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About Us
Learn more about the work of the Rabbinical Assembly, the global association of Conservative/Masorti rabbis, shaping and strengthening Jewish life worldwide through scholarship, leadership, and service since 1901.
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- Our Torah
Our Torah
Explore our RA bookstore, articles on Exploring Judaism, teshuvot of the Committee on Jewish Law & Standards (CJLS), our Tzedek Center, holiday guides, and more.
You Shall Strengthen Them: A Rabbinic Letter on the Poor
You Shall Strengthen Them: A Rabbinic Letter on the Poor, was derived from earlier published essays
Purim Song Sheet
This 1-page song sheet, prepared by Yossi Hoffman, contains the text, transliteration, and translation of popular songs for Purim.
Al Ha-nissim
This ready-to-use text, which includes commentary and kavanot, has been excerpted from Or Hadash: A
Lighting the Hanukkah Candles: Blessings & Songs
Text, translation, and transliteration of the blessings and popular songs to accompany the lighting
Tishah B'Av Resources
Most of these resources have been excerpted from Siddur Tisha B'Av PDF, Copyright 2003, The Rabbinical Assembly.
בדיקת חמץ: The Search for Hameitz
This one-page sheet includes text, instructions, and transliteration for the ritual of searching for hameitz and the destruction of hameitz.
The New Jewish Neighborhood Project: Reimagining Jewish Community in the Twenty-First Century
By Daniel Cotzin Burg, Beth Am Synagogue, Baltimore, MD
The Project:Last June, we had over 300 volunteers turn out for an inspiring one-day playground build. Identifying a need – there was no clean, safe and beautiful play...
American Judaism and Pigskin: יהדות ארה"ב ועור החזיר של כדור הפוטבול
Originally published by מקור ראשון on February 5 (download the original PDF).
לרגל משחק הסופרבול עסקו בסוף השבוע בקהילה הקונסרבטיבית בארה"ב בשאלה האם מותר לשחק פוטבול בכדור מעור חזירמאת צביקה קליין
Rabbinic Authority
By Elliot Salo Schoenberg, International Director of Placement, RA
How does a rabbi establish rabbinic authority? Two synagogue lay leaders (Robert Jossen, past president of Temple Israel Center, White Plains and Chistine Levin, President,...
Halakhah at Halftime: On Pigskin & Spectators
An alternative to the commercials.
This source sheet explores the myth of the pigskin football as well as the question of being a spectator at gladiator matches. Created by Ashira Konigsburg and Yossi Hoffman for Super Bowl XLVI.
A Reflection on Tu Bish'vat
by Jonathan Slater
Adapted from Mindful Jewish Living
The rationale for Tu Bish'vat is that, according to the rabbis, it establishes the separating point between generations of fruits. That is, fruits that flowered and budded...
Update on Inclusive Hiring
The Rabbinical Assembly is actively working to promote the career trajectory of women rabbis. In 2004, the RA published the landmark study entitled Gender Variation in the Careers of Conservative Rabbis: A Survey of Rabbis Ordained Since 1985.
Western Christianity in Ecofeminist Perspective
by Janet Conway (from CJ Journal, Vol. 44 No. 1, Fall 1991)
Download the Article
The CJ Editorial Board at the time (chaired by Shamai Kanter) introduced the work as follows:
Janet Conway's paper links environmental issues,...
Our Covenant with Stones: A Jewish Ecology of Earth
by Brad Artson (from CJ Journal, Vol. 44 No. 1, Fall 1991)
Download the...
The Four Questions of Tu Bish'vat
By Lawrence Troster
On the full moon or fifteenth of the month of Shevat we celebrate the New Year of the trees. The fifteenth in Hebrew letters is tu and so we call the day Tu Bish'vat. While Tu Bish'vat has always been considered a minor...
The Speech of Trees
By Jonathan Wittenberg
Excerpted from The Eternal Journey
“Take with you of the song of the land,” said Jacob to his children.
“What is ‘the song of the land’?” asked the Rebbe of Apt, “if not,
‘The earth is the Lord’s and the...