Arzenu Admin's Blog Posts Tagged 'Israel' (35)

Rabbi Bennett F. Miller, chair of ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists of America, recently sent out a letter to ARZA members announcing the appointment of the organization’s new president. In his words: “The ARZA Board has unanimously approved the selection of Joshua Weinberg to serve as the president of ARZA. The selection of Joshua Weinberg concludes an international search process that began in October 2012.” If you would like to read…

In the last two years, the Western Wall in Jerusalem — also known as the Kotel — has become a place of controversy as much as of worship. It’s the site of a battle that has long been waged by a group called Women of the Wall, who are demanding they be able to pray in the women’s section wearing tallits — Jewish prayer shawls — and also be permitted to read from the Torah, rights that the rabbi of…

Noa Sattath, Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), recently sent out an email informing recipients of current events surrounding Women of the Wall and asking supporters to write to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ask him to continue making changes at the Kotel (Western Wall). Here is her email with a link to the site to write to the PM and links to various related articles.

With Anat…

Last week, ARZA Canada held a week-long program for members, which included remembering Israel's fallen soldiers on Yom HaZikaron and celebrating Israel's 64th birthday during Yom Ha'atzmaut. 

As part of the program, the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) produced a video to thank ARZA Canada for its support over the years. Click …

This week, Anat Hoffman, executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the organization. Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center (RAC) of Reform Judaism in the US, and Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), offered…

This year, in honour of Israel Independence Day, ARZA Canada – in conjunction with the newly-formed ARZA Canada Rabbinic Council – will launch the first-ever ARZA Canada Week across Canada from April 22 to 28, 2012. 

The aim of ARZA Canada Week is to produce programmes and activities that will enable this week to become a highlight of ARZA Canada’s calendar each year. This year, both Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut…

The Union for Progressive Judaism in collaboration with ARZA and Emanuel Synagogue will host a memorable experience for Australian Progressive Jews immediately after Pesach

Join the Union for Progressive Judaism on a journey of heritage and hope from Sunday 15 April to Wednesday 2 May 2012. We will visit the sites of the Holocaust in Poland from 16 to 23 April and celebrate our Jewish homeland from 24 to 30 April.

Led by…

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) president, Prince Mangosuthu Buthlelezi told a pro-Israel event on Wednesday that he is ashamed and embarrassed of how South Africa has sidelined Israel in favour of Palestine.

Speaking to nearly 400 guests at an evening called a ‘Night to Honour Israel’ at the Durban Jewish Club, Buthlelezi said the South African Government maintains an understated position with regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict despite the country’s diplomatic ties with…

On Wednesday last week, the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) and the Council of Progressive Rabbis (CPR) in Israel issued a statement on the social protests that are currently taking place on the streets of all Israeli major cities.

The people’s voice is as God’s voice

This year, the period of “Between the Straits” (bein ha-meitzarim) has seen an outpouring of protests throughout Israel. Citizens have…

Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch’s new book, For the Sake of Zion, Reform Zionism: A Personal Mission, was launched in Jerusalem on Monday, June 27. Gil Troy, a professor of history at McGill University in Montreal and the author of numerous books, who currently lives in Israel, wrote an article for The Jewish Week about Rabbi Hirsch and his latest book.

At a time when we read constantly about the crises of Liberal Zionism and Reform Zionism, Rabbi Hirsch, at…

Anat Hoffman of IRAC and Rabbi Gilad Kariv of the IMPJ, joined forces for the latest IRAC newsletter to speak about the current protests being held in all major cities in Israel.

Dear Friends of IRAC

Over the last two weeks, it has been obvious that Israeli democracy is as strong and vibrant as it has ever been. The dissatisfaction of the Israeli middle class over the basic costs of living, be it food, housing, or education, has…

Recently, I was fortunate enough to spend a busy 10 days in Israel, taking part in three conferences, which brought together Jews from across the world to talk about the future of Israel and Progressive Judaism.

The first was a ‘Young Adults Reform Zionist Leadership Seminar’, the second was the Presidential Conference, organised under the auspices of President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, and the third was the Va’ad Ha’poel of the World…

Rabbis Eric Yoffie, Gilad Kariv and Danny Allen, Arzenu’s Joan Garson and IRAC’s Anat Hoffman join together in opposing dangerous new legislation passed in Israel

In response to legislation passed Tuesday by the Knesset, which will allow for civil proceedings against individuals or organizations found to be instigators of anti-Israel boycotts and bars companies from bidding for Israeli government tenders if they participate in boycotts, including in the West…

On June 16, 14 young adults between 18 and 35 from Canada, Australia, South Africa, UK, France, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic and Israel met in Jerusalem for a five-day seminar on Reform Zionism sponsored by the WUPJ, Arzenu and TaMaR, and with the support of the World Zionist Organization. The focus of the seminar was to discuss and define the challenges facing Reform Zionism today in Israel, the Diaspora and among young people. …

I read with great sadness and considerable anger the editorial in the May 4 Jewish Ledger by Carol Greenwald, Ph.D., about the selection of Rabbi Richard Jacobs as President of the …

The following correspondence between Les Rothschild, president, ARZA Canada, Gilad Kariv, chief executive, IMPJ, and Rabbi Tamar Kolberg, Kehilat Ra'anan, are just a few of the letters and messages received by the Kehilat Ra'anan community after the most recent desecration of its synagogue.

Dear Gilad,

On behalf of ARZA Canada I want to express our shock and sadness about the desecration of our congregation in Ra'anana. As…

Since Justice Richard Goldstone wrote his article, “Reconsidering the Goldstone Report on Israel and war crimes” in The Washington Post, many have been calling for the UN to change its stance on Israel and to denounce the report. The Simon Wiesenthal Center has drawn up a petition and asks for individuals and organizations to take part in this petition. 

September, 2009: Israel's objective…was "to punish, humiliate and terrorize a civilian…

Dear Friends

Eight years ago, I traveled to Brisbane to serve the UPJ local congregation on the High Holy Days. I’m looking at the pictures from the city and the rest of Queensland on the TV screen and it is hard to capture the might of the water and the tragedy. We share with you the grief for the life that was taken. I hope your congregants are safe and that this is also the situation of the synagogues in the city and on the coast. Please let us know if there is any type of support…

As many of you are aware, the Carmel fire left many people without food, clothing, property and their homes. It also left the environment devastated and in desperate need of renewal.

The Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) and its many affiliates, including Keren B’Kavod, Noar Telem, IMPJ’s Or Hadash Community, IMPJ’s Ohel Avraham Community, Leo Baeck Educational…