Background The Torah and Jewish tradition explicitly command us to feed the hungry. “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. I the Eternal Continue Reading »
Background Israel was established as a democratic state. Its Declaration of Independence proclaims that Israel will “uphold the full social and political equity of all of its citizens, without distinction of race, creed, or sex.” There have been increasing incidences attempting to enforce gender segregation in public secular places in Israel. Gender-based discrimination has occurred on sidewalks, Continue Reading »
Background The 2006 teshuvah “Homosexuality, Human Dignity and Halakhah” (by Rabbis Elliot Dorff, Daniel Nevins and Avram Reisner) effectively normalizes the status of gay and lesbian Jews in the Jewish community. Extending the 1992 Committee on Jewish Law and Standards’ consensus statement, gay and lesbian Jews are to be welcomed into our synagogues and other Continue Reading »
(The Masorti Foundation has asked the various arms of the Conservative/Masorti movement to approve this resolution. The RA, JEA, NAASE and the Schechter Day School Network have already done so.) Background It has become increasingly the case that when Masorti/Conservative groups have wished to daven in Israeli hotels, they have been denied the use of Continue Reading »
This resolution was prepared in consultation with the Rabbinical Assembly. BACKGROUND The Talmud acknowledges that people must play a role in choosing their leaders: “A ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is first consulted” (Berachot 55a). 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), an act of Continue Reading »
This resolution was prepared in consultation with the Rabbinical Assembly. BACKGROUND Incidents of gun violence have occurred in elementary schools, colleges, movie theatres, and malls just to name a few. The organization Mayors Against Illegal Guns analyzed 93 incidents between January 2009 and September 2013 in which at least 4 people were killed by guns. Continue Reading »
This resolution was prepared in consultation with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (of which Women’s League is a member). BACKGROUND The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires health insurance policies to cover, without co-pays or deductibles, a full range of physician-prescribed FDA-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures and patient education and counseling for women with reproductive Continue Reading »
BACKGROUND Both the Torah and the Talmud tell us we need to feed the hungry and help those in need to become self sufficient. The Torah also repeatedly emphasizes the need to treat workers fairly. According to Deuteronomy 24:14-15 and Leviticus 19:13, “You shall not oppress a needy and destitute laborer … but you must Continue Reading »
BACKGROUND The worldwide Conservative/Masorti movement is represented in the World Zionist Organization (WZO) and Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) by MERCAZ Olami. Since 1987, this participation has resulted in an annual allocation to the programs and institutions of Conservative/Masorti Judaism in Israel (more than $1 million today in direct funding) and a similar amount in Continue Reading »
This resolution was prepared in consultation with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (of which Women’s League is a member) and the Rabbinical Assembly. BACKGROUND The Torah states that we are each created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). We learn from this that there is holiness in all people, regardless of Continue Reading »
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