Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

Hydrofracking is a new form of drilling for natural gas and oil that is on the brink of a huge expansion.  Jews Against Hydrofracking is encouraging every Jewish community to learn about this issue by screening Gasland, a documentary that asks the question, is fracking safe?  Plan a screening in your living room, synagogue, JCC, or youth group as part of the 100 Jewish Communities Wake Up to Hydrofracking Campaign. For more information go to www.JewsAgainstHydrofracking.org

See also: http://coejl.org/resources/webinar-on-hydrofracking/ and

http://njjewishnews.com/article/statewide/fracking-a-wedge-issue-among-jews#.Tt4PElY2yuK

Working to stop fracking for oil shale in the Valley of Elah, Israel.  Read more about this issue in the attached article by David Krantz: Maccabees Redux: Oil Fracking Fight in Israel

PEARL, the distance-learning classes offered by JRF, provides meaningful information and strategies beneficial to congregational leaders, members, clergy, educators and staff. Expert speakers partner with JRF professional staff and lay leaders to support the strengthening of congregations and havurot, grow leadership, deepen Jewish spiritual life and continue critical tikkun olam/social justice work. Based on results from a survey of JRF congregational leadership, a variety of PEARL topics are selected each year.

With 50 programs now available (http://jrf.org/pearl/archive) as well as other congregational resources (http://jrf.org/cong-resources), and based on feedback from those of you who participated last year, consultation with movement leadership and staff across regions and our analysis of needs based on consultations, we are working on a plan to use the rich resources we have developed in affinity working groups by communal size appropriate to our movement (small 20-99hh, medium 100-199hh, large 200hh up). These sessions are in addition to calls offered by RENA for educators, CEDAR for executive directors, Harmoniyah (for music/liturgy leaders) and Tikkun Olam/Social Justice organizers and program staff/lay leaders. These calls will take place between February and June 2012 under topic headings with staff or expert volunteer backing using the resources we have developed to deepen the work of growing and sustaining healthy and vibrant sacred communities.

Each PEARL class meets for one to one and a half hour by telephone conference call. Classes are often supported by downloadable resources, webinars and select audio files. Some classes, are a follow up or expansion on previously presented topics.  read more »

JRF joins East Africa Relief

https://www.jdc.org/jcdr_main.html
Countries in the Horn of Africa including, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti are experiencing the worst drought in 60 years. As a result, millions of people are in desperate need of food and water. Livestock and crops are deteriorating due to the lack of access to water and malnutrition is on the rise. A famine has been declared in a number of regions of Somalia and elsewhere, causing hundreds of thousands of people to flee to neighboring countries.  read more »

The JRF-GreenFaith Partnership

GreenFaith and the JRF through the Department of Congregational Services and Tikkun Olam are pleased to announce a three-year partnership to promote a deepening of JRF’s existing environmental initiatives. GreenFaith is a leading national interfaith environmental coalition whose mission is to help diverse religious communities become environmental leaders.  GreenFaith is a leading interfaith environmental coalition whose mission is to educate, equip and empower diverse religious communities for environmental leadership.  Founded in 1992, GreenFaith offers a range of programs that help faith-based groups nationwide put their beliefs into action for the earth.  The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation has had a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and the role of the Jewish people in building sustainable communities (http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources).  read more »

With tremendous excitement, we are launching the Keruv/Outreach page on the JRF website; a center for collective wisdom and experience in models, programs and resources for best practices in creating welcoming Jewish congregational communities. We welcome you to visit  www.jrf.org/keruv-library, review the wealth of resources and models, and contribute your own.

The site is a product of two years of intensive, creative work connected to the JRF NY/NJ region's Kehillah Kedoshah: Every Voice Matters Keruv/Outreach project.  read more »