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Reform Jews

It’s the End of the Road for 'Orthodox' Judaism

How a Hardcore Settler Rabbi Got 'Canceled' for Talking to Reform Jews

Israel's Next Religious Battle: 'Customer Friendly' Conversions to Judaism

Jews Should Have the Right to Worship Freely. But Not in Today's Jerusalem

'Not How I Imagined a Rabbi': The New, Surprising Leader of Reform Judaism in Israel 'It Wasn't How I Imagined a Rabbi': Meet the New Leader of Reform Judaism in Israel

MK Gilad Kariv in the Knesset in June.

‘Netanyahu Turned His Back on Millions of Jews. We Bring a New Approach’

Rabbi Shlomo Amar at a ceremony in Atarot burning leavened bread before Passover last year.

Reform, LGBTQ Groups, Women of the Wall Sue Jerusalem's Chief Rabbi for Incitement Reform Movement, LGBTQ Group, Women of the Wall Sue Jerusalem's Chief Rabbi for Incitement

An ultra-Orthodox man prays at the Western Wall during Tisha B'Av services on Saturday.

Key Orthodox Rabbinical Group Condemns Followers for ‘Uncivil Disturbance'

Men praying at the Kotel, on Sunday.

Reform, Conservative Leaders Outraged at Orthodox Crashing of Tisha B'Av Ceremony

A woman looking across the partition to the men's side at the Western Wall during Tisha B'Av in 2018.

Non-Orthodox Tisha B’Av Service at Western Wall Crashed by Religious Right-wingers

President Reuven Rivlin speaks at a Memorial Day ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, in April.

Rivlin Outlined Israel's 'Four Tribes,' and Embraced a Fifth President Rivlin Outlined Israel's 'Four Tribes,' and Embraced a Fifth: Diaspora Jews

MK Gilad Kariv attending a prayer gathering at the Western Wall in April.

Israeli Lawmakers Fire Opening Shots in Campaign to Revive Kotel Deal

Nachman Shai at a Knesset committee meeting, 2016.

Israel’s New Diaspora Affairs Minister Vows to Fight for Equal Status for All Jews

Rabbi Rick Jacobs talking to residents of Kibbutz Kfar Aza inside a home on the Gaza border in June 2021.

Why the Leader of the Reform Movement Is Optimistic About a New Israeli Government Why the Leader of the Reform Movement Is Optimistic About the Bennett-Lapid Government

A female worshipper wearing a Pride-colored at the Western Wall.

Civil Marriage Unlikely, Kotel Deal for Sure: What the New Israeli Gov’t Will Mean Civil Marriage Unlikely, Kotel Deal for Sure: What New Israeli Gov’t Means for Religious Status Quo

Hundreds of Orthodox men and boys attending a Lag Ba'omer holiday celebration in front of the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York last month.

10 Surprising Facts About Jewish Americans to Emerge From the Latest Pew Report

A baby girl clutching a photo of the late Rabbi Menachem Schneerson during a Lag Ba'omer celebration in front of the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York last month.

Almost Half of Young U.S. Jews Feel No Connection to Religion, New Pew Survey Shows

Labor lawmaker Gilad Kariv and others gather to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, last week.

Where the First Reform Rabbi to Serve in the Knesset, Gilad Kariv, Draws the Line

Israel's Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.

‘It Isn’t Jewish’: Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi Denigrates Reform Conversions

Who Are the Mizrahi Voters in Israel, and Why Can't the Left Win Their Support?

Jewish Mexican immigrants arriving at Ben-Gurion International Airport, last year.

Letters to the Editor: Israel Is an Ethnic, Not Liberal, Democracy

UTJ leader Moshe Gafni at a campaign event in February 2020 in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu Ally Defends Ad Likening Reform Jews to Dogs: It 'Merely Showed the Truth' Netanyahu Ally Defends Campaign Ad Likening Reform Jews to Dogs: It Was 'Merely Showing the Truth'

Yitzhak Pindrus at a Knesset meeting, two weeks ago.

A 'Pure' Jewish State, as Dictated by This Ultra-orthodox Lawmaker

U.S. and Israeli Reform rabbis pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, in 2016.

Israeli High Court Decision on Conversions Brings Long-awaited Relief and Validation

Screenshot from UTJ party's election ad comparing Reform Jews to dogs

Netanyahu Allies Compare Reform Jews to Dogs in Racist Election Ads

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Western Wall in 2015.

How Israel’s Jewish Conversions Ruling Entraps Netanyahu

Anat Hoffman, right, leader of the Israel Religious Action Center, at the Western Wall in 2018.

U.S. Jewish Leaders Praise High Court Ruling on Reform and Conservative Conversions U.S. Jewish Leaders Praise Israel's High Court Ruling on Reform and Conservative Conversions

Israeli High Court President Esther Hayut

Israel's High Court Orders State to Recognize non-Orthodox Conversions to Judaism Israel's High Court Orders State to Recognize non-Orthodox Conversions Under Law of Return

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, who is number four on the Labor Party slate for the election.

A Reform Rabbi Is Set to Make History in Israel, Enraging the ultra-Orthodox Parties

Aerial view of the Israeli West Bank settlement of Efrat in the Gush Etzion settlement block, with the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in the background, in 2020

U.S. Reform Group Condemns Jewish National Fund Plan to Expand Israeli Settlements

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at the Likud party Hanukkah candle-lighting in Kfar Maccabiah, December 2, 2018.

Israel’s Understanding of American Jews Is a Sad Joke

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays during the Sukkot holiday, Jerusalem, October 4, 2020.

How COVID-19 Restrictions Hurt Religious Pluralism in Israel in 2020

Participants in a virtual Shabbat service by Temple Beth Shalom (Puerto Rico) and Adat Israel (Guatemala).

How COVID-19 Pushed a Tiny Jewish Congregation in Puerto Rico Far Beyond Its Borders

A clash at the Western Wall between Reform and ultra-Orthodox Jews, November 16, 2017.

The Real Drama These Days: The Zionist Movement Almost Split

The 35th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem, June 22, 2006.

Averting Crisis, Compromise Reached on Top Jobs at Zionist Institutions

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference in Jerusalem, August 2020.

Reform Leaders Warn Netanyahu Over Orthodox Takeover of Zionist Institutions

Candles being lit next an illustration of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as people mourn her death at the Supreme Court in Washington, September 19, 2020.

Bader Ginsburg Had an Intimate, Yet Ambivalent, Relationship With Judaism and Israel Why Ruth Bader Ginsburg Had an Intimate, Yet Ambivalent, Relationship With Judaism and Israel

Kahol Lavan lawmaker Omer Yankelevich at the Knesset, 2019

Israel’s Liaison to Diaspora Jewry Is Starting to Divulge Her True Colors

American and Israeli Reform rabbis pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's old city, February 25, 2016.

Israel’s Top Court Could Rule Within Weeks on Recognition of non-Orthodox Conversion Israel’s Top Court Could Rule Within Weeks on Recognition of non-Orthodox Conversions

Drake performs at the FADER FORT Presented by Converse during the South by Southwest Music Festival

Amid Coronavirus Crisis, Argument Over Tallying U.S. Jews of Color Erupts

A woman walks past the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, shuttered over the coronavirus outbreak, March 30, 2020.

Passover Downsized: Coronavirus Throws a Matza Wrench Into Jewish Holiday Tradition

Prof. Vered Noam

The Battle of the Beit Midrash Has Been Decided

Congregation Beth Jacob in Galveston, Texas, November 2019.

Jerusalem of the South? The Very Jewish History of This Very Texan Town

In this Feb. 25, 2016 file photo, American and Israeli Reform rabbis pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

‘Birthright for Moms’ Revises Policy: Non-Orthodox Rabbis Now Welcome on Its Trips ‘Birthright for Moms’ Revises Policy Following Haaretz Report: Non-Orthodox Rabbis Now Welcome on Its Trips

Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn.

Jews in Revolt

Immigrants from France arrive in Israel, June 21, 2018.

In Israel’s Top Court, a Test Case for the Rights of Patrilineal Jews

Benzi Gopstein at the Otzma Yehudit party press conference announcing Gopstein's ban on running, August 26, 2019.

Israeli Far-right Supremacist Charged With Incitement to Violence, Racism and Terror

A Reform movement Shabbat service at the congregation for Russian speakers in Ramat Gan.

The Russians Are Coming: Israel’s New Crop of Reform Rabbis

A gender-segregated event at a municipal park in Afula, in northern Israel, on Wednesday, August 15, 2019.

Orthodox Yes, Suckers No

Rabbi Gilad Kariv in Ramat Gan. “For the first time in many years, there is a real opportunity to create political change,” says the 45-year-old, running for the Democratic Union.

The Reform Leader Running to Be Israel's First non-Orthodox Rabbi in Knesset

A Noam campaign billboard reading "'Pride' and buying children or that my son will marry a woman, Israel chooses to be normal" above Ayalon highway in Tel Aviv, July 18, 2019.

Israeli Election Panel Rules anti-LGBT Campaign Ads Be Allowed to Run

Hebrew Union College president Andrew Rehfeld.

Reform Movement Leader: Equating Intermarriage to ‘Second Holocaust’ Was ‘Needlessly Reform Movement Leader: Equating Intermarriage to ‘Second Holocaust’ Was ‘Needlessly Inflammatory’

Military cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel, May, 2019.

In Landmark Move, Israeli Army to Allow Reform and Nonreligious Burials

Worshippers, including Reeva Forman, right, at Temple Israel synagogue in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, during a Shabbat service in May 2019.

South Africa's Oldest Reform Synagogue Is a Place Where Few Jews Dare Venture

Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau speaks at a conference in favor of the Rabbinate's monopoly on coversion, October 7, 2018.

Most Israelis Don’t Want the Rabbinate Deciding for Them Who Is a Jew Most Israelis Don’t Want Chief Rabbinate Deciding for Them Who Is a Jew, Survey Finds