How to Help Support Israel's Democracy
Here are some ways you and your community can support Israeli democracy and the Israeli Reform Movement during this critical moment.
How an Instagram Meme Account is Spreading Jewish Joy
When Aly Silverberg (she/her) started a Jewish meme account on Instagram, she never expected it to go viral - or for it to have such a big impact on her life and career. She certainly never expected it to reach tens of thousands of other Jews!
Thriving Like Isaac
Living most of my life in a hearing world – as a not-fully hearing person – has been my “normal” living experience. I don’t know any other way of being. I suspect there is a different way of living because everyone around me tells me so – they imagine that my life must be so hard, how I must cope (what are my choices??). At one point, I tried to connect to the Deaf community. Between not being fluent in American Sign Language and being able to live in the hearing world, I didn’t feel welcome – although I learned a lot about myself as a less-than-fully-hearing person in a hearing world. A few years ago, when I went from hard of hearing to deaf, I decided that I would be just that, “deaf” without the capital “D”. I am now a deaf person living in a hearing world (as opposed to a Deaf person with connections to the Deaf community).
Preparing for Passover: A Resource Roundup for a Satisfying Seder
Passover is soon approaching! Below are some of our favorite Passover resources, selected to help your seder preparations go more smoothly.
Dayenu: The Power of Enough-ness
Last year was my first time celebrating Passover and one of the first times I sang with the congregational choir. One of the songs we performed for the seder was "Dayenu." The choir director explained during practice that in Hebrew, "dayenu" means "enough." I loved the melody of the song and found myself humming the tune as I prepared for Passover.
Building Deep Relationships with Israel: URJ Heller High and the People of Israel
Heller High aims to build deep, lasting relationships between North American Jewish teens and Israel, developing the next generation of Reform Jewish Zionists. The Heller High program gives students the opportunity to learn from and get to know different groups of Israelis.
Haikus on Leviticus
These Haikus focus on weekly Torah portions.
The Importance of Storytelling
The Jewish people love to share stories, as memory is a central Jewish value. We cannot forget what has happened to us because we must share it with future generations. The past is one of our best learning tools.
Leviticus Haikus
These Haikus focus on weekly Torah portions.
Making the Written Word More Accessible: Large-Print, Braille, and Audio Haggadot
The Passover seder is about telling our story, which is often done by communally reading the Haggadah, a written collection of stories, rituals, and commentary. Without accessible options, people with various disabilities are prevented from fully participating in the seder.