CCAR Press Releases
- February 2023:
- December 2022:
- June 2022:
- March 2022:
- November 2021:
- August 2021:
- June 2021: Central Conference of American Rabbis Urges Reform Jewish Institutions to Institute Parental Leave
- June 2021: ‘Inscribed: Encounters with the Ten Commandments’ Wins 2021 Independent Publisher Book Award
- May 2021: Central Conference of American Rabbis Announces the Heartland Fellowship—a $1.4 Million Investment to Hire Reform Rabbis in Smaller, Challenged Jewish Communities in the United States
- April 2021: Rabbi Lewis Kamrass Named New President of Central Conference of American Rabbis at 2021 Annual Convention
CCAR in the News
2022
- Moment Magazine: Rabbis in States with Abortion Restrictions Find Hope in Interfaith Work
- Rabbi Hara Person in Ms. Magazine: Antisemitism Is Not a Partisan Issue. Why Are We Treating It Like One?
- Rabbi Hara Person and Rabbi Kelly Levy, op-ed in Baltimore Jewish Times: The Overturning of ‘Roe’ Threatened Our Religious Rights. Trigger Bans Stripped Us of Them
- Cleveland Jewish News: Mishkan HaNefesh Offers So Many Different Pathways to Connect
- Rabbi Hara Person on Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s College Commons Podcast: “After Roe: A Jewish Response”
- Rabbi Hara Person in Kveller: These Rabbis Want You to Turn Your Roe v Wade Rage Into Action
- The Jerusalem Post: Because My Soul Longs for You: Finding Spirituality Review
- Rabbi Hara Person in eJewishPhilanthropy: The Repeal of Roe v. Wade Is an Attack on My Jewish Freedom
- Rabbi Hara Person on “The Jews Are Tired” Podcast: Roe v. Wade, Separation of Church and State, and Jewish Perspectives on Abortion and Reproductive Rights
- Jewish News Syndicate: Jewish Organizations Split on Supreme Court Decision to Overturn ‘Roe v. Wade’
- 2022 IPPY Awards: Three CCAR Press Titles Have Received Awards at the Independent Publisher Book Awards
- Rabbi Hara Person in JTA: Rally Planned by Jewish Advocates for Abortion Rights Takes on New Significance
- Publishers Weekly on The Book of Proverbs: A Social Justice Commentary
- Rabbi Hara Person in The Times of Israel: To Honor 50 Years of Female Rabbis, We Must Protect Women’s Rights
- Rabbi Hara Person in the Forward: Entering a Third Pandemic Year, Jews See Reasons to Hope — and Stay Cautious
- Rabbi Hara Person in Hadassah Magazine: Transforming the Rabbinate Over 50 Years
- Rabbi Hara Person in USA Today: What is Tu BiShvat? Everything to Know About the Jewish Holiday That Celebrates Nature
2021
- Rabbi Barry H. Block, op-ed in JTA: My Jewish Ancestors Owned Slaves. That’s Why I’m a Rabbi for Racial Justice
- Rabbi Barry H. Block, op-ed in The Times of Israel: Social Justice Should Not be Controversial
- Rabbi Lewis Kamrass in eJewishPhilanthropy.com: Quietly Eyeing the Exit Door or Seeking Renewal
- Kirkus Reviews: The Social Justice Torah Commentary
- Rabbi Hara Person in The Times of Israel: The Pandemic and the Binding of Isaac: Finding Healing from Brokenness
- Jewish Boston: Psalm 27 Goes Digital
- The Detroit Jewish News: Rabbi Marla Hornsten: The CCAR Convention from My PJs
- Forbes: Tobi Kahn’s Visual Seder
- Parade: Looking for a Haggadah That Fits Your Family? These Are the 11 Best, Most Versatile Passover Haggadahs Available Online
- Patheos: 8 Haggadahs to Use for Passover 2021
- Rabbis Hara Person and Lewis Kamrass in eJewishPhilanthropy: Rabbis Will Need the Support of Their Communities to Heal Post-Pandemic
- Hadassah Magazine: Haggadot and Passover Books to Move You—Emotionally and Physically
- Jewish Boston: And Then: New Haggadah Captures Ancient and Contemporary Aspects of Passover
- JTA: From ‘Seinfeld’ to WWII Morocco, These New Haggadah Options Will Spice Up Your Passover Seder
- Jewish Book Council: Passover 5781/2021 Haggadah Roundup
- Rabbi Hara Person in USA Today: Why Joe Biden’s Faith-Based ‘Equity’ Agenda is Getting Pushback From Religious conservatives
- Jewish Standard: Cut-Ups With a Serious Purpose: Paper Midrash Combines Jewish Art and Thought
- The Mussar Torah Commentary named a 2020 National Jewish Book Award finalist
2020
- Sojourners: Biden is a Pro-Choice Catholic. Will He Expand Reproductive Health Care?
- ABC News: US Jews Plan Smaller Hanukkah Celebrations Amid Virus
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Times of Israel: Biden’s Win a Victory for Americans of Faith
- The Jewish News: New App Enhances Prayer During Pandemic
- Tablet Magazine: The Other Side of the Pandemic: Synagogues Tackle the Mental Health Issues That COVID-19 Has Exacerbated
- Jewish Journal: Digital Platform Blends Technology and Spirituality for Easy Online Services
- Rabbi Hara Person, Forward: We Still Have Time to Resist Amy Coney Barrett’s Confirmation — and We Must
- Rabbi Hara Person in JTA: How Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went From the Notorious RBG to Ruth the Tzaddik
- Rabbi Hara Person on CBS New York: Synagogues Live Stream Rosh Hashanah Services As Families Plan Smaller Gatherings Due To Coronavirus
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in eJewishPhilanthropy: Jewish Organizations Must Address the Pandemic Parenting Gender Gap
- Rabbi Hara Person, Ms. Magazine: Why Progressive Faith Leaders Must Defend Reproductive Rights
- JTA: What It’s Like to Start a Job as a Rabbi Mid-Pandemic
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Times of Israel: Jewish Support for Abortion Is Being Drowned Out. We Can Change That
- JTA: 800 Rabbis and Cantors Sign Statement Supporting Peaceful Protest Against Racism
- Rabbi Hara Person op-ed in the Forward: What Will the Rabbinate Look Like After COVID?
- The Forward: High Holidays 2020: Rabbis Start to Think Outside the Synagogue
- Rabbi Hara Person on The David Suissa Podcast: “Can Family Stories Nourish Us During Pandemic Times?”
- The New York Times: The Passover Rules Bend, if Just for One Pandemic
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Times of Israel: Jewish Resilience: Creating, Transforming & Connecting in a Time of Distance
- Rabbi Hara Person on the TLV 1 Tel Aviv Review Podcast: More Jewish, Less Democratic?
- Newsweek: The Liberation of Auschwitz Took Place 75 Years Ago. Today, America is Witnessing the ‘Revival’ of Anti-semitism
2019
- The New York Times: Trump’s Order to Combat Anti-Semitism Divides Its Audience: American Jews
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in Time Magazine: My Mom Warned Me About Anti-Semitism. I Didn’t Fully Understand Until Last Year’s Synagogue Shooting
- Rabbi Hara Person, opEd in The Times of Israel: Atoning in a time of hatred and division
- AL.com: Rabbis gather in Alabama Bear Witness to Racial and Reproductive Rights Injustices
- Alabama News Network: Rabbis Tour Selma During Racial Injustice Summit
- The Jerusalem Report: Shattering The Stained Glass Ceiling
- Jewish Journal: CCAR Files Brief in Support of LGBTQ Rights
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Times of Israel: The Immorality of anti-LGBTQ Discrimination
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in Ms. Magazine: It’s Time to Give Working Moms the Gift of Economic Equality
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in Religion Dispatches: The Moral Outrage of Comparing Abortion to the Holocaust
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in the Forward: The Reform Movement Is Struggling With Gender Equity, Says First Female Leader Of CCAR
- Interfaith Alliance: More Than 20 Religious, Faith-Based Organizations Call on Congress to Stop Weaponizing Anti-Semitism for Political Purposes
- Ms. Magazine op-ed by Rabbi Hara Person: The Injustice of Unequal Pay
- Cincinnati Public Radio: Reform Rabbis Come Back To Where It All Began: Cincinnati
- Cleveland Jewish News: CCAR to meet in Cincinnati March 31-April 3
- Atlanta Jewish Times: Temple Sinai’s Ron Segal to Lead Nation’s Reform Rabbis
2018
- Lilith Magazine: 7 Jewish Feminist Highlights of 2018
- The Times of Israel: Chanukah and Antisemitism: Lessons for Our Time
- Deseret News: Run, Hide, Fight: A Utah Jewish Synagogue Trains to Face an Active Shooter after the Deadliest Assault on Jews in U.S. history
- Vox: Why Hanukkah’s Message of Jewish Resilience Matters So Much After Pittsburgh
- JTA: The Reform Movement’s Rabbinical Group Appoints its First Female Leader
- Cleveland Jewish News: The Reform Movement’s Rabbinical Group Appoints its First Female Leader
- The Times of Israel: The Reform Movement’s Rabbinical Group Appoints its First Female Leader
- The Forward: Reform Movement’s Rabbinical Group Appoints First Female Leader
- JTA: How to Understand the Kavanaugh Allegations, According to Rabbis
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Times of Israel: Sukkot: A Season of Empathy
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-edin the Forward: What Jews Should Watch For In The Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearings
- JTA: Why an Orthodox Rabbi Chose to Publish a Book with a Reform Publisher
- Jewish News of Greater Phoenix: Valley Rabbi Publishes Book on Pirkei Avot in the 21st Century
- The Times of Israel: Beware of ‘Biblical’ Policies by Rabbi Hara Person
- The Forward: The Invisible Ones Among Us, by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
- My Jewish Learning: Hashkiveinu: Seeking Comfort and Protection Through the Night, by Rabbi Hara Person
- Op-ed from Rabbi Hara Person and Rabbi Steven Fox: Israel Has to Stop Naming Things After Trump
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in PopSugar: The Problem With Mother’s Day
- The Advocate: Inclusiveness Is an Asset to Major LGBT-Affirming Churches and Synagogues
- Rabbi Steve Fox, op-ed in The Jerusalem Post: Jewish American Identity
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Times of Israel: The Political Is Personal
- Rabbi Steve Fox, op-ed in JTA: We Need a Rabbinic Resistance to the Religious Right
- The Times of Israel: Pence’s Kotel Visit Insulted Women Everywhere
- Jewish Exponent: Female Rabbis Contend Sexual Harassment Persists
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in the Forward: 2018 Manifesto for The Woke Jewish Woman
2017
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in JTA: When Women Rabbis Say ‘#MeToo,’ Communities Must Pay Attention
- Jerusalem Post: Reform Jews Express Concern Over Jerusalem Announcement
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Forward: Why Women’s Torah Commentary Matters Today More Than Ever Before
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in Motto: President Trump’s Birth Control Mandate Is an Attack on Religious Liberty
- The New York Times: Rabbis Protest Trump’s Comments by Boycotting Conference Call
- JTA: Three Jewish movements opt out of High Holidays call with Trump, citing ‘xenophobia’
- The Forward: Jewish Denominations Pull Out Of Trump’s High Holiday Call — Call On Him To ‘Repent’
- Politico: Rabbis ditch High Holy Days call with Trump
- New York Magazine: Rabbis Cancel High Holy Days Call With Trump Over Charlottesville Response
- Haaretz: Citing Lack of Moral Leadership, Jewish Movements Nix Traditional Phone Call With Trump
- Newsweek: Rabbis won’t call Trump for Jewish High Holidays because of his Charlottesville response
- Mother Jones: Rabbis Pull Out of Call With Trump in Wake of Charlottesville
- The Washington Post: Rabbis forgo annual high holidays call with the president over Trump’s Charlottesville response
- Huffington Post: Jewish Groups Cancel High Holidays Call With Trump Over Charlottesville Comments
- USA Today: Rabbis cancel high holy days call with President Trump over Charlottesville response
- The Independent: Top Rabbis cancel annual call with Trump over his Charlottesville response
- Bloomberg: Trump Calls for Unity After Attacking Media
- The Hill: Rabbis cancel annual call with Trump over Charlottesville response
- Washington Examiner: American rabbi group cancels annual call with Trump over Charlottesville statement
- Time: Rabbis Drop Out of Jewish Holiday Conference Call With President Trump
- ABC News: Rabbis cancel annual call with Trump over his Charlottesville response
- Baltimore Jewish Times: Reform Movement condemns President Trump’s recent decision to ban transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. Military
- The Jewish Week: Liberals Threaten Israel Giving In Wake Of Cabinet Moves
- eJewish Philanthropy: The Season of Transition
- Jewish News of Northern California: This Berkeley Poet is Equally at Home with Her Paintbrushes
- Pittsburg Jewish Chronicle: Online conversion programs create a ‘virtual chavurah,’ but can it be a real community?
- CCAR joins Over 100 National Faith Leaders Join Texas Clergy in Opposition to Anti-LGBTQ Bills
- Atlanta Jewish Times: Reform Rabbis Find Civil Rights Inspiration
- Atlanta Jewish Times: Reform Rabbis Hear Call to Justice
- The Times of Israel: David Stern Becomes Third-Generation President of Reform Rabbinical Group
- Religion News Service: In ‘turbulent times,’ 500 rabbis look for ways to resist and cope
- The Forward: David Stern Becomes Third-Generation President of Reform Rabbinical Group
- JTA: David Stern Becomes Third-Generation President of Reform Rabbinical Group
- U.S. News: What President Donald Trump Needs to do to Denounce anti-Semitism
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Rabbis Meet in Atlanta as Nation Grapples with Growing anti-Semitism
- ProPublica: In an Angry and Fearful Nation, an Outbreak of Anti-Semitism
- Religion News Service: Nearly 2000 Clergy, Faith Leaders Sign Amicus Brief In Support of Transgender Protections
- Cleveland Jewish News: CCAR Responds to Philadelphia Cemetery Damage
- JTA: Betsy DeVos narrowly confirmed as education secretary in historic vote
- The Forward: Reform Rabbis Slam Betsy DeVos for ‘Christian’ Education Plan
- LA Times: How Trump’s policies and rhetoric are forging alliances between U.S. Jews and Muslims
- Tablet Magazine: Jewish Groups Across the Spectrum Unite in Condemnation of Trump’s Refugee Ban
- Jerusalem Post: American Jewish Movements Unite to Warn Trump Against Religious Tests
- The Forward: Donald Trump is on The Warpath to Standing Rock, and Jews Must Battle Him
2016
- Heritage FL Jewish News: Woman Director of Rabbinic Placement
- Rabbi Steve Fox, op-ed in The Jewish Week: Did We Vote for That?
- The New York Times: Hanukkah Event at a Trump Hotel Highlights a Rift Among Jews
- CCAR Director of Rabbinic Placement Announcement
- The Times of Israel: Comment on Steve Bannon
- Mother Jones: Many Jewish Groups Are Staying Quiet on Steve Bannon
- The Jewish Week: The Few, The Proud: Jews Stand With Standing Rock
- WMAZ: New Jersey rabbi monitoring polling center in Macon
- Macon Telegraph: Rabbi, NAACP volunteers monitoring polls in Macon
- Lilith Magazine: Forty Years from Now: Perspectives of Women in the Rabbinate
- Jewish Journal: Women Rabbis: Progress Made, but Challenges Remain
- The Oklahoman: Oklahoma City Jewish Congregation Debuts New Prayer Book for High Holy Day
- Cleveland Jewish News: Priesand Turns Over New Page
- AZ Jewish Post: New, Inclusive Prayer Book Wins Local Fans
- eJewish Philanthropy: The Importance of Parsonage
- Jewish Journal: The Female Rabbi Exchange, Part 1: On How Women Rabbis Have Changed Judaism
- The Times of Israel: From Holocaust to Helpers
- The Jewish News of Northern California: Interim Rabbis Help Stay The Course for Congregations in Transition
- Crescent City Jewish News: First Female Rabbi Sally Priesand Figures Prominently In New Book
- Crescent City Jewish News: CCAR’s ‘Sacred Calling’ Details 40 years of Women Rabbis
- The Jewish News of Northern California: You’ve Come a Long Way, Rabbi: 40 Years of Women in the Pulpit
- Amherst Magazine: A New Way to Pray
- JTA: The Big Book of Women Rabbis Tells a Grand Story
- New Jersey Jersey News: Women In the Rabbinate
- Lilith Magazine: Transference and the Female Rabbi
- Jewish Community Voice: Why a Small Word Change is a Big Deal for Reform Women Rabbis
- eJewish Philanthropy: How Far We’ve Come – and How Much Farther We Still Need to Go
- Jewish Journal: After Orlando: Heartbroken, But With Resolve – Rabbi Denise Eger
- The Forward: Reform Women Rabbis Celebrate Getting Exact Same Title as Men — After 44 Years
- JTA: Why a small word change is a big deal for Reform women rabbis
- The Washington Post: ‘I not only envisioned it. I fought for it’: The first female rabbi isn’t done yet
- eJewish Philanthropy: Making the First 100 Days Count: Rabbinic Transition
- The Jerusalem Post: ADL Calls on Jewish Organization to Redirect Trump Donations to Fight Hate
- Heritage Florida Jewish News: Reform Rabbinic Leadership Meets with Netanyahu
- The New York Times: American Reform Rabbis Warn of Alienation From Israel
- ABC News: American Reform Rabbis Warn of Alienation From Israel
- The Jerusalem Post: Old guard needs to accept growing role of Reform Jews
- The Times of Israel: Reform rabbis celebrate mixed Western Wall worship with prayers at future site
- The Jerusalem Post: American Reform leaders see Kotel deal as foundation for further gains
- JTA: Netanyahu meets with US Reform leaders in wake of Western Wall decision
- The Forward: Reform Programs Aims To Spark ‘Dialogue Not Debate’ on Israel
- JTA: Haredi Lawmaker in Israel compares Reform movement to Mentally Ill Person
- Haaretz: More than 150 Reform Rabbis Hold Mixedgender Service at New Western Wall Prayer Space
- The Jerusalem Post: Reform Movement holds first official prayer service at Western Wall
- The Jerusalem Post: Reform Movement representatives describe ‘quiet revolution’ to Knesset committee
- Haaretz: Reform Jewish Leaders Thank Netanyahu for Western Wall Prayer Decision
- The Times of Israel: Netanyahu, Reform Jewish leaders meet in Jerusalem
- Haaretz: U.S. Reform rabbinical leader: Netanyahu must represent all Jews, not just Orthodox
- Haaretz: U.S. Reform Rabbis Blast Israeli Tourism Minister Over Assimilation Remarks
- The Jerusalem Post: Minister Refuses to Walk Back Comments about Reform Jews
- Haaretz: U.S. Jewish Groups Back Obama’s Gun Control Initiatives
- The Jerusalem Post: U.S. Jewish Groups Back Obama’s Gun Control Initiatives
- The Forward: Gabby Giffords and Jewish Groups Back Barack Obama Push On Guns
- ReformJudaism: The Top 10 Reform Jewish Moments of 2015
2015
- Lilith Magazine: 7 Jewish Feminist Highlights of 2015
- Rabbis Steve Fox and Karen Fox op-ed, Jewish Journal: An American Immigrant Family’s Responsibility
- The Jewish Chronicle: We Are All God’s Children
- Jewish Standard: A New Prayerbook for a New Year
- Rabbi Steve Fox, op-ed, Huffington Post: Why I Helped Carry a Torah From Selma to Washington
- J Weekly: Time for an upgrade: Innovation meets tradition in new Reform machzor
- Georgia Voice: LGBT-inclusive Jewish prayer book adopted by Atlanta synagogues
- Jewish Journal: Think you can’t observe Yom Kippur? Not so fast
- Fox 5 News, Washington D.C.: Interview with Rabbi Steve Fox at America’s Journey for Justice
- The Bay Area Reporter: Reform rabbis adopt LGBT-friendly prayer book
- Atlanta Jewish Times: New Reform Prayer Book Arrives for Holidays
- Minneapolis Star Tribune: New Jewish prayer book for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
- Heritage Florida Jewish News: The Reform movement’s new holiday prayer book is radically inclusive
- The Jewish Week: Reform Machzor Enlarges The Tent
- Rabbi Hara Person, op-ed in The Forward: The Choose-Your-Own-Adventure High Holidays Prayer Book
- JTA: The Reform movement’s new holiday prayer book is radically inclusive
- The Times of Israel: Politics from the pulpit on the menu for this Jewish New Year
- Huffington Post: The Equality Act Would Provide Comprehensive LGBT Civil Rights. It’s About Time. By Steve Fox and Hara Person
- Boston Herald: Revamped Prayer Book Offers Modern Take For Reform Jews
- Jewish Journal: Standing on holy ground, By Rabbi Denise Eger
- Haaretz: Reform Movement Unveils New Gay-friendly High Holy Days Prayer Book
- Philadelphia Inquirer: First openly gay president of Reform Judaism rabbi group to be installed
- Jewish Exponent: Reform Rabbis Group Inducts First Gay President at Philly Meeting
- JTA: For Reform, new gay-friendly High Holidays prayer book keeps up inclusivity trend
- The Washington Post: Revised Jewish prayer book speaks to gay equality, women and doubt
2014 and older
- Huffington Post: 36 Rabbis Shave for the Brave’ to Fight Childhood Cancer
- New Jersey Jewish News: New prayerbook helps kids ‘wrestle’ with holy images
- The New York Jewish Week: Liberals Taking Historic Change In Stride: While fight for benefits continues, sense of normalcy about gay nuptials
- CCAR Donates Over 400 Prayerbooks to Storm-Ravaged Synagogues
- Cleveland.com: Shaker Heights Rabbi Elected CCAR President
- JTA: Reform female rabbis are paid less than male counterparts, study finds
- JTA: iPad App for Reform Prayer Book is Launched
- New Jersey Jewish News: Interfaith Clergy Exploring Israel Leadership Trip
- The Jewish Week: Rabbi Peter Knobel on Moral Leadership