CCAR Statements

Reform Movement Joint Statement on Death Penalty for Terrorists Law Passed by the Knesset

Posted on March 31, 2026 by The CCAR

March 31, 2026

The Reform Movement strongly condemns the Knesset’s passage of the “Death Penalty for Terrorists Law.” This legislation represents a sharp and dangerous departure from Israel’s long-standing reluctance to employ capital punishment, used only in the most extraordinary circumstances in the state’s history. It also contradicts the Jewish tradition’s teachings about capital punishment that emphasize the rarity with which it should be applied.

We recognize, unequivocally, Israel’s right and obligation to defend its citizens from terror and violence. We mourn all those who have suffered devastating loss through the many terrorist attacks Israelis have suffered. At the same time, we affirm that the pursuit of justice must never abandon the core values that define a democratic and Jewish state.

Jewish tradition is unambiguous in its insistence on equal justice under the law:
“תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָאֶזְרָח וְלַגֵּר” — “There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger” (Exodus 12:49). Any system of justice that is applied unevenly—whether in law or in practice— as this new law effectively does, undermines both democracy and Torah. It also raises legitimate questions of racism: As many have noted, the law’s provisions are such that Baruch Goldstein, the 1994 notorious, Jewish murderer of 29 Palestinians at prayer, would all but certainly not have been held to account under this law’s terms. And in this moment when Jewish extremists are acting with greater violence against Palestinians, typically with little or no accountability, this law further shames Israel’s justice system. Moreover, this legislation appears to be driven not by legitimate security needs but by political considerations. Security professionals have long questioned the deterrent value of capital punishment in cases of terrorism, and many argue that such measures risk inflaming tensions rather than enhancing safety. We are also horrified that some proponents of this law have chosen to wear noose pins on their lapels—a symbol that reflects a spirit of retribution rather than justice, and one that diminishes the moral seriousness required in matters of life and death.

The Reform Movement has long opposed the use of the death penalty. Rooted in our understanding of Torah and rabbinic tradition, we affirm the inherent dignity of every human being and the fallibility of any human system of judgment. The rabbis of the Talmud so constrained the use of capital punishment that they effectively rendered it nearly impossible to carry out, teaching that a court that executes even rarely is to be regarded with grave concern.

At a time of profound pain and fear, it is precisely our deepest values that must guide us. Policies of irreversible punishment risk further erosion of moral authority, escalation of violence, and damage to Israel’s democratic character and global standing.

We urge Israel’s leaders to reconsider this legislation, to uphold the principles of equal justice, and to pursue policies that ensure security while preserving the moral and democratic foundations of the State of Israel.

Union for Reform Judaism
Shelley Niceley Groff, Chair(she/her)
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President(he/him)

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi David Lyon, President (he/him)
Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive (she/hers)

American Conference of Cantors
Cantor Josh Breitzer, President (he/him)
Rachel Roth, Chief Executive Officer (she/her)

CCAR statements are grounded in the history of CCAR resolutions and platforms. We strive to represent the overall voice of the CCAR leadership and the Reform rabbinate on critical issues of the day. The CCAR is a diverse community of rabbis, and we recognize the multiplicity of viewpoints that exist within our membership. We encourage those of differing perspectives to engage in respectful dialogue. It is our hope that these statements provide the Reform community with deeper understanding of important issues that impact our lives as Jews and as global citizens.

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Central Conference of American Rabbis Grieves the Death of Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, PhD, ז״ל

Posted on March 4, 2026 by The CCAR

March 4, 2026

The Central Conference of American Rabbis is in mourning in the wake of the tragic and untimely death of our teacher, our colleague, and our friend, Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, PhD, ז״ל. A prolific scholar whose life and learning were her students’ greatest texts, Rabbi Dr. Weiss shaped a generation of Reform rabbis as Professor of Bible at Hebrew Union College in New York. She would go on to assume a transformative and pioneering leadership role, becoming the first woman to ordain rabbis and cantors at our Reform Movement’s flagship seminary. As Provost, Head of Seminary Programs, and Rabbinical School Director, Rabbi Dr. Weiss guided rabbinical education into a new era with creativity and rigor.

With the Women of Reform Judaism, Rabbi Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, PhD, and URJ Press under the leadership of Rabbi Hara Person, Rabbi Dr. Weiss oversaw a mammoth project that became a significant contribution to the Jewish canon: The Torah: A Women’s Commentary (CCAR Press, 2008), winner of the National Jewish Book Council’s 2008 Jewish Book of the Year Award. Later, she marshaled scholarship and relationships to speak to divisive moments in American life with two volumes of American Values, Religious Voices.

Reform rabbis will miss Rabbi Dr. Weiss’s menschlichkeit, brilliance, compassion, wisdom, integrity, eagerness to learn, and so much more. A rabbi’s rabbi, she was a generous teacher, mentor, and friend who truly loved her students and was invested in their successes. The loss to our Reform Movement is enormous. The grief of those who were ordained by her and of her faculty and staff colleagues is tremendous.

Andrea’s CCAR family extends deepest sympathy to her beloved husband Alan Tauber, to their children Rebecca and Ilan, to her father Marty Weiss; to her siblings Mitch, Laura, and Robert (Catherine Corrigan), and to her wide circle of friends and colleagues.

The memory of Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, PhD, ז״ל, will always be a blessing.

Rabbi David A. Lyon, President
Rabbi Hara E. Person, Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis

A Personal Note from Rabbi Hara Person

If you are lucky, you may encounter someone who winds up impacting you in ways that are unimaginable in the moment. Rabbi Dr. Andrea Weiss was one such person for me. Andrea was invited in by Rabbi Dr. Tamara Eskenazi to work on The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, a project I had the privilege to oversee. Andrea, then a young scholar who did not yet have tenure, came in first as the Assistant Editor, and then ultimately became the Associate Editor. Through that long and often involved process of creating the book, Andrea became a dear friend and colleague. I came to admire her tenacity, her incredible drive, her high level of organization and astonishing attention to detail, and her subtle sense of humor. It was a huge honor to work with Andrea and Tamara, and the sense of pride and accomplishment we all felt when the book was not just done, but lauded and celebrated, was tremendous. The book was the initial glue that connected us, but our relationship as personal friends and professional colleagues continued on as we moved through our careers, both becoming “firsts” as women in our fields, figuring out how to balance parenting with professional responsibilities, and sharing our successes and challenges. Like so many in our rabbinic community and beyond, I will deeply miss my friend and colleague Rabbi Dr. Andrea Weiss, and am profoundly grateful for all the ways that she generously shared her bountiful gifts with us.

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Central Conference of American Rabbis Statement in Time of War

Posted on March 2, 2026 by The CCAR

March 2, 2026

The Central Conference of American Rabbis stands with the people of Israel, under attack from Iran and its allies in response to the Israeli-American attack on the oppressive Iranian regime and its nuclear threat. Apartments, synagogues, and shelters have been hit, leading to loss of life and injury. Reform rabbis grieve each death and pray that the injured will be blessed with רפואה שלימה (r’fuah shleimah, complete healing). We are in awe of the efforts of Israeli civil society to assure that Israelis care for one another at this trying time.

Since Shabbat morning, Israelis have repeatedly rushed to their shelters and safe rooms, seeking safety. Missile, rocket, and drone attacks do not distinguish between combatants and civilians or between Jews and Palestinians. Everyone in Israel and the West Bank is living under mortal threat. We are particularly concerned for the welfare of Bedouin citizens living in villages not recognized by the government and Palestinians in the West Bank who lack the security offered by bomb shelters.

The hearts of CCAR members outside of Israel are united with those of our Israeli colleagues, Reform rabbis who are members of both the CCAR and MARAM, the Council of Israeli Reform Rabbis, and members of the communities they serve throughout the IMPJ and beyond. Whether seeking shelter or serving in the Israel Defense Forces, our Israeli colleagues are also providing pastoral care to their communities at a terrifying time. Our thoughts turn toward our future rabbinic and cantorial colleagues who are students in the Year-in-Israel program at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and of their family members abroad, including CCAR members, who pray for their safety from afar. Our hearts turn, too, to the safety of the American servicepeople involved in this action and the families who await their safe return, as well as to the well-being of all the innocent Iranians.

We pray that the time will soon come when the prophecy is fulfilled:

וכתתו חרבתיהם לאתים וחניתתיהם למזמרות

לא-ישא גוי אל-גוי חרב ולא-ילמדו עוד מלחמה.

וישבו איש תחת גפנו ותחת תאנתו ואין מחריד.

And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation shall not take up sword against nation; They shall never again know war; but every family shall sit under its own vine and fig tree, with no one to make them afraid” (Micah 4:4).

Rabbi David A. Lyon, President
Rabbi Hara E. Person, Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis

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Reform Movement Statement on War Against Iran

Posted on March 1, 2026 by The CCAR

Sunday, March 1

At this perilous moment as the U.S. and Israel are at war against Iran, we stand in solidarity with our Israeli siblings—including soldiers of the IDF—American service members, and all innocent civilians throughout the region who are in harm’s way, including the brave Iranians who have taken to the streets to demand freedom from a tyrannical regime. There are many questions about the lead-up to this war and the way the U.S. Congress has been prevented from fulfilling its constitutional role in making the decision to wage it. And yet, there can be little doubt that Iran has been a malign force against its own people and against Israel, America, the global Jewish people, and so many others in the region and beyond.

Despite international pressure and a devastating attack last summer by Israel and the U.S., Iran continues to foment global violence and instability and, by many accounts, pursue ever-greater nuclear capabilities. Now, for the second time in eight months, the U.S. and Israel are acting with military force to address the threats posed by this dangerous and oppressive regime.

The time is past due for Iran to halt decades of violent, worldwide provocations and aggression—including the threat of nuclear weapons development. And, like countless others within Iran and beyond, we dream of an end to the repression that has kept Iranians from living freely for more than four decades. We were inspired by the resistance shown by Iranians in recent months and deeply pained by the regime’s violent response that took the lives of an unknown number of protestors—likely many tens of thousands.

We had deeply hoped that conflicts between the U.S. and Iran would have been resolved diplomatically. We also have serious concerns about the Administration’s lack of full engagement with Congress in launching this war. Across the highest levels of military, diplomatic, and defense circles, many are questioning whether we have a clear, thought-out strategy to ensure our military power achieves our intended goals. 

Many in our congregations, the Jewish community, and the broader American public want to see regime change to support the people of Iran, eliminate threats to security, and enhance regional stability. While they may recognize that war is not the remedy for every conflict, they believe a case can be made that military force is justified in this moment, and are both deeply concerned about and committed to a successful outcome to the approach that has been taken.

This war has already led to loss of life among innocents in Iran and Israel alike. We are especially pained by the deaths and injuries within Israel as a result of Iranian missiles which have landed in the last day. We are praying for healing for all those who are wounded and comfort for the bereaved. And we are keeping in our hearts those in the direct line of Iranian missiles who are forced to seek safety in bomb shelters—as well as Palestinians who do not have access to shelters—at this very moment.

We urge U.S. leaders, including President Trump and Pentagon officials, to act with the utmost care in ensuring that this military operation is undertaken with minimal harm to innocent Iranian civilians, and call on the President to maintain clarity on the goals of this war and what achievements will mark its end. We also strongly support congressional oversight of any war to maintain the checks and balances that are the hallmark of our system of government.

We do not know how or when this war will end. Until that day, we look to the ancient words of our tradition:

Ufros aleinu sukkat shlomecha—And spread over us the shelter of Your peace.

Baruch atah Adonai shomer amo Yisrael v’kol yoshvei teivel la’ad—Blessed are You, Adonai, who watches over Your people Israel, and all Your children everywhere, forever.

Union for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him), President
Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her), Chair

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi David Lyon (he/him), President
Rabbi Hara Person (she/hers), Chief Executive

American Conference of Cantors
Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him), President
Rachel Roth (she/her), Chief Executive Officer

Men of Reform Judaism
Larry Pepper (he/him), President
Steven Portnoy (he/him), Executive Director

Women of Reform Judaism
Karen Sim (she/her), President 
Rabbi Liz P. G. Hirsch (she/her), CEO

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Reform Jewish Movement Condemns Knesset Vote to Criminalize Egalitarian Prayer at the Western Wall

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Tamar Anitai

February 26, 2026

The Reform Movement unequivocally condemns the preliminary vote in the Israeli Knesset to advance legislation that would criminalize egalitarian Jewish worship at the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s holiest and most enduring symbols. If enacted, the proposed bill by MK Avi Maoz of the far-right Noam party would render forms of Jewish prayer not sanctioned by the ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate punishable by up to seven years in prison.

This alarming proposal represents an unprecedented attempt to criminalize mainstream Jewish worship in the Jewish state. It is a direct affront to Jews in Israel, North America, and across the globe who pray in egalitarian settings.

The Kotel does not belong to one stream of Judaism. It is a national symbol and a spiritual inheritance of the entire Jewish people. The existence of a dignified egalitarian prayer space alongside gender-segregated sections does not diminish the rights of Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox Jews to worship according to their tradition. Religious freedom in Israel must not be treated as a zero-sum proposition.

The global implications of this bill cannot be overstated. Outside Israel—especially in North America—85 percent of Jews worship in egalitarian communities. Criminalizing those forms of prayer at Judaism’s holiest accessible site would alienate millions of Jews from the State of Israel at a time when Jewish unity is both fragile and essential. Only months ago, at the October 2025 World Zionist Congress, representatives of global Jewish communities overwhelmingly supported restoring direct access to the Ezrat Yisrael—the section designated for egalitarian worship. This legislation moves decisively in the opposite direction.

At the same time, this is not primarily a Diaspora issue. The bill would directly harm and potentially imprison Israelis who choose pluralistic expressions of Judaism or who visit the Kotel and its outer plaza for heritage visits, IDF ceremonies, and tourism. The number of Israelis seeking egalitarian prayer continues to grow. This legislation would label their Judaism illegitimate and even criminal.

The debate over this legislation raises a fundamental question: Will Israel be a state of the Jewish people—or a state for only one interpretation of Judaism? For North American Jews, engagement on this issue is not interference; it is investment. Jewish sovereignty must reflect the diversity, dignity, and shared destiny of the Jewish people everywhere.

This proposal risks setting a broader precedent. If codified, it could embolden efforts to restrict recognition of non-Orthodox conversions, limit public funding for pluralistic institutions, and expand rabbinic court jurisdiction in ways that further erode religious freedom. This is not an isolated fight but part of a larger ideological project.

We call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to use his authority to prevent this legislation from advancing and to instruct members of his coalition to reject this brazen attempt to criminalize egalitarian prayer. Enacting such a law would severely damage Klal Yisrael—the unity of the Jewish people—and undermine Israel’s foundational commitment to freedom of religion and conscience.

The Reform Movement remains steadfast in our love for and commitment to the State of Israel. Precisely because of that commitment, we will continue to advocate for a Zionism that reflects the full diversity of the Jewish people and safeguards the right of every Jew to approach the Holy One in their own voice.

We urge the global Jewish community to take immediate action. Join our Reform and Conservative partners worldwide in calling on Israeli leaders and diplomats to halt this dangerous legislation and uphold Israel’s promise as a homeland for all Jews.

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi David Lyon, President (he/him)
Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive (she/hers)

Union for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President (he/him)
Shelley Niceley Groff, Chair (she/her)

American Conference of Cantors
Cantor Josh Breitzer, President (he/him)
Rachel Roth, Chief Executive Officer (she/her)

Association of Reform Jewish Educators
Rabbi Stacy Rigler, RJE, CEO
Stacy Rosenthal, RJE, President

Men of Reform Judaism
Larry Pepper, President (he/him)
Steven Portnoy, Executive Director (he/him)

Women of Reform Judaism  
Karen Sim, President  (she/her)
Rabbi Liz P. G. Hirsch, CEO (she/her)

Women’s Rabbinic Network
Rabbi Lisa Delson, Co-President
Rabbi Simone Schicker, Co-President
Rabbi Mary L. Zamore, Executive Director

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Joint Statement on ICE Actions from the Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis, and American Conference of Cantors

Posted on January 30, 2026 by The CCAR

January 30, 2026

For decades, the Reform Movement has been a clear and unequivocal voice calling for immigration policy that is just, secure, and compassionate. That policy should be transparent and rooted in the United States’ status as a nation founded and strengthened by immigrants throughout the generations. We come to these views not just as Americans, but as Jews cognizant of our own history—as a people living as strangers in strange lands, too often facing exile and banishment from lands turned hostile to us, forced to flee as migrants seeking shelter safety and opportunity. We are also ever cognizant of the frequent biblical commandments to provide for, protect, welcome, never oppress, and love the stranger.

Core American values, rights, and principles are threatened by ICE’s violations of immigrants’ civil rights and of those protesting to protect their neighbors and their communities, as well as ICE’s militaristic actions in cities nationwide that are sweeping up people without probable cause. Too many ICE officials are undertrained or dismissive of basic rights. Countless individuals have been injured while exercising their First Amendment rights. Families have been separated, and children used as bait to ensnare their parents. Horrifically, two civilians, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by ICE agents—and at least six more have died in ICE custody in 2026 so far.

Pursuing enforcement-only measures designed to curb illegal immigration risks human dignity and human rights, as we have witnessed repeatedly in the past months. Top Administration officials have resisted accountability as well as thorough and transparent investigations of ICE agents’ actions, even when fatal force has been used. The Secretary of Homeland Security, top White House advisors, and the President himself have made unfounded accusations and appeared to pursue their ideological goals over discovery of the facts. Under the guise of pursuing its immigration policy, the Administration is fomenting and perpetrating violence and targeting states whose voters, legislatures, and governors have rejected the President’s agenda. Rather than keeping America and Americans safe, ICE’s actions have become a threat to life and liberty.

To restore good faith trust in ICE to protect, rather than endanger, individuals, major reforms in ICE’s mandate are required, including a clear commitment to ensure the rights of immigrants, their families, and those who organize to peacefully protect them and a transparent and consistent system of accountability when violations of those new norms occur. Until such reforms are made, we do not support new funding for ICE. We will take a similar stance in relation to any future federal entity pursuing immigration enforcement through similar means and practices to those used by ICE today.

Let us be clear: secure borders paired with orderly immigration processes reflect a healthy democracy. So, too, does abiding by the international agreements regarding refugees and asylum seekers to which the U.S. is a party. Immigrants who qualify should have a path to citizenship that reflects fair and compassionate eligibility standards. These are policies for which we have advocated over many decades. Indeed, as early as 1913, the URJ’s precursor, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, adopted a resolution in response to proposed, restrictive immigration legislation that referred to it as “foreign to the spirit of American traditions.” The URJ and CCAR have spoken strongly about refugees and asylum seekers, protecting individuals at risk of deportation, the contributions of immigrant farm workers, and the importance of comprehensive immigration reform, in which the URJ’s 2007 resolution noted that, “Immigration and Customs Enforcement units [must] act within the framework of U.S. law, which requires court-ordered search warrants, due process, and humane treatment of detainees and their families.”

Our calls for immigration reform have remained consistent in recent decades, but public debate has shifted. In 2007, President George W. Bush called on the United States Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would have been “secure, productive, orderly, and fair.” We advocated for the same and pressed Congress to act on bipartisan legislation championed by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). Sadly, that legislative effort ended in defeat. Yet decades of failure by elected leaders from both parties to address the nation’s immigration challenges do not excuse the tragedy unfolding in Minneapolis, Maine, Los Angeles, Illinois, New Orleans, and elsewhere ICE has been deployed by this Administration.

We harken back to the words of the CCAR’s 2006 Resolution on Immigration: “…the United States is a nation of laws, which must be enforced and respected in order to maintain a civil society. At the same time, we expect that—especially in a Constitutional republic founded on principles of human dignity—the laws in question must be both just and equitable.” Today, we would add that enforcement of those laws must also be just and equitable.

We pray for and will work to hasten the time when the United States embraces immigration reform that secures our borders, smoothly processes refugees and asylum seekers, meets the needs of employers, provides a path to citizenship, and respects the humanity of all people.

Union for Reform Judaism
Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her), North American Board Chair
Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him), President

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him), President
Rabbi Hara Person (she/her), Chief Executive Officer

American Conference of Cantors
Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him), President
Rachel Roth (she/her), Chief Operating Officer

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Reform Movement Statement on the Return of Ran Gvili’s Body

Posted on January 26, 2026 by The CCAR

January 26, 2026

יֵשׁ־תִּקְוָה לְאַחֲרִיתֵךְ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְשָׁבוּ בָנִים לִגְבוּלָם׃ (ירמיהו לא:יז)

And there is hope for your future—declares Adonai:
Your children shall return to their country. (Jeremiah 31:17)

The Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the American Conference of Cantors join the people of Israel and Jewish communities around the world in marking the return of the body of Ran Gvili z”l, 842 agonizing days since October 7, 2023. This recovery followed an extraordinarily difficult and painstaking effort that underscores both the complexity of locating the fallen amid war and the profound commitment of the State of Israel—and many in the international community—to bring its people home, even when hope has been reduced to grief. The recovery of Ran Gvili marks the final return of all 251 hostages from Gaza to Israel.

The return of Ran’s body brings a painful but essential measure of closure. It allows a family to mourn properly, a community to honor a life lost, and a nation to affirm a core moral truth: no one is ever abandoned, and no life is ever forgotten. In Jewish tradition, this act of return is an expression of kavod hamet—human dignity that endures even after death.

At the same time, this moment reminds us that the work is far from finished. Families will continue to grieve their loved ones who did not return alive, and the trauma from October 7 continues to reverberate across Israeli society. Israel now looks toward the long and necessary work of rebuilding Gaza in a post-Hamas reality, restoring security and creating the conditions for a different future. Ran Gvili’s return is part of this slow, painful process—moving forward and acknowledging loss while refusing to be defined by it. And for innocent Palestinians in Gaza, today also marks the start of a new chapter and beginning of the next phase of the ceasefire that we pray will allow for peaceful recovery, rebuilding, and renewal.

We hold Ran’s family in our hearts and stand in solidarity with all those who are suffering the impact of war and who continue the arduous work of healing. We remain steadfast in our hope that the people of Israel and their neighbors may yet find a path toward renewal, safety, and peace.

May Ran Gvili’s memory be a blessing.

.יהי זכרו ברוך

Union for Reform Judaism
Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her), North American Board Chair
Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him), President

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him), President
Rabbi Hara Person (she/her), Chief Executive Officer

American Conference of Cantors
Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him), President
Rachel Roth (she/her), Chief Operating Officer

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Jewish Cross-Denominational Statement Against Violent Immigration Enforcement

Posted on January 20, 2026 by The CCAR

January 21, 2026

ואהבתם את-הגר כי-גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים

Love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:19)

Adding our voices to millions of others across the United States, leaders of the Reform, Conservative/Masorti, and Reconstructionist Movements of Judaism condemn, in the strongest terms, the violence with which the Department of Homeland Security is enforcing American immigration law—above all, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as in cities and towns across the nation.

Many Americans are deeply disturbed as they see their neighbors targeted for detention and deportation in their homes, at work, at their schools, and at their houses of worship. They are deeply concerned about numerous accounts of the use of intimidating and violent detention tactics, dangerous and unhealthy holding facilities, lack of appropriate warrants or due process, and wrongful apprehension of US citizens or individuals with proper visas based on appearance or language.

In response, some are taking nonviolent steps to warn and protect their neighbors from this immigration enforcement overreach. The right to protest and speak freely are fundamental American rights, protected by the United States Constitution. Too often, though, nonviolent protest and civil disobedience is being met with violence.

The United States is a nation of laws, and as Americans we expect that our laws will be enforced with clarity and consistency. We are pained by reports and videos indicating that in carrying out their assignment, members of law enforcement are engaging in behavior that escalates confrontation, risking the safety of those suspected of having violated the law, of bystanders and protesters, and their own safety. Candidates for law enforcement must be properly vetted, fully and carefully trained, and held accountable when they do not meet appropriate standards. Such accountability includes investigating complaints fairly, transparently, and impartially, particularly but not only, in cases of officer-involved shootings. To that end, we call on the Department of Justice to investigate the shooting death by an ICE officer of Renee Good, z”l.

Our sages taught that the Book of Deuteronomy’s directive צדק צדק תרדף (Tzedek, tzedek tirdof), “Justice, justice shall you pursue” (16:20), implies that the law must be enforced through a fair process, and that one should pursue justice whether it would be to one’s advantage or to one’s loss.^[i]

Immigrants are members of our congregations, our families, and people with whom we interact in our broader communities. American Jews cherish our own families’ immigration stories. We recall that, like many being expelled from America today, we or our ancestors came to this country to escape oppression and find opportunity. That is why so many Jewish congregations, rabbis, cantors, and lay leaders have engaged in a variety of legal actions to protect immigrants in our midst. We grieve an American promise that seems to be no more.

We who lead the North American Reform, Conservative/Masorti, and Reconstructionist Jewish Movements stand with the members and leaders of Jewish communities in Minneapolis—and before that, in the Chicago area and other cities in the United States—who have confronted Immigration and Customs Enforcement nonviolently, legally, but resolutely. We fear that additional communities will need to be prepared to do the same in the months ahead.

We call on President Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to pursue immigration enforcement and their response to protest through just and non-violent means, upholding our nation’s highest values and commitment to due process and the rule of law.

Rabbi David Lyon, President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive, Central Conference of American Rabbis

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, Union for Reform Judaism
Shelley Niceley Groff, Chair of the North American Board of the Union for Reform Judaism

Cantor Josh Breitzer, President, American Conference of Cantors
Rachel Roth, Chief Operating Officer, American Conference of Cantors

Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, Chief Executive Officer, Rabbinical Assembly and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Eliot Meadow, President, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Rabbi Jay Kornsgold, President, Rabbinical Assembly

Cantor Matt Axelrod, Executive Director, Cantors Assembly

Edwin M. Baum, Board Chair, Reconstructing Judaism
Rabbi Deborah Waxman, President and CEO, Reconstructing Judaism

Rabbi Renee Bauer, President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
Rabbi Megan Doherty, Chief Executive, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association

^[i] Ramban on Deuteronomy 16:20.

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Central Conference of American Rabbis Statement on the Iranian Uprising

Posted on January 15, 2026 by The CCAR

January 15, 2026

The Central Conference of American Rabbis lifts the collective Reform Jewish voice in support of the brave people who are risking their lives to protest the terrorist regime that governs Iran. We grieve the deaths of all whom the regime has brutally murdered, in response to the current uprising and before it, in Iran and around the world, and stand in awe of those who continue to oppose the regime.

Reform rabbis have been deeply concerned about the Iranian regime’s sponsorship of terror and its efforts to develop nuclear weapons, with the explicit attempt of destroying our beloved State of Israel and murdering our people there.[i] For decades, the Iranian regime has threatened the stability of its region and the world, even as Iranian people have been deprived of personal freedoms and are increasingly impoverished by the regime’s corruption and diversion of public funds to terrorism and the development of nuclear weapons.

Centuries before democracy was common, our rabbinic sages decreed that a ruler may only lead a people with their consent.[ii] The Iranian regime has forfeited its moral authority to rule the nation and has now lost the popular support required to remain in power. Their reach goes well beyond its own boundaries to impose its terror in the Middle East and the western hemisphere. For the sake of a greater peace that begins in Iran, it is time for the people of Iran to be sovereign.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis calls upon the governments of the United States and Canada, together with their allies, to continue and to strengthen sanctions that cripple the Iranian regime and to take all appropriate steps to support the myriads protesting their cruel government.

Rabbi David A. Lyon, President
Rabbi Hara E. Person, Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis

[i] “The Threat from Iran,” Resolution adopted by the 117^th Annual Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, June, 2006, Threat from Iran, The – Central Conference of American Rabbis.

[ii] Babylonian Talmud, B’rachot 55a.

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Central Conference of American Rabbis Statement on Threat to Transgender Youth

Posted on January 6, 2026 by The CCAR

January 6, 2026

The Central Conference of American Rabbis is appalled by the Trump Administration’s proposal to withhold all federal funds from hospitals that provide lifesaving gender affirming care to transgender youth. The withheld funds would include Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement for all patient care, effectively closing hospitals that would continue to provide evidence-based medicine to transgender youth.

The claim that gender affirming medical care is not grounded in science is false. Multiple studies have demonstrated that gender affirming care is safe[i]—and more importantly, it saves the lives of youth experiencing gender dysphoria, who are at a heightened risk of suicide if untreated.[ii] If the proposed regulation were to go into effect, medical care across the United States would be withheld from minors experiencing gender dysphoria on the basis of ideology rather than evidence.

Jewish health care providers and Jewish-supported hospitals are bound by a religious obligation, grounded in our sacred texts, to provide gender affirming care to minors as an act of פיקוח נפש (pikuach nefesh), “saving life.” The obligation to provide health care is clear in the sacred texts of our tradition.[iii] Moreover, “To ignore the cries of trans children who beg their doctors to help them materialize their identity would be a crime akin to murder, no different from denying care to a patient with the flu or Crohn’s Disease.”[iv] The same may be true of health-care providers of other faiths. The proposal would therefore impinge upon Americans’ First Amendment right to free exercise of religion.

Some CCAR rabbis have transgender children who are accessing or may need to access gender affirming care. Virtually every community served by CCAR rabbis includes children whose lives have been saved by gender affirming care and others whose lives would be threatened if the proposed rule were to go into effect. Reform rabbis pledge our support to one another, to each other’s children, and to the young people in our communities.

In the strongest terms, the Central Conference of American Rabbis urges the Trump Administration to withdraw this proposal, even as we call upon Congress and the courts to invalidate it should it go into effect.

Rabbi David A. Lyon, President
Rabbi Hara E. Person, Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis

[i] Stephanie L. Budge, et al, “Gender Affirming Care Is Evidence Based for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth, Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 75, Issue 6, December 2024, https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(24)00439-7/fulltext.

[ii]Diana M. Tordoff, et al, “Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care,” National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, July 1, 2022, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35212746/.

[iii] See, for example, Babylonian Talmud, Bava Kama 85a.

[iv] Beit Yosef, Yoreh Dei-ah 336:2, cited in Daniel Block, “The Halachic Mandate for Gender Affirming Care: Examining the Potential Efficacy of Religious Liberty Claims Made by Jewish Health Care Providers,” Brandeis University Law Journal, Fall 2022, Volume 10, Issue 1, 125.

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