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Hello colleagues,
As rabbis we have each committed to being a "dugma ishit" a personal exemplar of living a life guided by the ethical demands of our sacred texts. But what does that mean for rabbis today? How can we interpret these lessons in a way that is true to our tradition and also resonates and is meaningful today? We have heard the deep desire for our RA to openly communicate and foster opportunities for continued learning around these questions and other issues pertaining to ethics.
One way we are committed to meeting this request is by regularly devoting a section in RA News on this critical topic. It will be called “Eye on Ethics.” Guided by our Gender & Power Committee and Va’ad HaKavod, we envision this section as an opportunity to share updates, communicate opportunities for professional development, and highlight effective practices. Ultimately our goal is to integrate the conversation of ethics into the fabric of our Rabbinical Assembly.
It is with immense gratitude that we proudly share that we are the recipients of a two-year cross denominational training grant along with the ethics committees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. This generous grant from the SRE Network will provide our ethics committees with training focused on acting with a trauma-informed lens, conducting investigations, interviewing victims, counseling communities during and after allegations of misconduct.
As we prepare to receive the recommendations from Sacred Spaces to update and strengthen our Code of Conduct, and the procedures that guide the work of our Va’ad HaKavod, we are acutely aware of just how vital the work that lies ahead is. We hope this new space in RA News will serve as an opportunity to open dialogue and learn from one another as we all engage in the sacred task of bringing healing and justice to our world.
In Partnership,
Abbi Sharofsky, Co-chair, Gender and Power Committee
Daniel Pressman, Chair, Va’ad HaKavod
D’ror Chankin-Gould, Co-chair, Gender and Power Committee
Sheryl Katzman, Senior Director of Member Engagement