Rabbi's Messages

on Monday, 29 December 2014.

Israel is complicated. That may be the understatement of the century.

We are uniquely fortunate to live in a time when there is a sovereign Jewish state. That makes us unlike the vast majority of Jews throughout history. It is reason for celebration and for ongoing thanksgiving. At the same time, Israel's existence has been wracked with heartbreaking complications: the Palestinian conflict, the second-class status of Reform Judaism, the growing polarization of the Israeli and North American Jewish communities.

Israel is not perfect. Like any other state, she has the right to make mistakes, to learn from them, and to move forward. As the Jewish state, we also have the right to expect that Israel will be at home for us, and will live up to our Jewish values of equality, holiness, and TzelemElohim - the Divine Image in all humanity.

One of the ways we show our love for the Jewish state is by advocating for those values within her society. The Reform Movement has been deeply involved in social justice work in Israel for decades. Our synagogues are offering a new and liberal kind of Judaism to the Jewish state; our Israel Religious Action Centre fights for social equality for all its citizens, regardless of ethnicity or gender; and our support of Women of the Wall (a transdenominational organization, NOT a Reform group) is changing the face of women's religious equality at the Kotel and beyond.

From the other side of the ocean, Kol Ami actively supports these efforts. We partner with congregation BirkatShalom, we advocate for Women of the Wall, we raise money for Israeli's Reform Movement. We have much to be proud of, and much work still to do.

This month we are very pleased to be able to offer a "Virtual Torah Study" program with Rabbi Meir Azari, Senior Rabbi of Beit Daniel of Tel Aviv, the largest Reform Jewish community in Israel. Rabbi Meir Azari was one of the first Israelis to be ordained by the Reform movement, sits on the board of the Jewish agency, and is a widely respected religious and community leader in Tel Aviv. He will join us by Skype at exactly 9:00 am, so please arrive on time for this fascinating program with a fascinating leader.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Micah Streiffer