment of liberation and a moment of self-definition and direction at the beginning of our evolution as a religious civilization. It is an opportunity to deepen our study and close the gap between ideas and action for the tikkun (rebalancing, repair) of the challenges we face in our world.

Each week during JRF's annual Omer Learning Initiative, we highlight resources, teachings, and wisdom gleaned from the Reconstructionist movement and our organizational partners, on topics that cover the major social justice and spiritual activism areas JRF and our member congregations have been working on. In this way we have produced and collected a wide array of resources and have encouraged the sharing of best practices and concrete action for the renewal and repair of the individual, community and world we are part of.

2010 Omer Initiative: Tikkun Hanefesh V'Olam - Growing the Soul: Self, Community and World (http://jrf.org/omer/2010)

2009 Omer Initiative: From Study to Action (http://jrf.org/omer/2009)

2008 Omer Initiative: From the Values and Spirit of Tikkun to Community Building (http://jrf.org/omer/2008)

2007 Omer Initiative: Environmental sustainability (http://jrf.org/omer/2007)

2006 Omer Initiative: Hunger and poverty (http://jrf.org/omer/2006/intro)

2005 Omer Initiative: Pirke Avot (The Wisdom of Our Sages) (http://63.115.67.94/pirke-avot/index.html)

Omer Initiative Home Page: (http://jrf.org/omer/home)

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 »

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 »