CCAR Press Releases

CCAR PRESS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF ‘STRIVING TO BE HUMAN: JEWISH PERSPECTIVES ON TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY CHALLENGES’

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New book offers contemporary Jewish perspectives on artificial intelligence, reproductive technology, animal rights, and more—and their ethical and spiritual significance.

New York, NY – December 2025 – CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, proudly announces the publication of Striving to Be Human: Jewish Perspectives on Twenty-First-Century Challenges, edited by Rabbi Leah Cohen Tenenbaum and Rabbi Douglas Kohn.

Each day, new technological innovations spark fierce debates between promise and peril. Striving to Be Human offers Jewish wisdom to help navigate these existential divides. In his clarion call for ethical behavior, Rabbi Hillel tell us, “In a place where there is no humanity, strive to be human.” But what exactly does it mean to be human in this age of rapid transformation? Striving to Be Human confronts the age-old, ever-evolving question of humanity with boldness, hope, and a foundation in Jewish texts.

Striving to Be Human begins with “Challenges from Within Us,” addressing topics including moral justice, belonging, queer theology, and good and evil. In part two, “Challenges from Beyond Us,” the authors delve into artificial intelligence, robotics, reproductive technologies, and the animal-human relationship. The result is a profound conversation about Jewish values and human dignity in our evolving landscape.

Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, PhD, Irving and Miriam Lowe Professor of Modern Judaism, Arizona State University, and coeditor of Perfecting Human Futures: Transhuman Visions and Technological Imaginations, said, “This timely collection of thoughtful reflections by Reform rabbis invites readers to examine the meaning of being human when the future of humanity is challenged by the prevalence of humanmade technology, and when the future of democracy is threatened by the refusal to honor intrinsic human dignity and diversity. Rabbis, educators, and congregants will find this anthology a source of inspiration and an invitation for further reflections.”

“One of the most fundamental inquiries in Jewish philosophy is what makes humans different from animals, on the one hand, and from angels, on the other,” said Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President and Dean of Valley Beit Midrash and author of Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary. “In our era of rapid change, Striving to Be Human masterfully helps us return to such questions to not only reclaim our basic humanity but to consider how to actualize the potential of flourishing humanity! This book will guide us toward moral and spiritual insights that can challenge and support our theological and ethical journeys ahead.”

Jonathan D. Sarna, PhD, Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University, and author of American Judaism: A History, said, “At a time of unprecedented challenges to humanity, this volume offers Jewish wisdom on the core question: What does it mean to be human? A thoughtful, readable, and well-produced guide to conundrums as ancient as Adam and Eve and as recent as the development of artificial intelligence.”

Rabbi Leah Cohen Tenenbaum, DMin, BCC-PCHAC, is a Board-Certified Chaplain with Advanced Certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital where she also serves on the Ethics Committee, teaches medical providers, and presents at national conferences on spirituality, serious illness, and medical ethics.

Rabbi Douglas Kohn has led historic Temple Beth Jacob in Newburgh, New York, since 2019, having previously served synagogues in Buffalo, Baltimore, Chicago, and Southern California. Deeply committed to social justice and Israel, Rabbi Kohn served for eight years on the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism and the National Board of ARZA.

Striving to Be Human: Jewish Perspectives on Twenty-First-Century Challenges is available at strivingtobehuman.ccarpress.org.

To request review copies, interview opportunities, or to book author events, please contact: Raquel Fairweather-Gallie, Marketing and Sales Manager, CCAR Press: rfairweather@ccarnet.org.

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CCAR PRESS AND CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF ‘HAGGADAH SHEL EREV: THE MIXED MULTITUDE HAGGADAH’

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Published in honor of Rabbi Angela W. Buchdahl’s twenty years at Central Synagogue, this striking new Passover Haggadah provides various pathways for people of all backgrounds to connect to the ancient story of liberation, along with colorful art by Siona Benjamin.

New York, NY – March 2026 – CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, in partnership with Central Synagogue, proudly announces the publication of Haggadah Shel Erev Rav: The Mixed Multitude Haggadah, edited by Rabbi Sarah Berman. The Haggadah is published in honor of Rabbi Angela W. Buchdahl’s twenty-year anniversary at Central Synagogue.

The Passover story of the Jewish journey from oppression to liberation is told throughout the world, with each seder table bringing its own customs based on countries of origin, family traditions, and contemporary additions. As Rabbi Buchdahl notes in the Haggadah’s preface, “this multiplicity is not a modern invention— it has been with us since the Exodus itself. The Torah tells us that when we fled Egypt, we did so as an erev rav, a “mixed multitude”—a diverse assembly of Israelites and fellow travelers, all swept up in a shared yearning for freedom. From our very beginning, we were not a monolith but a mosaic.” This new Haggadah elevates and celebrates the mosaic that is Judaism today.

Mixing lyrical translations of the Haggadah text by Rabbi Janet Marder and Rabbi Sheldon Marder, vibrant artwork by Indian Jewish artist Siona Benjamin, and original commentary by the clergy of New York City’s Central Synagogue, Haggadah Shel Erev Rav centers the myriad ways Jews engage with this ancient story. Four different choices for the Magid (“Telling”) section allow participants to decide how to engage with the Passover story—through the lens of young people, liberation, feminism, or Divine action. A special section provides suggestions for using the book with children, and a thorough introduction explains the beauty and nuance of the original art.

The theme of the Haggadah is the holiness of the erev rav, the “mixed multitude.” As Rabbi Buchdahl—one of the world’s most prominent rabbinic voices—notes, “this theme is not just embedded in our ancient story; it is a reflection of how we strive to live as a community.” Indeed, this new Haggadah—with its connection to history, its commitment to inclusion, and its vibrancy and aliveness—is itself a beautiful reflection of Jewish community of the past, present, and future.

Rabbi Angela W. Buchdahl is the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi or cantor in North America. She joined Central Synagogue in 2006 and has served as Senior Rabbi since 2014. Her 2025 memoir Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi’s Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging was an instant New York Times Bestseller.

Rabbi Sarah Berman is Director of Jewish Culture and Programming at Central Synagogue. Prior to her ordination, she worked for more than a decade at the Seattle Art Museum in curatorial and research roles. Both Rabbi Buchdahl and Rabbi Berman are members of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

Siona Benjamin is a Bene Israel Jewish artist who was raised in Mumbai and now lives in the United States. She holds MFAs in painting and theatrical set design, and was awarded Fulbrights to India and Israel. Her work has been exhibited in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and she has been praised by the New York Times, Boston Globe, Financial Times, and Times of India.

Haggadah Shel Erev Rav: The Mixed Multitude Haggadah is available at erevrav.ccarpress.org.

To request review copies, interview opportunities, or to book author events, please contact: Raquel Fairweather-Gallie, Marketing and Sales Manager, CCAR Press: rfairweather@ccarnet.org.

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400 Reform Rabbis Gather in San Francisco Bay Area for Central Conference of American Rabbis’ Annual Conference

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Rooted in the Bay Area’s history of justice, the CCAR convenes to confront challenges, share voices from the global Reform Movement, and engage in Torah study, rabbinic renewal, and deep dialogue about leading Reform Judaism with hope.

March 15, 2026, San Francisco, CA: The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR)—the Reform rabbinical professional association—is convening four hundred Reform rabbis from across North America and across six continents in the San Francisco Bay Area this week for their 137th annual rabbinic Convention for four days of Torah study, professional development, engaged learning, deep dialogue, and immersive programming.

At a moment when American Jewish communities are navigating profound challenges—from rising antisemitism to deepening political polarization—Convention programming features distinguished Jewish thought leaders addressing the most pressing issues of our time. Historian and scholar Pamela Nadell will address the rabbinate in a session entitled “Antisemitism, An American Tradition,” also the title of her widely acclaimed recent book. Aaron Dorfman, Executive Director of A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy, will lead a critical conversation on democracy and the American Jewish community. Dr. Marc Dollinger, Chair of the Department of Jewish Studies at San Francisco State University and author of Black Power, Jewish Politics: Reinventing the Alliance in the 1960s, will explore the changing landscape of Jewish identity. 

The Convention will also amplify significant voices from the Israeli Reform Movement, including Israeli Reform Rabbis Efrat Rotem, Binyamin Minich and Yael Vurgan, who will lead the Convention in prayer and share Israeli perspectives on Reform Judaism and liberal Jewish values, and what the post-October 7 Jewish future might look like in America and Israel.

Bay Area rabbis will play a central role throughout the Convention, bringing the region’s rich Jewish and social justice history to life. Rabbi Michael Lezak of GLIDE in San Francisco will lead an immersive tour of GLIDE’s transformative work connecting Reform Judaism’s commitment to justice and inclusivity with on-the-ground community impact.

Rabbi Yoel Kahn, who shepherded Congregation Sha’ar Zahav through the height of the AIDS epidemic, and current Sha’ar Zahav leader Rabbi Mychal Copeland, will lead a walking tour of LGBTQ+ San Francisco’s Jewish past and present, a testament to Reform Judaism’s enduring commitment to inclusion and human dignity. Rabbi Cassi Kail, Director of Jewish Life and University Chaplain at Chapman University, co-leads the Convention’s organizing committee. CCAR Board Member and Senior Rabbi of Oakland’s Temple Sinai, Rabbi Jackie Mates-Muchin, will also play a prominent role.

San Francisco’s historic Congregation Emanu-El will serve as a key Convention destination, with Rabbis Ryan Bauer, Sarah Joselow Parris, Madeline Budman, and Sydney Mintz participating in programming. Rabbi Jonathan Aaron and Cantor Lizzie Weiss of Los Angeles will lead the Convention’s central prayer service. Congregation Emanu-El’s Rabbi Emeritus Jonathan Singer also played an instrumental role in preparation for the Convention.

“City-as-text” offsite experiences will include a visit to City Hope, a community center, restaurant, and sober-living facility in the Tenderloin led by founder Rev. Paul Trudeau; City Hope shares a meaningful partnership with Congregation Emanu-El’s teen program. Additional excursions include a behind-the-scenes preview of the upcoming Courage Museum, a visit to Urban Adamah (an educational farm and community center in Berkeley), and explorations of the intersection between San Francisco’s storied social justice landscape and the values of Reform Judaism.

The CCAR will also honor members celebrating their fiftieth anniversary of their ordination.

“This is no easy time to be a rabbi. In addition to leading congregations and communities through deepening uncertainty and polarization, rabbis are spiritual first responders—continually leading from crisis to crisis, giving to their communities, even when their own spiritual well has run dry. Our annual gathering is a way for the CCAR to give back to rabbis: to nourish them with the strength of their rabbinic community, to provide them with the tools to navigate ongoing  uncertainty, and most importantly, to build resilience and reinvigorate them with hope and clarity as we reimagine our sacred work together.” —Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive, Central Conference of American Rabbis.

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The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) is the Reform Rabbinic leadership and professional association. The CCAR strengthens the Jewish community by providing religious, spiritual, ethical and intellectual leadership and wisdom. CCAR and its members lead the Reform Movement on important spiritual, social, cultural and human rights issues, as it has done since 1889. The CCAR is also the center for lifelong rabbinic learning, professional development, and resources for the more than 2,100 rabbis who serve more than 2 million Reform Jews throughout North America, Israel, and the world. Since its founding, the CCAR has also served as the primary publisher of the Reform Movement through CCAR Press and its imprint Reform Judaism Publishing.

Contact: Tamar Anitai, CCAR Director of Strategic Communications, tanitai@ccarnet.org

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CCAR PRESS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF MOMENTS THAT MATTER: MARKING TRANSITIONS IN MIDLIFE AND BEYOND

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October 2025

Rabbi Laura Geller and Rabbi Beth Lieberman offer creative, innovative rituals and tools to honor aging and mark life-cycle moments for midlife and beyond: from navigating retirement, facing illness to finding new love.

New York, NY – October 2025 – CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, proudly announces the publication of Moments That Matter: Marking Transitions in Midlife and Beyond by Rabbi Laura Geller and Rabbi Beth Lieberman. 

As we live longer, more of us experience additional life-cycle moments—from launching children to launching oneself anew, navigating retirement, downsizing and moving, facing illness and caregiving, and embracing love at any age. These moments are tender times of transition, calling out for ritual to provide a scaffold of meaning and centeredness during a liminal time. Moments That Matter provides suggestions and outlines for these rituals while offering fresh perspectives on this time of life, transforming it into a period for personal growth, meaning, and renewal. The chapters weave Jewish wisdom with practical rituals, interspersed with personal stories and ways to adapt each ceremony for a communal setting.

With a foreword by Casper ter Kuile—author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices—Moments That Matters empowers readers to embrace these milestones with creativity and intention, offering tools to craft personalized and deeply moving rituals that honor the complexity of aging. This volume is a powerful follow-up to Rabbi Laura Geller’s 2019 book Getting Good at Getting Older.

Rabbi Sharon Brous, author of The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World and senior rabbi of IKAR, said that, “This book is beautiful, tender, and insightful—filled with new/old wisdom on endings and blessed beginnings. At the heart of it all, Rabbis Geller and Lieberman invite us to honor the deep connections that sustain us as human beings, pay attention to the in-between moments, and find a ritual language that speaks directly to the heart. I could imagine no better guides through the landscape of loss, love, and renewed life.”

“Moments That Matter is a beautiful and practical guide, rich with wise and poetic passages and stories pondering the power of the ‘third chapter’ or ‘encore years,’” said Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar, author of Unfolding: A High Holy Day Companion and rabbi emerita of Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Deerfield, Illinois. She continued, “I found myself lingering on many pages, reflecting and finding inspiration. With skillful guidance, this book offers meaningful rituals to honor transitions, empowering readers to embrace life with grace, purpose, and renewed vitality.”

Rabbi Ed Feinstein, senior rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, and author of The Chutzpah Imperative: Empowering Today’s Jews for a Life That Matters, said, “Why should our later years be a time of diminishment and loss? Why not discovery, engagement, and fulfillment? This marvelous book of celebrations, markers, and rituals reveals all the poetry and power of these years. Moments That Matter is a gift to all who truly believe, along with Robert Browning, that ‘the best is yet to be, the last of life for which the first was made.’”

Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Nordquist, a Presbyterian pastor and spiritual director, said, “Deeply founded in Jewish tradition, Moments That Matter is also inviting to people of many other places of identity, religious or not. The deft combination of sacred text, accessible action, and clear instruction is a valuable guide for all who are faced with life’s inevitable progression. Clergy and laity, communities and individuals, will all find it a great gift.”

Rabbi Laura Geller, the third woman in the Reform Movement to become a rabbi, is rabbi emerita of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills and the coauthor of Getting Good at Getting Older. Rabbi Beth Lieberman serves on the faculty of Hebrew Union College and as literary editor and revising translator of JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh: Revised Edition.

Moments That Matter: Marking Transitions in Midlife and Beyond is available at moments.ccarpress.org.


To request review copies, interview opportunities, or to book author events, please contact: Raquel Fairweather-Gallie, Marketing and Sales Manager, CCAR Press: rfairweather@ccarnet.org.

CCAR PRESS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF INVITING GOD IN: A GUIDE TO JEWISH PRAYER

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With customary warmth, humor, and insight, Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin invites pray-ers and learners of all ages to engage more deeply in the liturgy of Jewish Shabbat worship.

New York, NY – August 2025 – CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, proudly announces the publication of Inviting God In: A Guide to Jewish Prayer by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin.

Inviting God In is an engaging and insightful commentary on the Shabbat evening and morning service by the acclaimed author of Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Designed for students and learners of all ages, from bet mitzvah to adulthood, the book’s relatable tone and discussion questions meaningfully invite readers to a deeper understanding of the worship service they are leading or attending. Rabbi Salkin breaks down each prayer and ritual, helping learners connect to the service with fresh insight and knowledge. Inviting God In opens a window on:

  • Why the pews are empty in so many synagogues—and how they can be fuller.
  • Why American Jews are prayer-phobic—and how that can change.
  • How individual Jews can create a Jewish identity.
  • Why Reform Jewish worship is different—and why that is great.

Ideal for congregations, this book is a ready-made curriculum for bet mitzvah students. It can be put in pews for congregants to peruse to deepen their understanding of worship. Clergy can use its contents for inspiring teachings. Adults can read Inviting God In for a study group or a book club. With a blend of humor and depth, Inviting God In shows how the ancient words of prayer still speak to the challenges and joys of contemporary life.

Rabbi Elyse D. Frishman, Rabbi Emerita of Barnert Temple and editor of Mishkan T’filah: A Reform Siddur, said that “God stands near us just waiting to be let in. Wary? Rabbi Jeff Salkin will move you to race to the door with newfound awareness and joy.”

“By way of warmth, wit, and wisdom, the riches of Judaism—its prayers and rituals—have been opened up for a new generation,” said Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, PhD, Senior Rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue and author of For Such a Time as This: On Being Jewish Today. “Whether you are a b’nei mitzvah student or family, a lifelong Jewish learner, or a searching soul, this beautifully written volume will open up the tradition and your heart.”

Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD, a professor at Hebrew Union College and author of From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar, wrote in the book’s foreword that “Rabbi Salkin—a thoughtful Jewish leader, an experienced writer, a prominent speaker for liberal and progressive Judaism, a columnist and podcaster, and perhaps more than anything else an efficacious and dedicated educator—has created a meaningful tool for creating Shabbat prayers…I am sure that everyone who dedicates time to this precious gem, no matter their knowledge and experience, will be tremendously enriched by it.”

“Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin has spent his rabbinic life seeing things deeply and differently, and then communicating in a way that makes readers sit up and take notice,” said Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD, professor emeritus at Hebrew Union College and editor of the My People’s Prayer Book series. “He is best in this exceptional introduction to liturgy and prayer—an old topic that comes newly to life with thoughtful metaphors, compelling anecdotes, and the author’s deep and abiding love for Judaism.”

Rabbi Salkin is one of American Judaism’s most prolific and most quoted rabbis. He was ordained from Hebrew Union College and served as a congregational rabbi in Reform synagogues for more than forty years. In addition, he has served in various leadership roles within the Reform Movement. He is the author of twelve books and writes the column “Martini Judaism: For Those Who Want to Be Shaken and Stirred,” published by the Religion News Service. His essays have appeared in The Washington Post, Commentary, Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Tablet, Mosaic, Forward, and JTA, and has appeared as a guest on CNN and the BBC. He is available to visit communities to teach on his new book both online and in person.

Inviting God In is available at invitinggodin.ccarpress.org. 

To request review copies, interview opportunities, or to book author events, please contact: Raquel Fairweather-Gallie, Marketing and Sales Manager, CCAR Press: rfairweather@ccarnet.org.

CCAR PRESS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF ‘THE SACRED STRUGGLE: JEWISH RESPONSES TO TRAUMA’

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June 2025

Rabbis and laypeople share personal stories of loss, struggle, and trauma, and the enduring Jewish wisdom that strengthened them on their path to healing in a powerful, empathetic book coedited by Rabbi Benjamin David and Rabbi Lindsey Danziger. 

New York, NY – June 2025 – CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, proudly announces the publication of The Sacred Struggle: Jewish Responses to Trauma, edited by Rabbi Benjamin David and Rabbi Lindsey Danziger.

The Sacred Struggle is a powerful anthology of personal yet universal stories, offering a deeply moving exploration of how Jewish wisdom can help strengthen us and help us navigate life’s most difficult moments.

With stories including enduring the loss of a child, losing a loved one to suicide, surviving sexual assault, responding to a diagnosis of cancer, experiencing antisemitism and racism, and many more, this volume is rooted in vulnerability and resilience, revealing the profound ways Judaism offers tools for reflection, connection, and healing. This book, part of CCAR Press’s Challenge and Change series, is a companion for anyone seeking comfort and hope in the face of trauma. 

Rabbi David Wolpe, author of Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times and Max Webb Rabbi Emeritus of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, said, “In this book you will find the genuine voices of life as it is lived—in pain, with struggle, and offering the wisdom to endure and prevail. A work of great range, it is a bracing book, an important gift, and a gift to all of us.” 

“Who among us has not been touched by trauma? Violence? Natural disaster? Illness? Marginalization? Family dysfunction?,” said Rabbi Laura Geller, coauthor of Moments that Matter: Marking Transitions in Midlife and Beyond (forthcoming from CCAR Press) and Rabbi Emerita of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. “In this challenging and thought-provoking book, rabbis reflect on the Torah of their lives, as well as the Torah of tradition, to give us insight into the ways we are all affected by trauma and the many different paths to healing.” 

In his foreword, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who served the Reform congregation in Colleyville, Texas, when a terrorist held the community hostage, wrote, “Trauma may shatter us. It doesn’t have to end us. . . . There is a way forward. I pray that this volume can be a source of strength for you.” 

Rabbi Benjamin David was ordained from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion and serves Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel of Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Rabbi Lindsey Danziger was also ordained from HUC-JIR and is the Director of Campaigns for the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. The book’s foreword was written by Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who serves Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 

The Sacred Struggle: Jewish Responses to Trauma is available at sacredstruggle.ccarpress.org. 

To request review copies, interview opportunities, or to book author events, please contact: Raquel Fairweather-Gallie, Marketing and Sales Manager, CCAR Press: rfairweather@ccarnet.org.

Central Conference of American Rabbis and Union for Reform Judaism Join Lawsuit Protecting Religious Freedom Principles

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February 11, 2025: The Central Conference of American Rabbis and Union for Reform Judaism have proudly joined more than a dozen national faith denominations as plaintiffs in a major federal lawsuit defending religious freedom. The suit challenges rescission of a longstanding “sensitive locations” policy that strictly limited ICE from immigration enforcement actions in houses of worship.

The lawsuit is rooted in our commitment to defending our right and ability to fulfill without government interference the holy and prophetic tenets of our faith, including worship, community building, education, programming, and more. We welcome people into our buildings without regard to their status in this country. The sensitive locations policy ensures that all these things happen freely and without the intrusion of U.S Immigration and Law Enforcement (ICE). This lawsuit will ensure our ability to choose to continue that holy work, free from government interference. For us, this is a matter of principle. The United States’ dedication to religious freedom, established in the First Amendment to the Constitution, is a unique and central blessing of our democracy. It has allowed Jewish life—and all religious life—to flourish in this country over the centuries. Without these protections in place, Americans of all faiths will be at risk.

The lawsuit is led by a team from the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP), a non-profit, public interest litigation firm housed at Georgetown University Law Center. The suit is premised on protections established by the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which affirmed that any action taken by the government that imposes on religious freedom must do so through the least restrictive means. In this case, we have joined with a host of national faith denominations who share our belief that the Department of Homeland Security’s lifting of the sensitive locations policy fails to meet RFRA’s standards and will have significant and harmful impacts on our religious freedom.

The lawsuit imposes no obligations on any individual Reform congregation, clergy, or congregant. As always, every synagogue, rabbi, and congregant is free to decide their own policies and practices, as well as make their own determination on the services they provide or do not provide.

Given the increase in ICE activity, we suggest that every congregation engage in thoughtful, advance planning in consultation with their congregation’s legal advisors and local immigration law experts who can best guide them on their circumstances and local/state laws when it comes to immigration issues that may impact the synagogue’s members, program participants, and overall activities.

For more information about the CCAR and URJ’s commitment to immigration justice, rooted in the biblical directive to welcome the stranger, or immigrant, mentioned thirty-six times in the Torah, visit the RAC website.

Read more about this lawsuit and read the frequently asked questions.

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The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) is the Reform Rabbinic leadership organization. The CCAR strengthens the Jewish community by providing religious, spiritual, ethical and intellectual leadership and wisdom. CCAR and its members lead the Reform Movement on important spiritual, social, cultural and human rights issues, as it has done since 1889. CCAR also is the center for lifelong rabbinic learning, professional development, and resources for the more than 2,100 rabbis who serve more than 2 million Reform Jews throughout North America, Israel and the world. Since its founding, the CCAR has also served as the primary publisher of the Reform Movement through CCAR Press and its imprint Reform Judaism Publishing.

Contact: Tamar Anitai, CCAR Director of Strategic Communications, tanitai@ccarnet.org

CCAR PRESS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF ‘ABOVE ALL, WE ARE JEWS: A BIOGRAPHY OF RABBI ALEXANDER SCHINDLER’

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January 2025

Impeccably researched, featuring extensive archival testimony and personal interviews, Michael A. Meyer’s new book is the authoritative biography of one of the giants of the American Jewish community.

New York, NY – CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, proudly announces the publication of Above All, We Are Jews: A Biography of Rabbi Alexander Schindler by Michael A. Meyer. Dr. Meyer is the Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Jewish History Emeritus at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, and is also the recipient of three National Jewish Book Awards. This volume includes a foreword by Jonathan D. Sarna, the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University, and an afterword by Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). 

Rabbi Alexander Schindler, best known as serving as the President of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (today’s URJ) from 1973–1996, remains a gadol hador, a giant of his generation. During his tenure as a leader of the American Reform Jewish Movement, he raised Reform Judaism to unprecedented influence. He was a powerful voice for civil rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality. His pioneering work on outreach remains one of the beacons of Reform Judaism. Yet his charisma and vision spread well beyond the Reform Movement. He served an extended term as the President of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and was connected to American presidents and Israeli prime ministers. He was able to champion Israel while maintaining diaspora Jews’ right to speak out independently on the Jewish State.

Susannah Heschel, Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor at Dartmouth College, said, “In addition to a fascinating biography of Alexander Schindler, one of American Judaism’s most important political and religious leaders, Michael Meyer has given us a brilliant study of post–World War II Jewish religious thought and politics.”

“How and why Alexander Schindler emerged among the twentieth century’s most influential rabbis is captured vividly in this insightful biography by Michael Meyer, one of American Jewry’s most respected historians,” said Rabbi David Saperstein, Director Emeritus of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. “Professor Meyer analyzes Schindler’s visionary leadership and compelling eloquence, assessing candidly the transformative impact that his focus on radical inclusiveness, social justice, and loving criticism of Israel continues to have on every non-Orthodox stream.”

Rabbi Janet Marder, Past President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, said, “This moving, engaging biography invites us into the world of Rabbi Alexander Schindler: a beloved leader of Reform Judaism, a fervent lover of yiddishkeit and the Jewish people, and one of the most compelling voices of his generation. It offers rich insights into his personal and spiritual development, his eloquently expressed vision for Jewish life in America, and his bold, often controversial initiatives to revitalize Judaism in the face of challenges both internal and external.”

“Alex Schindler was daring and visionary, radical and optimistic,” said Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President Emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism. “In this honest and compelling book, Michael Meyer reminds us why Schindler was a truly great Jewish leader, the last one to galvanize the entire Jewish community and win support from across the religious and political spectrum.”

Impeccably researched, based on extensive archival testimony and personal interviews, this book paints a definitive and compelling portrait of a leader whose actions continue to reverberate today.

Above All, We Are Jews: A Biography of Rabbi Alexander Schindler is available at aboveallwearejews.ccarpress.org

To request review copies, interview opportunities, or to book author events, please contact: Raquel Fairweather-Gallie, Marketing and Sales Manager, CCAR Press: rfairweather@ccarnet.org.

CCAR PRESS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF ‘TO YOU I CALL: PSALMS THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES’

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October 28, 2024

Rabbi Jade Sank Ross pairs ancient psalms with contemporary life events, opening our understanding of psalms and the ways they can provide comfort, connection, and meaning today for moments of despair or joy, pain or gratitude.

New York, NY – October 2024 – CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, proudly announces the publication of To You I Call: Psalms Throughout Our Lives—a collection of seventy-five psalms connected to different life moments—by Rabbi Jade Sank Ross. Rabbi Sank Ross was ordained from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion and serves The Community Synagogue in Port Washington, New York. The volume includes a foreword by Rabbi Elyse D. Frishman, editor of Mishkan T’filah: A Reform Siddur.  

Sung in the ancient Temple, in houses of worship, and around dining room tables, the psalms have long provided language for Jewish ritual and life cycle. With this innovating collection, Rabbi Sank Ross invites us to make the ancient words of psalms part of our daily lives. A range of life moments—from giving birth to retirement to voting to experiencing antisemitism—are included in this volume, each paired with sensitivity to a different psalm. Rabbi Sank Ross’s original, authentic framing and beautiful translations by Rabbi Richard Levy, open a door to deep and personal connections with these ancient words. To You I Call brings the psalms to life for our lives, today.  

Rabbi Angela Warnick Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue, said, “In this beautiful collection, Rabbi Jade Sank Ross makes the ancient words of the Psalmist accessible for the times when words fail us—in our extreme despair or joy, pain or gratitude. Her wise, thoughtful suggestions of psalms for life moments remind us that we are not alone, and invite us to glimpse God’s hand in our journey.”  

“The wisdom of our tradition is timeless, yet too often tucked away in a forgotten verse in the corner of the beit midrash (study hall),” said composer and musician Rabbi Josh Warshawsky. “Rabbi Sank Ross has captured the brilliance and relevance of so many of our teachings, lifting them off the page for us to embrace for any situation we may encounter in our lives.” 

Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, CEO of the Hadar Institute, said that “Rabbi Jade Sank Ross has imagined a world in which the wisdom of the Book of Psalms permeates the ups and downs of our real lives. Through her pastoral sensitivity and creative readings, Rabbi Sank Ross powerfully brings these ancient words to life, inviting us to recite them with true connection and devotion.” 

“Weary from wars, uncertainty, and fear, Rabbi Sank Ross invites us to pause,” said Janet Walton, SNJM, Professor Emerita of Worship at Union Theological Seminary. “Take another look at our ancient texts, the psalms—you will be surprised and strengthened by what you see and feel. Rabbi Sank Ross offers words of hope and wisdom for every need and occasion.”  

To You I Call: Psalms Throughout Our Lives is available at toyouicall.ccarpress.org.

To request review copies, interview opportunities, or to book author events, please contact: Raquel Fairweather-Gallie, Marketing and Sales Manager, CCAR Press: rfairweather@ccarnet.org.

Reform Rabbis Celebrate Abortion Ballot Initiative Wins during November 2024 State Elections

Posted on by The CCAR

November 6, 2024

NEW YORK, NY – With election results in, the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) celebrates victories in seven states that passed ballot measures protecting reproductive rights. The CCAR has a long history of affirming people’s right to bodily autonomy, including their right to access safe and legal abortion care, which is both a core Jewish value and central to Jewish law and tradition. Since 1967, CCAR has consistently gone on record with its support for expanding access to reproductive healthcare across the country. 

Statement from Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive of the Central Conference of American Rabbis: 

“This election will have serious and severe implications for Americans across the country when it comes to their safety, dignity, and wellbeing. As we process the full extent of what this means for all of our communities, the CCAR is compelled to acknowledge the strong message voters in seven out of 10 states sent on abortion, passing ballot initiatives that protect the right to basic reproductive healthcare. This is a meaningful and unadulterated response to federal and state level efforts that aim to take away 50-year-old rights that Reform Jews overwhelmingly support based on our deep commitment to Jewish law. As we enter a second Trump term, the CCAR will continue to make clear that our Jewish communities demand and support reproductive rights, including the right to abortion.”

The CCAR has been a leading voice among faith leaders in recent years in the fight for reproductive justice. Two years after the Supreme Court gutted abortion access in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the CCAR filed an amicus brief in Indiana state Supreme Court supporting a challenge to the state’s abortion ban. The CCAR argued that the abortion ban was an attack on Jewish peoples’ religious freedoms because Jewish moral and rabbinic tradition permits, supports, and even mandates abortion care in certain circumstances.

The CCAR reaffirms its commitment to fighting to protect and expand access to basic reproductive healthcare through the next administration and beyond.

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The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) is the Reform Rabbinic leadership organization. The CCAR strengthens the Jewish community by providing religious, spiritual, ethical and intellectual leadership and wisdom. CCAR and its members lead the Reform Movement on important spiritual, social, cultural and human rights issues, as it has done since 1889. CCAR also is the center for lifelong rabbinic learning, professional development, and resources for the more than 2,100 rabbis who serve more than 2 million Reform Jews throughout North America, Israel and the world. Since its founding, the CCAR has also served as the primary publisher of the Reform Movement through CCAR Press and its imprint Reform Judaism Publishing.

Contact: Jessica Madris, 914-815-5122, jessica@pythiapublic.com 

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