A Message from the President
Elliot Miller
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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
blog history
March 2020
President's Message
February 2020
June 2019
May 2019
May 2019
May 2019
May 2019
April 2019
April 2019
A Message from Neshamah School of Kol Ami
March 2019
A Message from Kol Ami's Shabbat School
March 2019
March 2019
February 2019
A Message from Neshama School of Kol Ami
February 2019
A Message from Kol Ami's Shabbat School
February 2019
A Message from Kol Ami Shabbat School
January 2019
A Message from Neshama School of Kol Ami
January 2019
January 2019
December 2018
December 2018
A Message from Neshama School of Kol Ami
December 2018
November 2018
November 2018
A Message from Kol Ami Shabbat School
November 2018
A Message From Neshama at Kol Ami
November 2018
"Hebrew is more than the language of Israel
October 2018
October 2018
September 2018
Girls with Guitars - Dawn Bernstein
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
April 2018
March 2018
A Message from Kol Ami's Religous & Hebrew School
January 2018
January 2018
December 2017
Happy November (or Movember, to some) - President's Message
November 2017
September 2017
September 2017
A Message from the Social Action Committee
August 2017
August 2017
A Message from the Director of Education
August 2017
A Message From the Director of Education
June 2017
June 2017
May 2017
May 2017
A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
November 2016
September 2016
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE
October 2016
A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2016
September 2016
September 2016
August 2016
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2016
August 2016
A MESSAGE FROM THE SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE
June 2016
June 2016
May 2016
The Egypt Times - Articles by our Grade 7 Class
May 2016
A MESSAGE FROM THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL COMMITTEE
April 2016
April 2016