President's Column by President Amy Gerstein
Celebrating 150 Years With the Union for Reform Judaism
February/March 2024
I had the great joy of attending the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 150th celebration in Washington, D.C. during the middle of December. It was powerful, moving, touching and inspiring. Celebrating Shabbat with nearly a thousand fellow Reform Jews from all over the country, Canada and Israel was breathtaking. We were led in discussion, song and prayer by many of our Reform movement’s incredible leaders — including Beth Am’s own Amy Asin and Daryl Messinger.
As I reflect on the weekend, I continue to be fortified by three beliefs:
- I am incredibly proud to be a Reform Jew. Our movement is one of faith and action. We believe in and actively pursue justice, equality, compassion and hope for a better world. We are the people of the book, and particularly as Reform Jews, we turn that commitment to tikkun olam, into focused action for social justice and to repair our world. 150 years of Reform Judaism is but a fraction of our history as a Jewish people, and yet we are the largest movement in North America. Our common values and commitments sustain us.
- I was thrilled by the expansiveness of the Reform movement’s tent. The leadership of our movement is beautifully representative of the diversity of our communities. We could see this diversity in full display, and more importantly, it was a frequent topic of learning and discussion. We are a movement that advocates for and supports the richness of our community across every dimension — race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, ways of being and believing. Our entire program was intentionally designed to highlight the diversity of our Jewish community — from leadership of prayer and song, to a wide array of different Jewish foods.
- The Reform movement is growing in Israel, and the fierce dedication by many to make this ideal a reality moved me to tears. Our brothers and sisters have been fighting for Reform Jews to have a home in Israel. They fight with love and determination for all Reform Jews to have a place to worship, to learn, to study, to be. They are creating something new every day, and I am grateful. Our movement has had a powerful voice in promoting and preserving Israeli democracy.
In closing, I’d like to share a few words from Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President for the Union for Reform Judaism, in a February 2023 blog: “The light shines brightly when we celebrate the many authentic ways our people live out our Jewish commitment. The light shines brightly whenever we are partisans for justice, equity and compassion.”
May we all continue to be a light for justice, equity and compassion at Beth Am and in our world.
L'shalom,
president@betham.org
We strive to live as a holy community whose study and practice of Judaism inspires and challenges us to "do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God" (Micah 6:8).