HELPING EACH OTHER
Whether it is an expected transition of a congregation’s leadership or an unanticipated and game-changing natural disaster that impacts a community, the URJ partners with member congregations to support and assist them during challenging moments.
Congregations in Transition:
Shallat Rabbinic Transition Program and Retreat
In addition to personalized support, the URJ offers the Shallat Transition Program which brings together congregational presidents or presidents-elect and the new senior/solo rabbis for an intensive retreat and ongoing support throughout the leaders’ first year.
In 2017, the URJ supported more than 150 congregations through their rabbinic transitions.
#BeTheLightForJustice: Responding to Charlottesville
Following the August 2017 violence and hatred witnessed in Charlottesville, VA the Reform Movement coordinated an interfaith response that called for constructive solutions to the hatred dividing our nation. The clergy and lay leadership of the Religious Action Center’s Urgency of Now campaign organized across North America, expanding our network of Reform congregations working together for social justice. On August 28, the RAC participated in the 1,000 Ministers March for Justice in Washington, DC, and marched alongside diverse clergy from across the nation to demand action from the Department of Justice.
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RAC Director, Rabbi Jonah Pesner said, “Our world is imperfect, so we respond with hope. Our world is full of darkness, so we respond with light.”
To help spread the light of peace, embracing differences, and repair, the Reform Jewish community launched a social media campaign encouraging individuals to share an image of themselves holding a candle of unity on social media with the hashtag #BeTheLightForJustice.
Disaster Relief
2017 was a year in which natural disasters struck across the globe, including in Houston, TX, and Santa Rosa, CA. Affected URJ congregations benefited when the Reform community came together, not only to support rebuilding efforts, but also to lend a hand to everyone in the impacted neighborhoods.
After the catastrophic flooding in Houston, a multi-faceted partnership – including the URJ, the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, and Congregation Emanu El in Houston – created the “pop-up” Hurricane Harvey Houston Day Camp. Hundreds of volunteers provided a respite for 300 children and their families. In addition, thousands of gift cards were sent to Houston’s congregations from individuals and congregations throughout the movement.
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In early October, wildfires in California destroyed a majority of the buildings at URJ’s beloved Camp Newman in Santa Rosa. A short time after the fires, more than $1.3 million had been raised from 2,453 donors, including sister URJ camps across North America. Congregations from the Bay Area and beyond organized healing services and special events, not only to support the Camp Newman community, but also to embrace everyone affected by the wildfires.
(Camp Newman operated during the summer of 2018 as Camp Newman by the Bay at California State Maritime Academy, on the waterfront in Vallejo, CA.)
URJ Mitzvah Corps, NFTY-TOR, and Greene Family Camp provide Hurricane Harvey relief
Jewish star on the hill overlooking URJ Camp Newman survived the devastation of the California wildfires
