We are all heavy-hearted and vigilant today in the aftermath of the brutal bombings that took place at the Boston Marathon. May God comfort all who mourn and may we be blessed with the strength to both stand with those who suffer and to give strength to our communities in the activities of this and every day so that terror may find no victory.

In light of this tragedy, we offer prayers by: Mark Greenspan | Lilly Kaufman | Naomi Levy

Julie Schonfeld's op-ed in the Huffington Post calls on us to "work as a collective front of advocates committed to bringing an end to modern-day slavery."

Read the Article

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• Outside the Box
• 4 for 1

Dear Colleagues,

The most recent issue of Kolot printed a brief summary of Rabbi Golinkin's tshuvah for the Vaad Halacha of Israel permitting kitniyot.

It has led to many congregants believing that the Conservative Movement in the diaspora has permitted it as well. This is not true.

The following is a letter that I have sent to Kolot which will appear immediately on their web site and will be printed in the next issue.

Your recent article "The Kitniyot Dilemma" did a major disservice to observant Ashkenazi Jews living in the diaspora. While acknowledging the article was a "brief summary " of Rabbi Golinkin's Hebrew responsum, you neglected to point out that his responsum was very much directed to the Ashkenazi population of Israel ONLY.

After many pages of detailed historical analysis of the development of the minhag (custom) of Ashkenazim refraining from kitniyot, and the many earlier authorities who railed against it, refraining from kitniyot did indeed take hold as a widespread minhag for Ashkenazi Jews. Rabbi Golinkin's conclusion of overturning the minhag was to establish a unified practice in the Jewish state, a majority Sefardic country with many families comprising both Sefardim and Ashkenazim.

He states, " we should emphasize verses like , 'Who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land', or 'gather us together from the four corners of the land'. If it is our desire to be 'one nation in the land' it is incumbent on us to begin the process of unifying the laws and customs. In 1950 the Chief Rabbinate of Israel issued some rulings regarding family laws for the purpose of unifying the people and they should continue such work.... The Chief Rabbinate of the army published an army prayer book with one nusach to unify the IDF...."

This clearly is not as important a concern in the diaspora. Therefore our primary issue is the question of how powerful is the obligation of a minhag on our community and what is the process of change when we do change a custom. There is clearly a bias in our tradition to honor and maintain minhag. The Talmud argues for keeping minhag avoteinu beyadeinu, (the custom of out fathers is in our hand) as the reason we still maintain the second day of Yom Tov in the diaspora.

We hope you enjoy this collection of thought and inspiration for Passover and Shavuot. As Jewish communities around the world gather to sit at their seider tables this year, we are thankful for the freedoms we experience every day, from generation to generation.

These articles, which draw upon Jewish tradition in the context of contemporary life, are representative of the approach of the 1,700 Conservative and Masorti rabbis around the world who comprise the Rabbinical Assembly.

Please share with us in this dialogue:

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Happy Passover from Conservative/Masorti rabbis around the world.

Our Aviv Press books are now available as e-books in both Nook and Kindle versions. In addition, some Aviv Press titles are on sale in the print edition. Hard copies of these books are available until after Pesah.

Browse Aviv Press Books

Julie Schonfeld's op-ed in the Jerusalem Post calls on Jewish tradition to guide Natan Sharansky in bringing about a compromise. 

Read the Article

Why does this issue strike a chord in the Jewish community? This statement from the Conservative Movement and these sources on Gun Control help to frame the issue; articles by Julie Schonfeld and David Lerner also help to put it into perspective as a Jewish issue at its core.

Are members of your community eager to assist, either with home hospitality, legal/insurance expertise, or just general assistance?

We've created this template in order to simplify the process of collecting information about members of your community who may be able to help others.

How to use the template:

1. Log into Google Drive
2. Access our template
3. Click on "Use this Template"
4. Distribute the form to your community by clicking share, email, or embed

Additional information about Google Forms is available here.

As this holiday season comes to a close, we'd like to highlight these resources:

• Hoshana Rabbah: 
  • Hoshanot text and kavannot for Hoshana Rabbah from Or Hadash 
  • Beat It! the Ritual of of Havatat Aravot Why do we beat the willow? This CJ article bring a new perspective on the history behind this odd custom. By Bradley Shavit Artson.
• Sh'mini Atzeret:
  • Yizkor materials (include texts and kavannot from Mahzor Lev Shalem and The Observant Life)
  • Geshem text from Or Hadash 
• Simhat Torah:
  • Songsheet by Ashira Konigsburg 
  • Hakafot text from Or Hadash

In taking the Food Stamp Challenge, you will personally experience the challenges of hunger in the United States – challenges that the 1 in 7 Americans who use food stamps, including nearly 25% a quarter of all American children, face daily. This is a time for education and understanding; a time to say “enough.” When you take the Food Stamp Challenge, you will join hundreds of others across the country, including religious leaders, elected officials, celebrities, and other concerned community activists, to build the public and political will to end hunger in the United States.

We have prepared materials to help you keep track of your experience:

• Food Stamp Challenege Notes Form
• Food Waste Challenge Sheet

We are proud to join in partnership with the CA, USCJ, Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, JCPA, the RAC, and the RRA in sponsoring the Food Stamp Challenge.

We are asking our colleagues to mention their names during t’filot on Tishah B’Av.

View the Names
Y'hi zikhram barukh: may their memories be for a blessing

By Alvin Berkun, immediate past chair, National Council of Synagogues

Our president and executive vice president sent this letter to members of the senate foreign relations committee to encourage the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

• RA Letter
• Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition statement

A message from RA President, Gerry Skolnik:

In my installation address at the recent RA convention in Atlanta, I spoke from my heart about the pivotal role that Ramah had played in both introducing me to, and ultimately, claiming me personally and professionally for this movement.  Subsequent to that address, the National Ramah Commission shared my remarks with its e-mailing list, calling attention to the long and fruitful relationship between Ramah and the Rabbinical Assembly.

During the past few weeks, we have all been made aware of the challenges that the USCJ is facing with the ongoing funding of KOACH, its outreach program to Conservative students on campus.  Many voices have been raised in concern, and their passion has reached not only the offices of the USCJ, but also the other arms of the movement, the RA very much included.

The RA leadership has been in discussion with stakeholders regarding serving our youth on college campuses, and I am writing to apprise you of what I think is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our efforts on campus within existing frameworks.   

For some years now, Ramah has been sponsoring "Ramah Interns" on campus who, working cooperatively with KOACH, have been able to enhance both the quality and frequency of programming directed at Conservative students on campus.  The cost of each of these internships is $1600 per year.

In light of current concerns, Ramah is interested in, and ready to, increase the number of those internships.  We see this as a wonderful opportunity for the Rabbinical Assembly to partner with Ramah and reach out to our students on campus.  The best and most effective way for us to do this is to encourage you, our rabbis, to sponsor these interns.  One contribution of $1600, either from you personally, from a discretionary fund, or from a concerned member of your congregation, school, chaplaincy setting, or university, creates an entirely new campus opportunity.  Any amount that you can contribute to this cause will, along with Ramah's willingness to enhance its own participation, serve to broaden our influence on campuses around the country within existing frameworks, including KOACH. We will also be exploring the possibility of having Rabbinical Assembly members be involved on a content level in working with these interns.

Ramah and the Rabbinical Assembly are natural partners in the sacred work of securing the next generation of Conservative Jews.  Let's not curse the darkness... we can light a light!  Please have checks made out to the Rabbinical Assembly with the words "Ramah Internships" in the memo field, and send them to the attention of Ursula Morillo in the Rabbinical Assembly office.

Thank you for your help in this crucial matter!

L'Shalom,

Rabbi Gerald C. Skolnik

The Rabbinical Assembly extends a hearty mazal tov to our new colleagues who were ordained at the ordination ceremonies of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and the Jewish Theological Seminary:

A number of sessions at the 2012 RA Convention streamed live on Youtube. Watch videos from the 2012 RA Convention:

Videos from Convention 2012

We're thrilled that Vice President Joseph Biden has accepted our invitation to address our members on Tuesday May 8.

Vice President Biden, through decades of service in public life, has long been a dedicated and loyal supporter of the Jewish community and our values and priorities. 

As Conservative Jews, our dedication to the pursuit of justice commanded by our Tradition brings us to see civic virtue and committed community as the cornerstones of our lives as Americans.

In this spirit, we look forward to this important address to the Rabbinical Assembly by Vice President Biden.

More info | Register

Originally published by מקור ראשון on February 5 (download the original PDF).

לרגל משחק הסופרבול עסקו בסוף השבוע בקהילה הקונסרבטיבית בארה"ב בשאלה האם מותר לשחק פוטבול בכדור מעור חזיר

מאת צביקה קליין

הסופרבול, אירוע הפוטבול והספורט הפופולארי ביותר בארה"ב התקיים אתמול באינדיאנפוליס בין הניו יורק ג'איינטס לקבוצת הפייטריאוטס של ניו אינגלנד. אירוע זה נחגג בבתי כלל האמריקנים על ידי התכנסות של בני המשפחה וחברים סביב מסכים גדולים, אוכל מעושן מהברביקיו ומעדנים מקומיים.

בתנועה הקונסרבטיבין החליטו לנצל את המומנטום: ב'כנסת הרבנים' של התנועה יצרו הרב עשירה קוניגסברג ויוסי הופמן דף מקורות סביב נושא ה'פיגסקין,' עור החזיר שממנו ייצרו בעבר את כדור הפוטבול.

"אם תקישו בגוגל את המילים 'עור חזיר' ויהדות תמצאו אלפי מאמרים הסוקרים את התייחסות היהדות למשחק הפוטבול בעקבות העניין שהכדור אתו משחקים מיוצר מבהמה טמאה, החזיר" מסבירה עשירה קוניגסברג ל'מקור ראשון' מביתה בארה"ב. "אנחנו תמיד מנסים ליצור דפי מקורות לרבנים שלנו בכדי לסייע להם בעבודה היום-יומית מול חברי הקהילה. שיערנו שחלקם ישמחו לדבר עם חברי קהילתם בשבת או בבית הכנסת ביום ראשון בבוקר עם אנשי הקהילה על הסוגייה ההלכתית המעניינת." קוניגסברג מספרת כי רבנים קונסרבטיביים רבים השתמשו בדפי המקורות במהלך השבת האחרונה וכי חלקם אף ישבו עם חברי קיהלתם על הנושא במהלך השיעור שהתקיים בבית הכנסת לאחר התפילה, ממש לפני ההתארגנות למשחק.

"על פי ההלכה זאת לא בעיה לשחק פוטבול מכמה סיבות: הכדור כבר לא מיוצר מעור של חזיר, ורק נקרא בשם זה מפני שכך ייצרו אותו מלכתחילה. בנוסף, המפרשים מסבירים כ אסור לגעת בבהמה טמאה מפני שהיא תגרום ליהודי להיות טמא, אך מכיוון שבית המקדש כבר לא קיים אנחנו נמצאים במציאות אחרת" הסבירה.

By Stuart Weinblatt, RA Director of Israel Policy and Advocacy

Last Thursday, the RA hosted a delegation of Israeli reporters and staff of members of Knesset.

This past Tuesday, JTS confered honorary doctorates on the 41 RA Members listed below who have served in the rabbinate for 25 years or more. Gilah Dror, RA President, delivered greetings, and Jack Moline, RA Director of Public Policy, spoke on behalf of the honorees. Chancellor Eisen confered the degrees and delivered the convocation address (the text of which we will post in the coming week). See the official JTS press release for more details about the event.

In response to photos of the protests in Jerusalem where a misguided few dressed their children in concentration camp uniforms and yellow stars, we cannot stay silent. Whatever they meant, they told the world that their Judaism is engulfed in darkness. We live rich Jewish lives every day. Our Judaism adds meaning and purpose. Our Judaism exists to bring light to the world. 

If you feel the same way, please share a photo! Let’s show everyone what Judaism means to us by visiting addyourlight.tumblr.com!