Voices of Israel
Recent Updates
The Issue of Reasonableness: For Israel and For Us
In her sermon from our Kabbalat Shabbat service on July 28, 2023, Rabbi Geffen shares reflections on the current situation in Israel and how we, Diaspora Reform Jews and Jewish families, might choose to understand and respond.
Relevant Resources
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What To Know About Israel's Judicial Reforms from the American Jewish Committee
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A Constituent Assembly for Israel: From Crisis to Opportunity
Congregational Trip to Israel
We are looking forward to our upcoming 2024 Women's Israel Trip with Rabbi Lisa Greene. If you were unable to attend the information meeting with Rabbi Greene, click here to watch the recording of the presentation.
Past Programming
ON-THE-GROUND Conversations about ISRAEL with Renowned Israel Educator Mike Hollander
The first two sessions look at how, in its early years, the State of Israel created sacred space on Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem as well as a series of three Holy Days to commemorate and remember the Shoah (Yom HaShoah ve'ha'Gevurah), the heavy price of our fallen soldiers (Yom HaZikaron), and to celebrate independence (Yom Ha'Atzmaut). The third session explores the Israeli political system is a fool-proof explanation of how the complicated, but different, Israeli political system works. The fourth session explores how, in ancient times, our prophets engaged in the four "W's" warning our ancestors. Today’s "prophets" create street art to communicate society’s issues. This virtual tour will explore some of the neighborhoods of south Tel Aviv–Jaffa to explore the street art and gain an understanding of the issues in Israeli society.
Recordings: Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4
From Exile to Start-Up Nation: A Six-Part History of Zionism and Israel with Renowned Israel Educator Mike Hollander
This series is based on the premise that “Zionism is the most successful revolution of the twentieth century.” It begins with the precursors of Zionism in the second half of the nineteenth century, continues through the founding of Political Zionism at the First Zionist Congress in 1897, and then looks at the 50 years of building the pre-state Jewish community (Yishuv) in Palestine. The remaining sessions explore the major challenges, successes and failures, wars and governments of Israel through its 73 years of independence.
Recordings: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace
Rabbi Greene in discussion with Dr. Einat Wilf
Listen to Rabbi Greene in conversation with Dr. Einat Wilf on her groundbreaking book, a bestseller in Israel that is now out in English. In The War of Return, Wilf and Adi Schwartz argue that for the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians to end with peace, Palestinians must come to terms with the fact that there will be no “right of return.” Schwartz and Wilf—both liberal Israelis supportive of a two-state solution—reveal the origins of the idea of a right of return, and explain how UNRWA—the very agency charged with finding a solution for the refugees—gave in to Palestinian, Arab, and international political pressure to create a permanent “refugee” problem. They argue that this Palestinian demand for a “right of return” has no legal or moral basis and make an impassioned plea for the U.S., the UN, and the EU to recognize this fact, for the good of Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Click here to view the recording.
Hinei Mah Tov: Israeli & American Jews' Views of Each Other and How Liberal Jewish Movements in Israel Have Made Progress, Faced Opposition, and Cooperated
With speaker presentations and speaker-led breakout groups following
This innovative program features Rabbi Naamah Kelman and Prof. Elan Ezrachi who share their life journeys and talk about the change they have seen and made happen in Israel in their 45 years together as a couple and the progress made by Reform and Conservative Judaism in Israel, including collaboration with unconventional Orthodox leaders and institutions.
Click here to view to recording.
Rabbi Kelman, Dean of the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, was the first woman to be ordained by HUC in Israel. Born in New York, she has lived in Israel since 1976 where she has been a leader in Jewish education and Progressive and Pluralistic Judaism for Israelis. Professor Ezrachi was born in Jerusalem and is a Jerusalem-based consultant in the areas of Jewish Peoplehood education and Israel engagement and the author of Awakened Dream: 50 Years of Complex Unification of Jerusalem. He has served in various executive and teaching roles in Israeli Jewish educational institutions.
First Reform Rabbi to Serve in the Knesset, Gilad Kariv, on American Jewry and Israel
Hear from Rabbi Gilad Kariv, the first Reform rabbi to serve in the Knesset. Previously, Rabbi Kariv was the President and CEO of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) and served as the Associate Director of the Israel Religious Action Center. MK Kariv spoke about the current state of the relationship between American Jewry and Israel.
Click here to view the recording.
