Amudim Community Resources, INC. Amount

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Amudim Community Resources, INC. Amount Beis Community 2018 Amount: $7,000 Project: Women’s Leadership Development Amudim Community Resources, INC. • Supports women’s leadership development for Amount: $10,000 volunteers of an intentional and inclusive Project: Project Shmirah Orthodox Jewish community in Washington • Hold age-appropriate workshops in yeshivas Heights that attracts those traditionally on the and day schools to teach children about margins. healthy boundaries and strategies to increase emotional wellbeing. They will also provide Moving Traditions events in community centers, synagogues, and Amount: $60,000 homes that will encourage adults to become Project: National Jewish Summer Camp Healthy community advocates against abuse. Sexuality Initiative Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) • Moving Traditions will prepare two cohorts of Amount: $10,000 camp directors and assistant directors to train Project: YES I CAN their staff on bias prevention, harassment, and • Motivate, encourage, and support girls to peer pressure among staff and campers. pursue STEM education and careers through exposure to mentors and educational, T’ruah volunteer, and internship opportunities. Amount: $75,000 Additionally, CIJE will establish the YES I CAN Project: Development of Rabbinic Network career center which will establish STEM • Supports strengthening their rabbinic network internships and opportunities in the US and and training rabbis and cantors to be more Israel and offer assistance to young women effective leaders and to amplify the moral with college and scholarship applications. voice of the Jewish community. T’ruah will Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) develop trainings on anti-Semitism and Amount: $75,000 provide support to their network, particularly Project: Leadership Development women clergy, and promote the voices of • JWFNY’s unrestricted funds will support women as experts in teaching positions and leadership development and political journalism. education efforts and their caucuses for Jews of Color, Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews, and Jews Itach-Maaki Women Lawyers for Social Justice who were raised working class. The caucuses Amount: $30,000 support public speaking, writing, facilitation, Project: Holistic Model for Gender Equality and leadership skills for the participants and • Supports implementation of a holistic model serve as communities to organize for social for municipal level gender equality throughout justice. Israel and institutionalizing women’s Keshet participation in local policy making. Amount: $10,000 Project: LGBTQ & Ally Shabbatonim Project Kesher Israel • Encourages leadership and community Amount: $30,000 engagement among LGBTQ and ally teens. Project: Education of the Russian Speaking Shabbatonim provides a safe space for teens Community in Israel to explore their identities and connect with • Supports PKI’s program educating Russian their peers in a Jewish context. The program speaking community to help them understand includes the Teen Steering Committee, where the political system and to provide accurately members increase their leadership, translated news which then enables them to facilitation, and communication skills as they become politically active and have a voice and lead social events, awareness sessions, and advocate for their community’s needs and social justice workshops… concerns. The Joint Council of Pre-Military Leadership Shalom Hartman Institute of North America Academies (Mechinot) Amount: $15,000 Amount: $30,000 Project: Created Equal Project: Lishma • Supports Created Equal: A Research and • Supports The Joint Council of Pre-Military Educational Project on Men, Women and the Leadership Academies’ Lishma program which Ethics of Shared Leadership, Shalom Hartman will cultivate young Israelis to address gender Institute addresses gender equality through a inequality in Israeli society. story of Jewish tradition. JWFNY continues to support the Created Equal program enabling a Sacred Spaces research team to expand and continue to Amount: $15,000 engage in study to address underlying issues Project: General Support impact power dynamics. • Supports Sacred Spaces to work with another thirty organizations in the coming year and Appetite for Change support the organization’s infrastructure, Amount: $30,000 including launching a website, growing the Project: A4C Workshops Board, marketing, investing in risk-assessment, • Supports A4C workshops for new mothers and training curricula, and formalizing the their infant children encompassing nutrition, accreditation program. community building and sharing knowledge. jGirls Magazine Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI) Amount: $13,000 Amount: $30,000 Project: General Support Project: BALI’S College Program • Continues to support jGirls Magazine’s efforts • Supports Bella Abzug Leadership Institute to provide a space in which young girls have a trains and mentors young women to become safe space to explore identity and develop leaders within their communities and inspire their own skills and voices in our community. positive social and economic change. JWFNY supports the expansion of BALI’s college At the Well program to include year-round programming Amount: $10,000 consisting of a formalized mentorship program Project: Well Circles to advise students on pre-college counseling • Supports At the Well’s program to develop and internship opportunities. new and existing Well Circles which serves as communities for women to provide support and mindfulness within each other but also Emma’s Torch through direction, coaching, and connection to Amount: $20,000 the global At the Well network. Project: Four-Person Cohort • Supports Emma’s Torch’s stipends for their four-person cohort enabling the students to Sanctuary for Families commit to their training without financial Amount: $15,000 stress. Project: Mishkan • Supports building awareness and outreach to New Women New Yorkers (NWNY) survivors of domestic abuse within the Amount: $5,000 Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox communities Project: General Support but also helping teenage girls who left these • Supports NWNY to hire a part-time Program communities and are at risk of sexual Associate in order to carry out their mission by exploitation. developing meaningful programming and opportunities for the immigrant women of New York City. Slingshot Amount: $15,000 William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Project: Annual Guide Education at JTS • Slingshot creates an annual guide highlighting Amount: $5,000 the 50 most innovative Jewish organizations Project: Women’s Leadership Development Institute across North America. Past JWFNY grants have • Supports YAC’s Mental Health Awareness supported a supplement of the guide which program, which will break the stigma highlights the 15 most innovative surrounding mental health and working to organizations serving the needs of women and ensure more access to care in girls. This grant will sponsor an underrepresented communities. intergenerational giving circle that will utilize a gender lens in exploring the most innovative organizations impacting women and girls in Youth Advocacy Corps (YAC) Jewish life. Amount: $10,000 Project: Mental Health Awareness • Supports the formation of an advisory committee to support the research and planning of the Women’s Leadership Development Institute. The advisory committee will be comprised of approximately 10 women professionals, executives, thought leaders, and mid-career professionals, who will meet regularly to provide insight, guidance, and expertise in the designing of the Women’s Leadership Development Institute. DIMENSIONS, INC. Amount: $1,000 Project: Women’s Leadership Development Institute • Supports their Jewish Women of Color Resiliency project. The goals of the project include skill building and integrated practices for self-care that will support and replenish the energy of Jewish Women of Color and alleviate pressures that serve to undermine and debilitate their ongoing leadership efforts. Witness to Mass Incarceration Amount: $5,000 Project: Digital Storytelling & Training • Supports the organization to continue building their digital storytelling library and trainings, and send a message that the Jewish community takes a strong stand against mass incarceration. 2017 Hillel International A Better Balance Amount: $81,550 Amount: $2,500 Project: Intersection of Judaism, Gender, and Race Project: Benefit for Families • Supports workshops led by Yavilah McCoy on • Support a benefit to celebrate and further expand Judaism, gender, and race on college campuses in choices for men and women at all income levels so the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, they may care for their families without sacrificing and Westchester County. their economic security Innovation: Africa AFYA Foundation Amount: $20,000 Amount: $30,000 Project: Solar Power for a Uganda Health Center Project: Medical Supplies and Humanitarian Aid • Supports the installation of a solar system at a • Supports the distribution of medical supplies, health center in southeast Uganda, connecting hospital equipment, and humanitarian aid to IDP power to all parts of the clinic and staff homes; camps in the south of Syria. and emergency humanitarian aid for communities in norther Uganda experiencing famine. ANU Amount: $30,000 Israeli Flying Aid Project: Women’s Activist Forum Amount: $20,000 • Supports advocacy campaigns in Israel on Project: Humanitarian Aid women’s economic security, safety, and equality, • Supports humanitarian lifesaving aid and relief
Recommended publications
  • Historic Change at OTS Rabbi Dr
    OTS Newsbrief • WINTER 2017 • 5778 Historic Change at OTS Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, Vice President for University and Community Life at Yeshiva University, has been tapped to lead OTS as President and Rosh HaYeshiva. Rabbi Brander will take the reins from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, who will be stepping down in July 2018. – and as the inaugural dean of Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future, he cultivated rabbinic leadership in many far-flung corners of America,” Rabbi Riskin said. “He is the perfect choice to lead Ohr Torah Stone.” North American Board President David Eisner and Dr. Roy Stern, Chairman of the Israeli Board, reaffirmed that they view Rabbi Brander’s experience and skill sets as crucial for successfully heading OTS. “We are confident that Rabbi Brander will take OTS in groundbreaking directions and elevate it to even greater heights,” they stated. IMPACTING UPON SOCIETY OTS Co-Chancellor Rabbi David Stav also expressed his “THE PERFECT CHOICE”: RABBI KENNETH BRANDER confidence in the incoming president: “I have known Rabbi Brander for over a decade and I have tremendous hr Torah Stone is pleased to announce that Rabbi respect for him on both the professional and personal O Dr. Kenneth Brander is joining its leadership, having levels,” he remarked. been named President-elect and Rosh HaYeshiva of the OTS network. Rabbi Stav will continue to focus on Israeli public Rabbi Brander, 54, will take over from OTS Chancellor affairs and the vari- and Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, who will step ous ways in which OTS down in July 2018.
    [Show full text]
  • Members List Sre 2021
    Members List • A Wider Bridge • ADL • AJC Global Jewish Advocacy • ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal • American Conference of Cantors • American Jewish World Service • American Technion Society • Amplifier • At The Well • Aviv Foundation • Avodah • B'nai Israel Congregation • Bamidbar Wilderness Therapy • BBYO • Bend the Arc • Bender JCC of Greater Washington • Birthright Israel (now Taglit Birthright Israel) • Birthright Israel Foundation • Boulder Jewish Community Center • Central Conference of American Rabbis • Challah for Hunger • Charles and Lynn Schusterman Philanthropies • Charles E Smith Jewish Day School • Congregation Har HaShem • Congregation M'kor Hayim • Dimensions Education Consulting • Dobkin Family Foundation • Encounter • Footsteps • Foundation for Jewish Camp • Gather DC • Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) • Good People Fund • Greater Miami Jewish Federation • Habonim Dror North America • Hadassah • Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation • Hazon, Inc. • HIAS • Hillel at Temple University • Hillel International • Hillel University of Michigan • Honeymoon Israel • iCenter • IKAR • Institute for Curriculum Services • International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism • IsraAID • Israel Institute • Israel on Campus Coalition • Israel Policy Forum • itrek • JCC Association of North America • JCFS Chicago • JDC • Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh • Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund • Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona • Jewish Education Project • Jewish Family
    [Show full text]
  • Bayit BULLETIN
    Hebrew Institute of Riverdale Bayit BULLETIN October 23 - 30, 2015 10 - 17 Cheshvan 5776 3700 Henry Hudson Parkway, Bronx, NY 10463 718-796-4730 www.thebayit.org Steven Exler, Senior Rabbi: Mazal Tov To: Yael and Will Keller on the birth of a boy. Mazal Tov to big sister Ariella and [email protected]/ x108 grandparents Barbara and Marty Keller, Esther Kletter, and Larry Kletter z'l. Shalom Zachar will be held at Sara Hurwitz, Rabba: the home of Rabbi Jeff Fox and Beth Pepper at 3616 Henry Hudson Parkway 6B-S at 9pm Friday night. The [email protected]/ x107 Bris will be on Monday morning following 8am tefillah at the Bayit. Ari Hart, Associate Rabbi: Joli Winkler on the upcoming wedding of her granddaughter, Rebecca Farkas, to Bryan Gelman of LI. [email protected]/ x124 Michal & Amitai Fraiman on the birth of a girl. Anat Sharbat, Assistant Rabba: [email protected]/ x106 Welcome New Members: Molly & Nahum Palefski. Avi Weiss, Rabbi in Residence: This Shabbat @ The Bayit [email protected]/ x102 THANK YOU TO OUR CELEBRATION KIDDUSH SPONSORS: Stuart Olsen in memory of Richard Langer, Executive Director: his wife, Ann Olsen's birthday. Ruth Bromberg in honor of the birthdays of Emma Bromberg and Jill Bromberg. [email protected]/ x104 Ken Perry in honor of all the October birthdays. Mark Weinberger in honor of Elana Weinberger’s birthday. Menachem Menchel, Director of Lidia Lidagoster-Villegas & Pablo Villegas in honor of Sarah Lidagoster’s birthday. Ahron Rosenfeld in honor of Programming & Youth Education: Kathy Goldstein’s birthday and in honor of his and Kathy’s anniversary.
    [Show full text]
  • May 2018 - April 2019 Impact Report 1,028 128 Activities Community Visits 31,817 Participants
    OTS Amiel BaKehila May 2018 - April 2019 Impact Report 1,028 128 activities community visits 31,817 participants 12 months 25 communities The Government of Israel is committed to the future of the Jewish people around This report opens a small window into the wide range of OTS Amiel BaKehila activities the world. during our inaugural year. OTS Amiel BaKehila is part of a larger initiative of Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Ohr Torah Stone created OTS Amiel BaKehila to address unique challenges facing many Affairs aimed at strengthening and meeting the needs of small and medium- small communities around the world. With the critical support of the Israel’s Ministry sized Jewish communities - because strong communities are key to the future of of Diaspora Affairs, OTS Amiel BaKehila programming has reached tens of thousands of the Jewish people. Jews from diverse communities and backgrounds, providing them a new way to connect Today, many Jewish communities throughout the world seek to enhance their to their own community and to the State of Israel. Working with incredible partners on cultural and educational services in the areas of Jewish identity, culture and the local level, we have reached Jews of all ages in a multitude of venues - from schools connection with the State of Israel. Communities also desire to strengthen and deepen their existing programming in order to increase the number of members to synagogues to community centers to private homes and offices. of their community and strengthen their connection to their community In addition to the meaningful programming we have provided, we have also learned about members.
    [Show full text]
  • Hidden Sparks
    SLINGSHOT CONTACT Rebecca Neuwirth BOARD CHAIR Matthew Bronfman PHONE 212-891-1403 A RESOURCE GUIDEBUDGET $520,000 EMAIL [email protected] INCEPTION 2005 SLINGSHOT FOR JEWISH INNOVATION MEET THE INNOVATORS: INNOVATORS: THE MEET the from for video messages www.slingshotfund.org/videos Visit in Jewish and life. projects organizations innovative most the of leaders introduction why do we create Slingshot? This is the ninth annual edition of Slingshot. So, here’s your homework assignment: Creating this guide takes nearly a year of evaluation, due diligence, discussion, and 1. Read this book and find a project that design. Slingshot represents the combined excites you. Then reach out to its leaders! If effort of nearly 100 people across North you are a participant, a volunteer, or a funder, America, and it costs an arm and a leg to you are what they need in order to grow. print. And then, we give it away for free. 2. Share this book with someone who Why? doesn’t find Jewish life personally relevant. Visit www.slingshotfund.org/order, and order Because the following pages include an that person a free copy. important story about the Jewish community, and we want you to read it – and share it. 3. Discuss this book with your family, Slingshot ’13-’14 tells the narrative of how friends, and colleagues. Slingshot is the Jewish community can remain relevant intended to be a conversation starter: Ask and thrive as the world changes around your parent to pick a favorite organization, it. Over the following pages, you will read and talk about why.
    [Show full text]
  • Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
    Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Ethical Practices in Employing Domestic Workers I. Domestic Work in America A. Introduction to the Domestic Work Industry B. Current Federal and State Policy C. Policy Issues D. Recommendations II. Jewish Ethics and Domestic Work A. Texts and Values B. Reform Movement Policy III. Programming in Your Congregations A. Resources to use during Jewish Holidays B. Suggestions for Labor Practices and Ethical Decision Making Speaker Panel C. How to Conduct an Educational Forum D. Guiding Questions for Domestic Workers-“Living Talmud” E. Ethical Treatment of Workers Pledge IV. Additional Resources I. Domestic Work in America A. Introduction to the Domestic Work Industry Domestic workers are indispensable to the American economy. America’s families – including members of Reform congregations – depend on services provided by cleaning personnel, nannies, yard workers, and elder care workers. Domestic workers are common in American society. Yet, there are few laws governing their treatment and limited resources to assist families wrestling with the ethical issues that frequently arise around the employment of these workers. Jewish tradition and values can provide that ethical foundation and guidance for our congregants. The population of domestic workers employed throughout the country is unknown because it is difficult to survey workers in the informal labor sector. It is also hard to categorize domestic workers because the term “domestic worker” does not have a static definition. A domestic worker may or may not live in your home, may or may not be employed seasonally, and may perform any number of tasks not limited to helping with childcare, cooking, cleaning, and landscaping.
    [Show full text]
  • Gender in Jewish Studies
    Gender in Jewish Studies Proceedings of the Sherman Conversations 2017 Volume 13 (2019) GUEST EDITOR Katja Stuerzenhofecker & Renate Smithuis ASSISTANT EDITOR Lawrence Rabone A publication of the Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester, United Kingdom. Co-published by © University of Manchester, UK. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this volume may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, the University of Manchester, and the co-publisher, Gorgias Press LLC. All inquiries should be addressed to the Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester (email: [email protected]). Co-Published by Gorgias Press LLC 954 River Road Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA Internet: www.gorgiaspress.com Email: [email protected] ISBN 978-1-4632-4056-1 ISSN 1759-1953 This volume is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standard for Permanence of paper for Printed Library Materials. Printed in the United States of America Melilah: Manchester Journal of Jewish Studies is distributed electronically free of charge at www.melilahjournal.org Melilah is an interdisciplinary Open Access journal available in both electronic and book form concerned with Jewish law, history, literature, religion, culture and thought in the ancient, medieval and modern eras. Melilah: A Volume of Studies was founded by Edward Robertson and Meir Wallenstein, and published (in Hebrew) by Manchester University Press from 1944 to 1955. Five substantial volumes were produced before the series was discontinued; these are now available online.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ingeborg, Tamara & Yonina Rennert Women in Judaism Forum Jewish Women Changing America: Cross Generational-Conversations
    THE INGEBORG, TAMARA & YONINA RENNERT WOMEN IN JUDAISM FORUM JEWISH WOMEN CHANGING AMERICA: CROSS GENERATIONAL-CONVERSATIONS SUNDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2005 PANEL DISCUSSION 3: “CHANGING JUDAISM” Janet Jakobsen: This first panel this afternoon is going to look at changing Judaism. Actually, it was the first question raised during last night’s panel: How do we think about changing Jewish practice? How do we think about changing Jewish religious communities? So it’s obviously a topic that’s on a number of people’s minds, and we’ve been able to bring together a really great panel to discuss that with you. As always, the moderator will set the context for us, and then the panelists will speak with each other. And then we’ll get a chance to hear from all of you. I look forward to another really interesting conversation. We have with us today a particularly impressive moderator in Judith Plaskow, who, again, many of you already know. She is a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College and a Jewish feminist theologian. She has been teaching, writing and speaking about feminist studies in religion and Jewish feminism for over 30 years. She’s been a leader at the American Academy of Religion, and was, in fact, the president of the American Academy of Religion. With Carol Christ, she co-edited Womanspirit Rising: A Feminist Reader in Religion, and she edited Weaving The Visions: New Patterns in Feminist Spirituality, both anthologies of feminist theology used in many religious studies courses, as well as women’s studies courses. With Elizabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, she co-founded The Journal of Feminist Studies and Religion, which is a very important journal in religious studies.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 Table of Contents
    INSIDE OUR GRANTS 2017-2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................................................... 2 What’s in This Book? ............................................................................................ 3 Jewish Communal Network ................................................................................... 5 Overview ............................................................................................................. 6 Membership List ...................................................................................................7 Fiscal 2018 Grants .................................................................................................8 Jewish Life ..........................................................................................................15 Overview ............................................................................................................ 16 Membership List ................................................................................................. 17 Fiscal 2018 Grants ............................................................................................... 18 Caring ................................................................................................................ 29 Overview ............................................................................................................30 Membership List ................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Putting the Silent Partner Back Into Partnership Minyanim Rabbi Dr
    Putting the Silent Partner Back Into Partnership Minyanim Rabbi Dr. Barry Freundel Introduction Over the last few years a new phenomenon has appeared on the Jewish scene. This phenomenon referred to as “Partnership Minyanim”, claims to be Orthodox and/or halakhic, and to offer increased opportunities for women to participate in services.1 Specifically, women are allowed to serve as prayer leader (in some venues a woman is always asked to lead) for Kabbalat Shabbat—but not for Maariv on Friday night. On Shabbat morning a women may serve as Hazan(it)for Pesukei Dezmira but not for Shaharit and Musaf. So too, a girl may be asked to conclude the Shabbat morning services beginning with Ein Kelokeinu. Finally, women are given aliyot and read Torah at these services (in some places this is allowed only after the third aliyah).2 There are some of these groups that follow somewhat different structures.3 The title of this article reflects a fundamental concern about how this new development has come to the community. Partnership Minyanim exist in many areas; Jerusalem, New York, Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago and elsewhere.4 Yet there has, to the best of my 1 For a description and definition see the homepage of Congregation Kol Sason online at http://www.kolsasson.org/index.html and http://www.jofa.org/Resources/Partnership_Minyanim/ for The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) description of these services. 2 This is based on Responsa R. Meir of Rothenberg (1215-1293) 4:108, a source that in my opinion does not apply to the question of women regularly receiving aliyot in a mixed setting, today.
    [Show full text]
  • Congregation Beth Ahabah Re-Imagining Reform Judaism
    CONGREGATION BETH AHABAH b’yachad VOLUME 78 NO. 04 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 | Sh’VAT/ADAR 1/NISAN 5773 bethahabah.org RE-IMAGINING REFORM JUDAISM THROUGH COMMUNITY by Linda Ferguson Dinner was provided by Six Points Sports Academy, a URJ summer sports On November 9, 2012, seven of your camp, at the American Hebrew Acadmy fellow congregants and friends as well in Greensboro. After dinner we were as Rabbis Beifield and Gallop headed for Greensboro, North Carolina for a Regional Shabbatone. Sponsored by Temple Emanuel and the idea and planing of its Rabbi Fred Gutman, we words, the need to strengthen Reform were involved in prayer, education, Judaism through community. music and, of course....food. Saturday morning we had Shabbat Our group was joined by about Services at Temple Emanuel and Rabbi 70 members of Temple Emanuel entertained by the wonderul music of Gutman led us in prayer and music. and about the same number from the Josh Nelson Project. He also talked about the need for congregations around the Mid Atlantic community and belonging. The choir and Region. We began the Shabbatone with The 24+ hours provided us with a two cantorial solists provided beautiful a delicious Shabbat dinner at Temple wonderful oportunity to pray, talk and music Friday night and Saturday Emanuel on Friday evening, followed by build community with members of morning. Our luncheon speaker was services that included an outstanding our sister congregations around our Rabbi David Saperstein Director and area. It is the start of our embracing Counsel of the Religious Action Center, the opportunity to reach out and one of the most significant religious bring in new friends and enhance our lobby groups in the country.
    [Show full text]
  • THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TOWARD the CONVERT Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin Chancellor and Rosh Hayeshiva, Ohr Torah Stone
    THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TOWARD THE CONVERT Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin Chancellor and Rosh HaYeshiva, Ohr Torah Stone "Wherever you go, I shall go….Your nation will be my nation, your God my God…. "(Ruth 1:16) Despite the conventional wisdom that Judaism attempts to "push away" converts, and in contrast to the many horror stories about aspiring converts who were alienated, discouraged and even "turned off" by the road blocks they experienced at the hands of a bureaucratic and insensitive orthodox rabbinate, Judaism as depicted in the Biblical Book of Ruth which we read on Shavuot is truly welcoming to those desirous of entering the fold. It shows that Jews by choice are worthy of much praise. The heroine of this story of "autumnal" romance – with its sub-plots of the tragedy of living in an assimilating and destructive exile versus a rags-to-riches redemptive life in Israel – is a convert to Judaism. She is not an ordinary convert at that; she is a Moabite convert. The Bible demands that Moabites never be enabled to become "Jewish," but our rabbis teach that it was the Religious Court led by Boaz which ruled that this prohibition applied only to male Moabites, and not to females. Jewish tradition maintains that King David (who was born and died on Shavuot) was the progenitor of and prototype for our anxiously awaited Messiah. Is it not astonishing that his pedigree harkens back to Ruth, a Moabite convert? Moreover, is it not remarkable that we read of the odyssey of a Jew by choice specifically as part of our celebration of the giving of the Torah at Sinai? Clearly, throughout the Book of Ruth, Judaism is urging our user-friendly attitude towards sincere converts.
    [Show full text]