Envisioning a Just Society

In parshat Ki Tetze we encounter the case of the ben sorer u’moreh, the wayward and rebellious son. We read in Devarim 21:18-21 that if a child does not obey his mother and father they should bring him out to the gates of the city before a council of elders, publicly declare him a glutton...
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Doubled Justice, Single Planet

“Justice, justice you shall pursue.” (Deut.16:20) Perhaps no words from Torah are more famous, or more fully express the fundamental passion of Judaism for justice – justice for the poor, the widow, the orphan – for all those whom society might otherwise reject. Justice is even considered “more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov....
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The Rabbinic Human Rights Hero Award 

Is Your Rabbi or Cantor a Human Rights Hero?  Each year, T’ruah honors two extraordinary Jewish clergy members who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to living and working in accordance with a Torah of justice and human rights. And each year we turn to you, our supporters, to help us find these remarkable leaders. Does your...
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You Can’t Leave Anyone Behind

I love Israel. But I could never live in a place called “the Jewish homeland” when progressive Jews are treated as second-class citizens. In Israel, the Orthodox establishment controls matters of personal status – primarily conversions and marriages. Jews who wish to be married, religiously, by a Conservative, Reconstructionist, or Reform rabbi generally leave the...
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Private Prisons, God’s People

A number of years ago my husband’s nephew suggested that we invest some funds with him in high-risk high-yield bonds. We did. After earning a good return, I asked my husband what his nephew had done with our money. He answered that his nephew, among other ventures, had invested in for-profit prisons. I was horrified....
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Rabbi Karen Bender and HUC student Samantha Thal

Sukkot: Sukkot and the Human Right of Dwelling Safely

Perhaps Sukkot is the festival of understanding our journey, for journeys have no concrete and steel foundations, only earth and sandy feet. And the yearning that should come out of this collective memory must be a passionate commitment to end homelessness everywhere, physical, spiritual, or national.
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Photo of the author, Rabbi Alanna Sklover

Tzav: We Are the Stranger

We know the heart of the stranger and we cannot allow ourselves to lose sight of these people, or allow statistics to blur them and their lives into a faceless “issue.”
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Joseph’s Solitary Confinement

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Vayeshev, Joseph is cast into a Biblical version of solitary confinement. After boasting of his future successes and power over his siblings, the brothers plot to kill Joseph before deciding to throw him into a pit. Soon after, they remove him from the pit and sell him into servitude....
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Joining or Forming a T’ruah Cluster

T’ruah clusters are the primary avenue for Jewish clergy who care about human rights to take action. We know that even as human rights issues are present across the globe, all politics are local. To advance human rights, T’ruah builds power by fostering strategic, relational networks of our chaverim in specific cities. By joining our...
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Safe Homes. Healthy Relationships. Strong Women.

A number of years ago, my good friend Shira and I dressed up for Purim festivities on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. My costume consisted of platform sandals, bell-bottoms, and a bohemian tunic, my hair parted down the middle and secured with a colorful head-band. Shira wore blue jeans, a tiara, and a black...
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