Yesterday a bill validating conversions to Judaism performed by Israel's military rabbinate passed an initial reading in the Knesset. This legislation is a significant victory for religious pluralism in Israel and around the world. It officially would deny Israel's chief rabbis authority over conversions administered by the rabbinate of the Israel Defense Forces and prevent them from unfairly calling these conversions into question.The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism wholeheartedly supports this bill, which was introduced by Yisrael Beiteinu MK David Rotem. We strongly believe that its passage would be good for the IDF and a fair and proper way to treat soldiers, who should not be subject to the uncertainties of dual (and perhaps dueling) conversion authorities.

Yesterday the Conservative and Reform movements delivered a joint letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, whom we praise for voting for the bill about IDF conversions, but we also made clear our deep concern about the original Rotem bill. The Jewish Federations of North America also has written to the prime minister with the same praise and the same concerns. To learn more click here.

Now we are writing to let you know that we are hard at work to ensure that final passage of yesterday's bill not be linked to passage of Rotem's first bill, which we continue to contest. Please be assured we are working side by side with our indomitable partner, Jewish Agency Chair Natan Sharansky, who has been a leading voice pushing to guarantee the religious pluralism that the Rotem bill threatens.

B'shalom,

                                     Gilad Shalit Rally - Write 1 letter of Million

On Friday, December 10th the USCJ and METNY staff partcipated in a Human Rights Rally in front of the International Red Cross on behalf of Gilad Shalit.  Featured speakers included Congressman Jerry Nadler and RA Executive VP, Rabbi Julie Schonfeld.

Did you know that Gilad has been held captive for over four years and that the Red Cross has made no effort to visit him??

There is a campaign to write 1,000,000 letters to the Red Cross to urge them to act now. We encourage your congregation to join this campaign.  

"I found each speaker very enlightening and inviting, each in their own way...I would not miss a moment of this experience."

-Angela Brown, Temple Hillel, Valley Stream

"I didn't come with expectations and I was so impressed. I felt so taken care of by the METNY staff."
-Claude Frank, North Shore Jewish Center

On Wednesday, December 15^th, over 40 members of 16 METNY synagogues from Port Jefferson all the way to Middletown joined together to visit three missions to the United Nations.

Our first stop was the India Mission to the United Nations, where we were briefed by First Secretary Vinod Jacob. He spoke very well on issues ranging from climate change to Pakistan to Democracy and of course, Israel.

On our way to the second stop of the day, we paused for a prayer and a group photo at Ralph Bunche Park, right next to the Isaiah Wall.

Our next stop was the United States Mission to the United Nations, where former Ambassador Richard Erdman briefed us. His area of expertise was the Middle East, and, naturally, the questions focused mostly on Israel's relationship with its neighbors and with the United States.

Our third and final presenter was the newly appointed Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Meron Reuben. He spoke eloquently about his experiences representing Israel at the UN. Our discussion with Ambassador Reuben once again focused on Israel's relationship with its neighbors, including Turkey and Iran. We also discussed his (and Israel's) role in the General Assembly.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. Here are the reactions and comments from some of this year's participants:

"I enjoyed hearing the Indian perspective on Israel."

-Deanna Ostrower, Jericho Jewish Center

"It was interesting to hear the perspective of people who were actually involved in the daily process of the things we read about in the newspapers."

-Hedy Alban, Town & Village Synagogue

"The presentations made by the [Ambassadors] were all well prepared and the content was very interesting. [The METNY] team spent a great deal of time on the tiniest details in planning the day and it was a huge success."

-Deanna Miller, Jewish Community Center of Harrison

**Stay tuned for a full report next week.

The Executive Board of UNESCO has declared 2 of Judaism's holiest sites (Tomb of the Patriarchs and Tomb of Rachel) to be mosques and demand that Israel remove the sites from its National Heritage list.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office decried the decision of the UNESCO decision:
"The attempt to detach the Nation of Israel from its heritage is absurd. If the nearly 4,000-year-old burial sites of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Jewish Nation - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah -are not part of its culture and tradition, then what is
a national cultural site?"

Please take click here to learn more and please share with your synagogue community.

Wintertime Ideas for Your Kehilla

1) Dec. 24th is a little-known Jewish holiday of Christmas Eve. Seriously. It's called "Nittel Nacht". A fascinating article is here: Nittel Nacht.

On December 20th, the United Nations General Assembly will vote on a resolution to demand action on the horrendous human rights abuses currently being perpetrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran180 is circulating a critical petition drive in support of this resolution which we will deliver to the UN. You can find our petition online at www.iran180.org . Please make a point of adding your name to this essential effort, and be sure to share it with all of your friends.

We must send a strong message to the UN that documented instances of torture, degrading punishment such as floggings, and the excessive imposition of the death penalty will NOT be tolerated. 

Additionally, over the course of the next twelve days, the Iran180 coalition will raise our voices in protest of these atrocities. On December 10th, International Human Rights Day, we will be appearing at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza opposite the UN - visit our blog to learn more about this effort, there just might be a special appearance by an old "friend"... 

Please share your thoughts with us on our blog, and also be sure to connect with us on Twitter and Facebook for real-time updates about the situation on the ground in Iran, our coalitions efforts, and more.

If you have not already joined Iran180, we welcome you to join this urgent cause today.

USCJ synagogues in the New York Metropolitan region have a unique and exciting opportunity to become PJ Library partners. The PJ Library, an award-winning Jewish family engagement program created by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF), strengthens Jewish identities and serves as an outreach and family engagement vehicle for synagogues and Jewish organizations.  In partnership with New York Metropolitan area synagogues, The PJ Library delivers free, high-quality Jewish books and music each month to families raising Jewish children ages six months through eight years.

To learn more click HERE.  

Effective Membership Committees TeleSeminar

with Jo-Anne Tucker Zemlak

Assistant Director, Southeast Seaboard District, HAZAK, International Director

Membership committees in congregations aren't all the same; some plan the annual open house only, some plan programs for the entire congregation, and some hand out welcome bags. Learn how to develop an effective membership committee that supports the potential or new member that walks in the door, and addresses the issue of membership retention on an ongoing basis. Join us to learn ... and also to share what works for your congregation.

This program happened on December 7th, you can listen to and download the audio of the teleseminar here.

You can download the notes/outline of the teleseminar in PDF format here.

Make sure your synagogue's Membership Committee Chair/Membership VP signs up for USCJ's Membership Discussion Listserv:

1) Click here

2) Enter your full name

The Solomon Schechter Awards Program

Applications are due on Monday, May 2, 2011.

To find out more click HERE.

METNY USY IN THE NEWS

Members of METNY United Synagogue Youth (USY), Koach Division, hosted a holiday carnival for clients of Jawonio, Venture and ARC at the Congers Community Center on Sunday, helping them make a variety of holiday arts and crafts projects.

To read more about this click HERE.

Yasher Koach!

Click HERE to read entire article.

So Kern became a writer, eventually winning a Pulitzer Prize for journalism.

But she never forgot her passion, and in 2001 she completed her rabbinic studies and was ordained as a Conservative rabbi at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles.