Israel: Culture
Prayers and Songs for Israel
A collection of poems, prayers and songs for Israel, many by Reconstructionist rabbis and congregants.
Topics: Israel: Culture, Jewish Life Type: Text Compilation
Israeli Independence Day Ceremony
This Yom Ha'atzma'ut ceremony was designed by Rabbi Rebecca Lillian. It includes poetry, readings and song.
Topics: Education, Holiday Resources, Israel: Culture, Reconstructionist Judaism, Synagogue Programs, Teaching Israel Type: Ritual
Israeli Women's Social Change Organizations
This is a list of diverse Israeli organizations that protect women's rights. The study questions encourage students to learn more about women's organizations in their own area.
Adjusting to New Narratives
This dvar-Torah looks at the idea of the role of changing narrative in human experience. "There arose a Pharoah who knew not Joseph" is compared to the demise of the kibbutz movement as we know it and how we make meaning of this change. It's looked at through the personal experience and a recent trip of the author.
Examining Justifications for the State of Israel
In this dvar-Torah for Parashat Shoftim, Syd Nestel using Deuteronomy's description of an idealized Israelite society as a jumping point for examining modern justifications for the State of Israel.
Topics: Divrei Torah, Israel-Politics, Israel: Culture, Jewish Life, Jewish Thought Type: Dvar Torah
The Balcony
Throughout 2005, in honor of the 350th anniversary of Jewish life in America, Israeli-American Ruth Calderon shared her observations about the complexity of American Jewish identity. Moving acrostically through the alphabet, Calderon examines Jewish-American experiences through an Israeli prism. The following excerpts on "America," "Flag," "Jerusalem," and "Zionism," are reprinted with the permission of Sh’ma: A Journal of Jewish Responsibility.
Topics: Israel: Culture, Jewish Life Type: Article
Hope, If Not Optimism for Israel's Future
This article from Reconstructionism Today by Rabbi Amy Klein contemplates Israel's future.
Israel's Arava Institute Endures and Grows
Joysa Winter's article reports on Israel's Arava Institute and the people who study there. All share the passion that makes environmental values cross political ones.
Bibliography on Israel and Zionism
This bibliography on Israel and Zionism was included in a 2004 report by the JRF Israel Policies Task Force.
Reflections on the JRF 2002 Leadership Mission to Israel
Rabbi David A Teutsch, former President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, writes of his journey on the January 2002 JRF Leadership Mission to Israel, meeting the RRC students there, some remarkable achievements, and how we are working to strengthen our relationships with Israel.
Topics: Israel: Culture, Jewish Life Type: Essay
