Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism

The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism is the communal, spiritual and social Jewish movement that acts to promote the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state according to the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, enriches Jewish identity among the vast and diverse Israeli public, and merits to significantly influence religious, educational and public discourse in the State of Israel and in the entire Jewish world. Our work in Israel includes: Progressive Jewish education; establishing pluralistic Jewish communities; youth and young adult leadership; social action and advocacy for religious pluralism in Israel; engaging immigrants from the Former Soviet Union with their Judaism; deepening ties between Israeli and Diaspora Jews. More than 52 congregations and regional initiatives are currently active in the Reform Movement, from Kiryat Shmona in the Galilee to the south of the Arava. Our rabbis movement lead urban communities and ventures in regional councils across Israel country together with local volunteer leadership, and provide service to a wide variety of Israelis. Reform rabbis lead hundreds of life cycle ceremonies including bar and bat mitzvahs, marriages, birth ceremonies, funerals, and more. We lay great importance to our social action and advocacy work, promoting freedom of religion for all citizens of Israel; tolerance of all religious faiths in Israel and their members; prevention of manifestations of bigotry and racism. This work, done primarily by the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), is one of the leading social change organizations in Israel. IRAC works toward equalizing the rights of non-Orthodox Jewish streams, against the exclusion of women and gender segregation in the public sphere, and against racism and incitement. IRAC has achieved groundbreaking rulings for the cancellation of the Mahedrin bus lines, the exclusion of women from the Kol Barama radio station, as well as for the disqualification of racist candidates from running for the Knesset. IRAC also operates a legal aid center for immigrants and a center for victims of racism. The Israel Reform Movement also invests heavily in the next generation: running a post high school pre-military leadership training school; supporting young adults in building new communities and programming; and nurturing the 13 branches of our youth movement, in growing engaged and dedicated Jewish leaders. The Israel Reform Movement also operates an an educational network that includes approximately 30 kindergartens, 4 elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. Our core activity is in developing educational materials in a pluralist Jewish spirit for the Ministry of Education and other educational providers in Israel; and in training staff in Israel and abroad. We also lead twinning programs between dozens of schools in Israel and Jewish schools in the world.