Thursday, May 8th; 1:00 pm ET / 10:00 am PT / 8:00 pm Israel
Thursday, May 15th; 1:00 pm ET / 10:00 am PT / 8:00 pm Israel
Thursday, May 22nd; 1:00 pm ET / 10:00 am PT / 8:00 pm Israel
Thursday, May 29th; 1:00 pm ET / 10:00 am PT / 8:00 pm Israel
Rabbis in the Conservative/Masorti Movement are facing unprecedented opportunities to build relationships with and engage “interfaith” couples and families. According to Pew Research’s Jewish Americans in 2020 study, 72% of non-Orthodox Jews partner with people of other faith backgrounds. How can rabbis and communities fully embrace all Jews and their loved ones within CJLS guidelines?
The goal of this RA/USCJ cohort program is to emphasize the authority of the rabbi as pastor, teacher, ambassador, and mara d’atra to lead their community with wisdom and compassion. Participants will learn about relevant research, share fears and challenges, and exchange ideas. These conversations are intended to connect rabbis working across our Movement to each other and to the organizations supporting them.
Join us for this four-week intensive program to discuss new narratives on interfaith families and Jewish engagement. We will explore both the theoretical and best practices for rabbis working in all settings of Jewish life.
Each session is 75 minutes long and will cover the following topics:
Session I. May 8: Dr. Keren R. McGinity, USCJ Director of Intermarriage Engagement & Inclusion
“Gender Matters: The New Narrative about Jewish Intermarriage and Our Movement”
Q & A with Special Guest Andy Kirschner, 18Doors Chicago Director
Session II. May 15: R. Aaron Brusso, Strategic Planning Standards Committee Chair
“Rabbi, Will You Do Our Wedding?” Pastoral Approaches to Interfaith Couples
Session III. May 22: Open Mic for Constructive Collaboration
What Have You Tried in Your Community? What Would You Like to Try? What questions do you have for USCJ/RA leadership to be able to best serve your community?
Session IV. May 29: R. Jacob Blumenthal, CEO USCJ/RA
“Tradition and Modernity: What Does an Inclusive Movement Look Like?”