Home Archives for Union for Reform Judaism/URJ

Using the ATM to Bring Teens into Temple

Posted on May 17, 2013 Written by 1 Comment
Or Ami California

by Paul Kipnes The entire American Jewish world, it seems, is focused on how to engage or reengage the younger generations of Jews. Foundations are funding, denominations are discussing, and Federations and synagogues are searching for the latest and greatest strategies to engaging these lost generations. Our own Union for Reform Judaism kicked off its Campaign for Youth Engagement, on the theory that unless we engage young people in their early years, we surely will lose them in their later high school years and beyond. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: The American Jewish Scene Tagged: ,

Expanding Camp Opportunities for Kids with Special Needs

Posted on May 8, 2013 Written by

by Lisa David The Foundation for Jewish Camp released preliminary findings last week from their recent research study Jewish Camp for Children with Disabilities and Special Needs, which maps current, potential, and desired camp program opportunities for children with disabilities/special needs. The study paints an encouraging picture of the field of Jewish camping, highlighting a variety of models that successfully provide meaningful Jewish camp experiences to children with diverse needs. The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Camp and Israel Programs are committed to providing a positive Reform Jewish summer experience to all children, including those with special needs. The FJC study found that parents of children with disabilities/special needs feel strongly that providing a uniquely Jewish … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Opinion / Letters Tagged: , ,

Reform Movement Reimagines Financial Support and Relational Engagement for Congregations

Posted on March 13, 2013 Written by

March 13, 2013, Chicago, IL - At a three-day conference held this week, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) officially launched its fourth "community of practice" focused on Reimagining Financial Support for Your 21st Century Congregation. The Chicago gathering allowed congregational staff and lay leadership from 17 participating congregations that are concerned with the financial health and future of their communities to begin to examine the relational model of engagement and its impact on financial support. During the community of practice's 24-month cycle, designated representatives from each congregation will come together to explore connections between congregations' financial support and members' relational investment in the synagogue community. They'll also examine opportunities to fund … [Read more...]

Filed Under: In the Media Tagged:

Going to SXSW? Reform Movement and ROI Community Partner for Kabbalat Shabbat

Posted on March 10, 2013 Written by
Warehouse-ROI Unplugged Post Card Side 2

SXSW Alternative Kabbalat Shabbat Features Music and New Media The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the ROI Community are presenting WAREHOUSE ATX at the SXSW Festival in Austin, TX. WAREHOUSE ATX, featuring musician Josh Nelson, is an alternative Kabbalat Shabbat experience using music and new media. The event will be followed by ROI Unplugged, a musical showcase featuring musicians Simja Dujov, Neshama Carlebach, Noa Margalit and Ami Yares. Building Jewish community at events like SXSW - a set of music, film and interactive festivals that draws tens of thousands - is a natural fit for a partnership between ROI Community and the Reform Movement. As an international network of more than 800 activists and change makers in 50 countries who are redefining Jewish engagement, ROI Community is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Events Tagged: ,

One Hundred Jewish Professionals Walk Into a Church …

Posted on February 22, 2013 Written by

by Barb Shimansky, MSW I knew going into the Reform Movement’s recent Youth Engagement Conference that our Sunday morning trip to the First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church would be a highlight of the weekend. Learning how another faith organization engages their youth would surely provide some insight into how we as Jewish professionals can do the same. As 130 of us - educators, clergy, and lay leaders who work with Jewish youth - walked into the service, we were struck by church members who warmly greeted us outside on the sidewalk. This seemed like a no-brainer for creating a welcoming atmosphere until I put it into context for my own congregation in Wisconsin; standing outside the building in mid-February is not really an option there! Even so, the notion of how well the FAME … [Read more...]

Filed Under: The American Jewish Scene Tagged:

NFTY Convention: Where Prayer is Spine-Tingling, Bone-Shakingly Inspiring

Posted on February 20, 2013 Written by
NFTY 2013 Covention; courtesy Justin Blake @jbdudenc

Most synagogues would celebrate if a dozen teenagers showed up at Shabbat services on a regular Friday night. How would it feel when 1000 attended? Awesome. Just awesome. by Rabbi Paul Kipnes At home, we sometimes used to struggle to feed balanced meals to our 3 teenagers. Imagine trying to feed 1000 as these Jewish teens sat together to for Shabbat dinner. And that was only the beginning. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: The American Jewish Scene Tagged: ,