Archive 2011

Saturday's shooting in Tuscon, AZ was a tragedy. May we soon know the day when all Americans and all the world are free from senseless violence. Below please find a note from the White House calling for a moment of silence to honor the innocent victims and to pray for those still fighting for their lives. 

President Obama calls for Moment of Silence for Victims of Shooting in Tucson, Arizona
"Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. eastern standard time, I call on Americans to observe a moment of silence to honor the innocent victims of the senseless tragedy in Tucson, Arizona, including those still fighting for their lives. It will be a time for us to come together as a nation in prayer or reflection, keeping the victims and their families closely at heart."
The President will observe the moment of silence with White House staff on the South Lawn. The moment of silence will be pooled press.
Today, the President has signed a proclamation calling for flags to be flown at half-staff.

תפילה לאור האסון בנרבגיה

Jewish Social Justice Roundtable - For Immediate Release

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CONTACT:
Erica Brody, (212) 213-2113 x51, cell (718) 608 4514
Regina Weiss, (212) 213-2113 x20, cell (357) 263 3405

Washington, D.C.; July 27, 2011—On Friday, July 29^th, 170 representatives of organizations that are part of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable (JSJRT) of which the Rabbinical Assembly is a founding member, will travel to the White House for a policy briefing to exchange ideas on housing, healthcare, food justice and education. The JSJRT is a group of 21 nonprofit organizations promoting economic and social justice as a core tenet of Jewish life.  The RA delegation includes Rabbis Jack Moline, RA director of Public Policy, Jeffrey Wohlberg, RA past president and rabbi emeritus of Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, DC; Jacob Blumenthal, Shaare Torah Congregation in Gaithersburg, MD; Michael Safra, B’nai Israel Congregation, Rockville, MD; Andrea Merow, Beth Sholom Congregation, Elkins Park, PA; Ron Shulman, senior rabbi, Chizuk Amuno Congregation and Daniel Burg of Beth Am Congregation, both of Baltimore; Elizabeth Richman, program director and rabbi-in-residence at Jews United for Justice. and Jan Caryl Kaufman of the Rabbinical Assembly in New York.  Other RA members attending are Rabbis Jason Kimmelman-Block, Senior Director of Leadership Initiatives and Rabbi-in-Residence, Jewish Funds for Justice; and Sheldon Lewis, rabbi emeritus of Kol Emeth Congregation, Palo Alto, CA.  We are proud that Rabbi Moline will deliver the closing statement and d’var Torah to the group as they meet with the Administration.  Rabbis Richman, Kimmelman-Block and Merow will also deliver kavvanot and brakhot on Friday’s program.

Countries in the Horn of Africa including, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti are experiencing the worst drought in 60 years. As a result, millions of people are in desperate need of food and water. Livestock and crops are deteriorating due to the lack of access to water and malnutrition is on the rise. A famine has been declared in two regions of Somalia, causing roughly 600,000 Somalis to flee to neighboring countries.

The Israel Action Network (IAN), a project of the Jewish Federations of North America in partnership with the Jewish Council of Public Affairs, is coordinating a North American response to the Palestinian Authority leadership’s decision to pursue a policy that has become known as Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). While the exact course of their actions is not known, it may include seeking full membership or some form of enhanced status in the U.N. during the General Assembly in late September. UDI threatens to undermine the long-standing consensus of reaching a two states for two peoples outcome based on direct bilateral negotiations; instead it uses the UN as a vehicle to isolate and place diplomatic pressure on Israel.

The Rabbinical Assembly, having recently released a resolution on UDI, is partnering with the IAN in this important effort.

First in a Series of Conversations About Jewish Life

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC – Jewish Women International (JWI) and the Rabbinical Assembly brought together female leaders of Jewish organizations across America for a call earlier today with MK Tzipi Livni, head of the Kadima party in Knesset. This was the first in a series of calls designed to bring Jewish women leaders together to discuss important issues facing the Jewish community.