ARZA Canada, the Canadian arm of Reform Zionism, is happy to keep you up-to-date on important news about Israel.
For the latest Newsletter from ARZA Canada ,
please click here.
At the recent URJ Biennial in Washington D.C., the highlight for Canadians was the ARZA Canada reception for Canadian and Israeli delegates.
5000 delegates from North America and around the world gathered to study, pray and celebrate together. 5000 people at a Shabbat service was an unbelievable experience.
Other highlights were:
* The 'D'var torah given by President Obama, (click here)
* The Shabbat sermon by outgoing URJ President Rabbi Eric Yoffie, (click here)
and a powerful Zionist speech by Rabbi Richard Hirsch, the elder statesman of our Movement in North America and in Israel. (click here)
* "Reform Biennial was an eye-opener" is an article in the Canadian Jewish News by Yair Lootstein, President of the largest Reform Synagogue in Jerusalem (Congregation Kol HaNeshama). (Click here)
A Video You Might Want To Watch
"I Am Jewish" is a video by Andrew Lustig from the USA. Click here to see the video. If you wish to see the lyrics, click here.
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If you like to play golf and would like to support ARZA Canada or just want to support ARZA Canada's Progressive Judaism Preschool (Gan) Projects in Israel, then join Temple Sinai at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club June 26, 2012. For more information and registration, click here. ________________________________________________________
NEWS FROM ISRAEL
On Friday, Jan 6th, 2012, a group of 250 women from Bet Shemesh decided to raise their voices against the exclusion of women from the public domain by holding a mass public dance in the city square. The women, residents of the city from all ages and sectors, religious, traditional and secular, gathered together in a flashmob dance, in the city square and started dancing towards a change. To view the video, click here.
Growing Reform Judaism in Israel
Rabbi Gilad Kariv , Executive Director of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) was in Toronto earlier this month as a guest of ARZA Canada. While here, he addressed Reform congregations and attended a weekend kallah, a gathering in which participants discussed political, social, cultural and religious developments in Israel. Read his interview in the Canadian Jewish News about the advancement of Progressive (Reform) Judaism in Israel by clicking here.
Reform Judaism offers the opportunity of a spiritual middle ground between the extremes of the ultra-Orthodox and secular segments of Israeli society. ARZA Canada is undertaking an exciting project to support the growth of the Reform Movement in Israel. Please take a moment to read the information by clicking here.
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If any Reform Synagogue has an Israeli program that they would like to publicize on this page, please contact us at info@arzacanada.org.
Meet the Executive
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