Temple B'nai Israel

07/08/2025

The Cr**e Myrtles are blooming at Oakland Jewish Cemetery.

03/12/2025

03/15/2024

Sexual Violence Is Never Justified

Rabbi Hara Person

MAR 11, 2024

The months since October 7 have been absolutely painful for Jews worldwide, but especially so for Jewish women. Aside from the horror and outrage of the October 7th attack itself, and subsequence rise in antisemitism, we’re also contending with widespread denial of the reality of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli victims.

Somehow there continues to be debate over whether Hamas merely murdered their victims or r***d them as well, despite robust evidence – from video footage to verbal statements – that the terrorist group proudly and unabashedly did both. The fact that the United Nations took two months to put out a statement – which failed even to mention the nationality of the victims – is just the most visible example of the daily dynamics Jewish women are facing, often among those with whom we have worked side by side in alliance. Some of the loudest voices denying or demanding more evidence for well established acts of sexual violence and r**e are from the same people who have proudly tweeted and .

Somehow the viral video of Naama Levy – the seat of her sweatpants soaked in blood – being dragged through Gaza isn’t enough. Eye witness testimony from the survivors of the Nova Music Festival who saw Hamas terrorists gang ra**ng and brutalizing Israeli women isn’t enough. News reports about Hamas dismembering the breasts and mutilating the vaginas of women – some dead, some still alive, isn’t enough. The recent report from the Association of R**e Crisis Centers in Israel detailing “systematic and widespread” acts of sexual violence on October 7th by Hamas isn’t enough. Yet for those who seek to deny the lived experience of Israeli victims and survivors of sexual violence, these barbaric acts are deemed either lies or government propaganda designed to distract.

Imagine calling for increasingly more “evidence”—or worse, refuting the evidence – of the r**e and torture of any other group of women. It would be unimaginable if it weren’t actually happening.

Instead, the families of the 134 hostages still held in Gaza are on a global speaking tour of their trauma in an attempt to humanize their loved ones – to justify their mere existence – and help secure their release. It’s both deeply moving and deeply obscene that they should have to resort to this.

Yarden Gonen is a nurse in Tel Aviv, her sister Romi has been in captivity since October 7th. She considers herself lucky because she got to talk to Romi before Hamas kidnapped her. She doesn’t know if her sister is still alive, but if she is, she worries that Romi might have been r***d and impregnated by her captors. Unlike in America, where an estimated 65,000 pregnancies have occurred as a result of r**e since the fall of Roe, Israeli and Jewish law is very clear: if Romi has become pregnant, and if she is freed soon, she will be able to obtain an abortion. And Yarden has good reason to worry about a possible pregnancy. Aside from the r**es that took place on October 7th itself, we know that Hamas has abused and assaulted the hostages in captivity. After watching Hamas murder her father, eighteen year-old Agam Goldstein Almog spent 51 days captive in Gaza. She’s since recounted the story of another hostage who told her how a guard held a gun to her head, stripped off her clothes and violated her as she cried.

Some on the political left– those we have historically considered allies, aligned on American issues of social justice – have actually accused Jewish and Israeli women of weaponizing our perceived racial status to harm Arab men with “white woman tears.”

As Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, put it: “Either r**e is always unacceptable. Or it isn’t. Either all women are believed. Or they aren’t. Either we condemn r**e as a weapon of war. Or we normalize it.”

Aside from the substantial evidence of sexual violence, Hamas in fact documented its own brutality on October 7th, including footage of the murder of an Israeli grandmother, which they uploaded to her own page for her family and friends to see. They have proudly GoPro’ed their crimes. Their blanket denial of r**e should be regarded as the gaslighting it is.

The depravity of it all is almost unspeakable, but speak out we must.

At least the United Nations is finally speaking out , albeit four months later, releasing a report this week that found r**e was committed in multiple locations on October 7.

After viewing the 47-minute video compiled by the IDF of the atrocities committed on October 7, Pramila Patten, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Special Envoy for Sexual Violence in Conflicts said she was unable to sleep for a week: “Only after I saw the video did I understand things that I didn’t understand before in terms of the magnitude of the disaster that happened.” Upon visiting Kibbutz Be’eri – one of the sites of the horrific attacks, Patten said: “I saw things here that I have not seen anywhere in the world. The world outside cannot understand the magnitude of the event.”

Here’s what we, as Jews and as women, need now from the rest of the world:

We need everyone to speak up and push back against the denial of the sexual violence used to torture and kill innocent Israeli women. R**e and sexual torture is never justified, and it is never resistance. There are only about 15 million Jews in the entire world; we cannot be the only ones protesting our own dehumanization. Israelis and Jews are forced to hold multiple painful truths at once and struggle with complexity. We need you to do the same. Standing up for the rights of innocent civilians in Gaza does not require being blind to the brutal terror inflicted against Israeli women on October 7th and continuing now in captivity. The two are not mutually exclusive. It is possible– and indeed necessary – to fight for all the innocents involved in this horror.

We cannot ignore that sexual violence was one of the tools of terror used by Hamas on October 7th and continues with the captivity of the hostages. The longer we ignore—or worse, justify—violence against any women, the farther we move from shared decency and dignity, and the farther we move from the hope of shared humanity or empathy, which is essential for peace.

02/27/2024

CENTRAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS CONDEMNS ALABAMA SUPREME COURT RULING ON THE STATUS OF EMBRYOS
February 26, 2024

The Central Conference of American Rabbis is appalled by a recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos should be considered as children, and therefore, that destroying an embryo frozen for in vitro fertilization in a laboratory constitutes actionable death of a minor child. This ruling further attenuates reproductive freedom in a state where people must already travel great distances to access the full range of reproductive care. Alabama and neighboring states already enforce a total abortion ban or severely restrict abortion rights. This ruling means that residents of Alabama must now travel to access in vitro fertilization (IVF) in addition to reproductive healthcare.

As a result of this Supreme Court ruling, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, the state’s largest hospital, has suspended all IVF procedures. Additionally, two other centers have suspended IVF procedures, which is critical medical care for some individuals and couples who face challenges to their fertility.

In his concurring opinion, Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker makes explicit that the Court’s ruling is a religious, not a legal, act. He quotes Christian theologians, including John Calvin and St. Thomas Aquinas extensively, and concludes: “Even before birth, all human beings have the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his [sic] glory.”[1] This ruling is therefore a violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the establishment of a state religion.

Our Talmudic sages understood that an embryo had the potential to grow into a person and also held the potential of not developing. They declared that “the embryo is considered to be mere water until the fortieth day [after conception].”[2] Judaism does not grant the status of personhood to an embryo or fetus at any stage of pregnancy.[3] Moreover, p’ru ur’vu, the mitzvah to be fruitful and multiply, is among the highest blessings in our tradition. Therefore, Jewish authorities across the ideological spectrum strongly support the availability of reproductive endocrinology to assist individuals and couples struggling with infertility.

Reform rabbis do not ask that Jewish law be enshrined in the laws of the United States or any state. We demand, however, that individuals in this free country be permitted to make their own choice about engaging the use of in vitro fertilization and other reproductive technologies. The government should not limit their choices in this matter. Indeed, many Reform rabbis and members of our communities have welcomed children into their families through the use of in vitro fertilization. The Central Conference of American Rabbis condemns the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling in the strongest terms. We call upon our members to support those who are impacted by this ruling, to let our elected officials know of our strong objection to the court’s decision and to work to pass legislation that affirms that frozen embryos are not people. We further call on the United States Supreme Court to overturn this decision forthwith.

Rabbi Erica Asch, President
Rabbi Hara E. Person, Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis

[1] Le Page v. Center for Reproductive Medicine, P.C., Supreme Court of Alabama, February 16, 2024, https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama/supreme-court/2024/sc-2022-0579.html.

[2] Babylonian Talmud, Y’vamot 69b.

[3] Exodus 21:22–23, Mishnah Ohalot 7.6

02/01/2024

Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism and MARAM (Israeli Reform Rabbis) statement on Jan. 28th right wing event promoting settlement in Gaza

January 30, 2024

Do what is right and good in the eyes of Adonai your God

Amidst these difficult and painful days; while our soldiers are fighting in the Gaza Strip; and while over 130 hostages are being held by Hamas in appalling conditions – an event was held on Sunday to promote the renewal of Jewish settlement in Gaza. In a time of mourning and pain, we were horrified to see government ministers and elected representatives dancing with messianic joy in times of war and bloodshed. We were appalled by their calls to transfer the Palestinian residents of Gaza. The participation in this event of rabbis employed by the state, and their public support for extremist political statements, is utterly unacceptable.

Forced migration and transfer of population is a war crime. In the face of the cruelty and inhumanity shown by Hamas, we must maintain “Tzelem” (humanity), moral values, and adherence to international law. In the face of the extremism shown by certain elements in the government, the Jewish and democratic State of Israel must preserve human rights. Even in these difficult times, we must reject manifestations of racism and hatred, and condemn those who forget that “beloved is the human, who was created in the image of God.”

Last Shabbat, in the Beshalach Torah portion, we read the Song of the Sea. We recall the comment of our Sages: “The work of My hands are drowning in the sea and you are singing songs?” These words warn us not to oppose the humanity of our enemies, and certainly not that of residents of the Gaza Strip who are not engaged in hostilities.

We pray for days of peace and calm and urge the Israeli government to avoid discourse of hatred and incitement, and to adhere to our obligation to avoid harm towards innocent civilians whenever possible.

We – Jews and Arabs – will continue to live together on this land, even after this bitter war. Accordingly, it is our duty to maintain the fabric of shared society based on the values of dignity, equality, and tolerance.

01/30/2024

REFORM MOVEMENT ISRAEL STATEMENT: THE MOMENT WE ARE IN, THE FUTURE WE PRAY FOR
January 30, 2024

A Statement from Reform Movement Institutions

With an eye toward the future we envision, we offer these steps we hope Israelis and Palestinians will take at this moment of intense challenge and deep pain. We do so because of the bond and love we feel for our Israeli siblings.

Our commitment to a strong, vibrant, Jewish and democratic state of Israel, secure within its borders, is unyielding. The October 7th attacks and subsequent war have made unequivocally clear the existential threats facing Israel. On October 7th, more than 1200 Israelis were brutally murdered and tortured including those victimized by sexual violence, and communities were destroyed. Since then, a quarter of a million people have been displaced due to Hamas and Hezbollah violence and more than 135 hostages taken from Israel remain in Gaza. The Jewish people and the nation are again in mourning, now for the loss of over 200 soldiers fighting to defend Israel—including 25 killed in just one day last week. We pray for healing of wounded soldiers and for comfort for the bereaved. Israel is also contending with attacks from the Houthis and other Iranian proxies. Our hearts are with the Israeli people, now and always, as we pray for the day when the joyful sounds of peace prevail over the terrifying sounds of war.

Israel’s leaders have no greater responsibility than protecting the Israeli people. Hamas’s October 7th attacks were utterly heinous. Israel’s goal of eradicating Hamas’s military capabilities is just given Hamas’s ongoing commitment to Israel’s destruction. Hamas must be held accountable and the more than 135 remaining hostages must be released immediately. In keeping with the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvu’im (Redemption of Captives), Israel’s government must do all it can to ensure the hostages’ swift and safe deliverance from Hamas’s nefarious hands. We also encourage and applaud the Biden administration’s efforts in this regard.

Hamas showed no regard for the humanity of those butchered, brutalized, and kidnapped on October 7th. As Jews, we reject such dehumanization of the “other” including Palestinians. Whatever the military necessities of Israel’s massive bombing in Gaza—both to reach Hamas’s military infrastructure, so deeply embedded by Hamas into the centers of Palestinian civilian life, as well as to eliminate Hamas’s capabilities to repeat October 7th—we nonetheless agonize over the many thousands of Palestinian civilians, including large numbers of women and children, who have died and been wounded in this conflict, whether by Israeli bombs or Hamas’s misfired missiles. We agonize, too, over the nearly 2 million displaced people who are unable to obtain life essentials of food, water, shelter, medicine, and electricity.

The peaceful future we dream of includes an end to the West Bank occupation. As our respective organizations have affirmed in resolutions, formal statements, and policy analyses going back decades, ongoing West Bank occupation without a willingness to seek its end through a peaceful resolution of the conflict will condemn future generations to endless strife. Reestablishing settlements in Gaza will have a similarly detrimental impact. Denying the Palestinians’ right to self-determination is an impediment to peace.

In this darkest of times, we remain committed to a resolution of the conflict that will ensure Israel’s security and allow for Palestinian self-determination and self-governance, understanding that the creation of a Palestinian state will pose serious short-term security threats to Israel that will need to be addressed in any peace accords. Further, the widespread distrust of the Palestinians and their leadership in both Gaza and the West Bank, as well as deep Palestinian mistrust of Israel’s leadership, will require significant efforts by the Israelis, Palestinians, regional neighbors, and the international community to make such a resolution a viable reality. A successful and peaceful Palestinian entity remains vital to ensuring Israel’s long-term security. For these reasons, we are deeply dismayed by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent comments dismissing the possibility of a future peaceful Palestinian state.

There is much the Palestinian Authority needs to do in the short run to help prevent the escalation of violence both in the West Bank and more broadly, including joining the international community in actively engaging in efforts to ensure the hostages’ release, restoring cooperation with the Israeli security forces to curtail terrorist activities emanating from the West Bank, and taking concrete steps to halt incitement to violence and incentives for acts of terrorism. Far more extensive reforms and concrete manifestations of its commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, including steps in a peace process that will ensure Israel’s security, will be required.

Israel’s future security relies on non-military steps Israel can and must take including:

*Recognizing that Israel’s security and well-being are enhanced by a future that includes a peaceful Palestinian state.
*In keeping with the existing Abraham accords, continuing to pave the way toward normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and to the creation of a regional coalition to rebuild Gaza.
*Protecting the longstanding and vital U.S.-Israel alliance that has served the interests of both nations for more than 75 years.
*Stopping incitement to violence, racism, and use of dehumanizing language against Palestinians by government ministers and others.
*Forcefully addressing settler violence against Palestinians.
*Preventing the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, including through the delivery of tax revenue currently being delayed by Israel.
*Strengthening the development of Palestinian leaders and institutions committed to pursuing peace, as evidenced by supporting those advocating reforms of the Palestinian Authority’s governance, education, leadership, transparency, and accountability.
*Understanding the terribly complex current battlefield in Gaza, continuing to do everything possible to prevent the loss of life among innocent Gazans not directly involved in the hostilities.
*Delivering swift and regular humanitarian aid to Gazans struggling against illness and hunger, with safeguards monitored by the international community to ensure that such aid is not diverted to Hamas.
*Rejecting any suggestions of forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza; such relocation would be in clear violation of international law.
*Committing to ending the occupation, based on a negotiated, diplomatic solution acceptable to Israel and Palestinians alike. Such a solution will fulfill the Palestinian right to self-determination, without which Israel will never be safe and secure.
*Halting the construction of West Bank settlements and rejecting any Jewish resettlement in Gaza.
*Opposing any efforts toward unilateral annexation by Israel of areas of the West Bank.

We share these steps understanding that responsibility for building a future in which children can grow in peace requires commitments and leadership from Israelis and Palestinians. We speak inspired by the teaching, “Kol yisrael arevim zeh ba’zeh,” “All of Israel and the Jewish people are responsible, one for the other” (Shevuot 39a). We are committed to the safety and vitality of the Jewish people, the swift return home of all the hostages held in Gaza, and a secure and just state of Israel—now and forever.

Union for Reform Judaism
Jennifer Brodkey Kaufman (she/her), Chair
Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him), President

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Erica Asch (she/her), President
Rabbi Hara E. Person (she/her), Chief Executive

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

ARZA Canada
Lee Weisser (she/her), President

Association of Reform Zionists of America
Daryl Messinger (she/her), Chair
Rabbi Josh Weinberg (he/him), Director

Men of Reform Judaism
Rob Himmelstein (he/him), President
Steven Portnoy (he/him), Executive Director

Reform Jewish Community of Canada
Len Bates (he/him), President

Reform Rabbis of Canada
Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg (he/him), Chair

Women of Reform Judaism
Sara Charney (she/her), President
Rabbi Liz P. G. Hirsch (she/her), Executive Director

01/12/2024

Honored to hear the powerful words of Rep. Tara Shephard and to offer the closing prayer at University of Central Arkansas’s Dr. Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast.

01/11/2024

NORTH AMERICAN REFORM JEWISH MOVEMENT RENEWS CALL FOR RELEASE OF HOSTAGES HELD BY HAMAS
January 11, 2024

As we mark the 100th day of the war initiated by Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack on communities in southern Israel, the North American Reform Movement raises our collective Reform Jewish voice to demand the liberation of the more than one hundred thirty hostages held in captivity by Hamas since October 7.

The hostages were abducted in flagrant violation of international law. Reports from the hostages released in late November and early December have revealed how those in captivity suffer deplorable conditions, including sexual and physical violence, psychological torture, and near-starvation. Hamas has not allowed any international aid organization access to the hostages to check on their health or provide necessary medicines or medical assistance, in clear contravention to international law. We demand that this failure be rectified immediately.

We join our Israeli partners and colleagues in lifting up the teaching by Rambam:

וְאֵין לְךָ מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים

“You have no greater mitzvah (religious obligation) than to free captives.” At this devastating milestone, we renew our demand for the swift release of all those who are still held captive in Gaza.

We call on the international community to join the governments of Israel and the United States in their efforts to secure the hostages’ release. We will continue raising our voices until every hostage is safely returned home and reunited with their loved ones.

Bring them home now!

Union for Reform Judaism
Jennifer Brodkey Kaufman (she/her)
Chair

Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him)
President

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Erica Asch (she/her)
President

Rabbi Hara E. Person (she/her)
Chief Executive

American Conference of Cantors
Cantor Seth Warner (he/him)
President

Rachel Roth (she/her)
Chief Operating Officer