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A Message from the President

Elliot Miller

Happy Secular New Year!

In mid-December, I had the honour of attending the URJ Biennial in Boston. For those unfamiliar with this event, it is a bi-yearly (hence, the name) gathering of thousands of Reform Jews for a few days of celebrating, learning, socializing and re-energizing. Despite the relatively small size of our congregation, six delegates proudly represented Temple Kol Ami. Congratulations, team!

Since I was not raised in the Reform movement, the URJ Biennial was an eye-opening opportunity to personally experience the music and spirit that characterize it. The positive energy starts in Reform movement camps and youth programs, and carries over to adult programs. I was moved to be one of nearly 6,000 people who celebrated Kabbalat Shabbat with an 80-person choir and professional band that felt like a sing-along version of Les Misérables.

At URJ President Rick Jacobs' keynote sermon on Shabbat morning, and at sessions that I attended on Sunday, a common theme was strengthening the bonds between North American Reform Judaism and Israel. I would like to share with you some of the key points:

It is possible to be supportive of Israel, while at the same time critical of some of its policies.

  • There are many facets to the Israel discussion: Peace/Land with Palestinians is only one. Social equality (e.g. Women of the Wall) and the Orthodox monopoly are among other issues in the discussion about Israel.
  • In their new book, A Fragile Dialogue: New Voices of Liberal Zionism, Rabbis Stanley Davids and Lawrence Englander explain how to talk to others about Israel, including the need to be willing to engage ideological opponents, and to be willing to learn from the dialogue or exchange.

Let me know if you would like to learn more about this topic or any of the other sessions we attended.

Shalom!

Elliot

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784