Curious about what's going on at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Jewish Reconstructionist Communities? Rabbi Deborah Waxman, president of RRC/JRC, reflects on her work as president of the Reconstructionist movement.
Striving Towards Racial Justice in Our Jewish Communities
Leaders from the Reconstructionist movement explored ways to center the voices of Jews of color and support racial justice movements at the 2017 Jewish Social Justice Roundtable.
Rabbi Howard Cohen, RRC '94, rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth El in Bennington, Vt., and current rabbi at Shirat Hayam in Marshfield, Mass., balances firefighting and rabbinical work as part of a lifetime of service.
Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer, RRC '82, launched a new website to support campus chaplains in building relationships across diverse faiths, cultures and identities.
Cyd Weissman, Assistant Vice President of Innovation and Impact at RRC/JRC, explores the keys to building a thriving Jewish community by interviewing Jewish entrepreneurs for her EdgeBlog.
When the Organized World Meets the Rogue World
How can Jewish communities open their doors to meet the diverse needs of today's Jewish world? Read the article here.
Hashivenu: Jewish Teachings on Resilience — Episode 6 is live
Hashivenu is a podcast about Jewish teachings and practice around resilience. Cultivating resilience, both individually and collectively, is an essential path to personal and communal renewal.
About Episode 6
In challenging times, we often search for firm ground to stand on. In this interview with Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, Rabbi Deborah Waxman explores mindfulness as a path that can anchor us, nourish our Jewish lives and sustain us as we strive to fulfill our Jewish values. Click here to listen.
How does Judaism intersect with contemporary culture and illuminate how people live their lives? Hosts Rachael Burgess and Bryan Schwartzman don’t profess to have answers, just a host of questions – some profound, some rather goofy.
About Episode 8
Too often, people overlook the blessings of being alive. Judaism has, it seems, a blessing for every occasion. Bryan and Rachael are joined by Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D., and storyteller puppeteer Marilyn Price to discuss the relevance of Jewish blessings today. Teutsch and Price read from their new book From Gratitude to Blessings and Back and put up with Bryan’s invocation of Fiddler on the Roof.
We are thrilled to announce the Reconstructionist movement’s upcoming Israel trip from March 7-15, 2018! This isn’t your typical “Israel 101” trip. We will focus on art, music and politics, delving deep into the complexity of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Camp Havaya (Pennsylvania) is an incredibly diverse and welcoming community where we encourage kids to discover what being Jewish means to them—no matter who they are or where they come from. It's why so many campers call it home! Camp Havaya will start on June 24, 2018.
Havaya Arts (California) is a high-quality arts and summer-camp experience for kids. We are a joyful, welcoming and progressive Jewish community where campers grow as intentional artists and amazing human beings. Havaya Arts will start on June 18, 2018.
Invite abundance and prosperity into the New Year with an original Abundance Shrine. Featured Ritualwell artist Kohenet Ketzirah Lesser taps into the Kabbalistic power of the Hebrew letters to create a unique ritual object that can be used to complement your spiritual practice.
Ritual Guides
Are you planning your wedding? Did you recently bring home a new baby? Ever thought about how to mark a milestone anniversary? Let our Ritual Guides assist you in creating a meaningful ritual that will create memories for you and your family for decades to come.
Want to sell your products in the Ritualwell Store?
We welcome proposals from artists and merchants to sell products in the online Ritualwell Store. Products should be aligned with the Ritualwell mission to enhance people’s experience of Jewish ritual. Please contact Ritualwell (ritualwell@rrc.edu) to discuss your product(s). We look forward to hearing from you!
Statements from the Movement
In addition to endorsing and co-sponsoring numerous petitions, public letters and statements from aligned organizations, RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities issues its own public statements on several issues, either alone or jointly with the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association:
For our previous statements, go to our Public Statements page on Jewishrecon.org.
Upcoming Events
Reconstructionist Weekend
Jan. 19-21, 2018
Or Shalom Jewish Community
625 Brotherhood Way
San Francisco
Rabbi Deborah Waxman, president of Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Jewish Reconstructionist Communities, will speak about "Reconstructionism and Resilience" at an evening reception at Or Shalom. The weekend will also feature Friday-night services, the second San Francisco Women's March and a discussion about current events. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lillian Markind at admin@orshalom.org.
LGBT Spirituality & Spiritual Violence Mini-Series
Feb. 5, 2018
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
522 W. Maple St.
Allentown, Pa.
The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center's LGBT Spirituality & Spiritual Violence Mini-Series will begin with a presentation by Rabbi Deborah Waxman. The mini-series will be moderated by Rev. Beth Goudy and funded by E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. Click here to RSVP.
Chesapeake Day of Learning
April 15, 2018
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Adat Shalom
7727 Persimmon Tree Lane
Bethesda, Md.
Save the date for a day of Jewish learning, featuring a keynote speaker, follow-up workshops and activities for the body, mind and spirit.
Reconstructionist Convention
Nov. 15-18, 2018
Philadelphia
This year's convention, titled "Rooted and Relevant: A 2018 Reconstructionist Conversation," will feature learning, singing, dancing, eating and praying. Stay tuned for more information and click here to add the event to your calendar.
The Jewish Reconstructionist Communities in association with the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) provides services for more than 100 congregations and havurot where members help create the Judaism they want to live. RRC is a progressive rabbinical school where people of all backgrounds engage intensively with Jewish texts, thought and practice. As a combined organization, RRC / Jewish Reconstructionist Communities make up a unique entity in the contemporary Jewish landscape.
Email is a crucial way to stay in contact, and we appreciate your continued engagement and support of the RRC / Jewish Reconstructionist Communities. Contributions to the RRC / Jewish Reconstructionist Communities supports our faculty, underwrites scholarships and student internships, provides specialized training and mentorship opportunities, and creates unique learning experiences in Israel. Donations to RRC help us to prepare the next generation of Jewish leaders. Click here to donate now.
