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Discovering Israel, Adventure, and Growth at Heller High

Crystal Hill
As the leaves begin to turn in North America and young people return to school, some teens in grades 10-12 have embarked on a back-to-school trek that spans oceans and time zones. These teens have elected to spend a semester in the URJ Heller High program at Alexander Muss High School in Hod HaSharon, Israel.

What I Wish I Still Didn’t Understand

Crystal Hill
As I continued to watch antisemitism and Christian nationalism rise, I found myself worrying about how to best keep my loved ones safe and wondered if my great grandmother had the same thoughts.

Building a Sukkah That Stands for Justice

Tamara Upfal

Our Jewish story teaches that our collective safety depends on society protecting the rights of every individual. As we gather in our synagogues, under the canopy of the sukkah, and in early childhood centers, immigrants across the country are facing the

Embracing Jewish Tradition to Process Trauma and Grief

Beth Lipschutz, MSW
Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, and diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences. Many of us in the Jewish community have experienced some sort of trauma or grief due to October 7th, the ongoing conflict, and the global rise in antisemitism.

Flowers From Pain: Growing in the Face of Trauma

Ellie Rudee
As we mark the second anniversary of October 7th, the story of Ofri Etta Reiner, a young woman who survived the Nova music festival massacre, offers a powerful testament to the human spirit’s capacity for resilience and growth.

Children of Ruth: Artists Choosing Judaism

Jean Bloch Rosensaft

The Heller Museum at Hebrew Union College in New York is proud to present “Children of Ruth: Artists Choosing Judaism,” an unprecedented international group exhibition by artists who have found a spiritual home in Judaism through conversion. Their journeys

Crossing the Bridge from the Particular to the Universal

Yolanda Savage-Narva
This year, as Jews across the globe begin to prepare for the High Holy Days, the most sacred time of year, I personally feel a sense of deep despair and fierce urgency to enter the year of 5786 embracing the particular and the universal.