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RA Expresses Support for Israel
November 16, 2012
NEW YORK – Over the past week, Hamas has launched more than 350 rockets and mortars into Israel. As Israel takes action to protect its people and its borders, today on behalf of the Rabbinical Assembly, Gerald Skolnik, RA President, and Julie...
RA Thankful for Ceasefire in Middle East Violence
November 21, 2012
NEW YORK – Today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr announced a ceasefire agreed upon by Israel and Hamas. On behalf of the Rabbinical Assembly, Gerald Skolnik and Julie Schonfeld issued the following...
Leaders of Conservative Movement Stand with Israel, U.S., Against Enhanced Palestinian Status at U.N.
November 30, 2012
NEW YORK – Today, the United Nations General Assembly voted to grant the Palestinian Authority’s non-member observer status at the UN. Calling the outcome a diversion to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the leaders of the two international...
RA Supports Women’s Equality at Western Wall
December 27, 2012
NEW YORK – In response to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to ask the Jewish Agency to study the issue of women’s prayer and women’s equality and come up with solutions to ensure the sacred site of the Western Wall is welcoming to all who...
RA Saddened by the Passing of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
October 7, 2013
NEW YORK – Upon hearing the news of the death Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Haim Ovadia Yosef z”l, Julie Schonfeld released the following statement: "We are saddened today to hear of the passing of a prolific Torah scholar, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef z”l.
RA and USCJ Welcome Decision by Women of the Wall to Work toward Kotel Plan
October 7, 2013
NEW YORK – In response to today’s announcement that Women of the Wall’s leadership has agreed to enter into discussions with the Israeli government regarding the proposal to establish an egalitarian section at the Western Wall Plaza, in keeping with...
Rabbinical Assembly to Support J Street membership in Conference of Presidents
April 29, 2014
In advance of a vote of members of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations that will determine whether the organization J Street will be granted membership, Rabbinical Assembly President Rabbi Gerald Skolnik and Executive Vice...
Fear and exclusion of J Street is misguided and destructive
May 2, 2014
By Julie Schonfeld
Originally posted on Haaretz
As Israel and the Jewish community worldwide face an increasingly unstable Mideast, an Iran with nuclear ambitions and a stalled peace process, it is not surprising that there will be...
Actually, J Street Won
May 4, 2014
By Gerald Skolnik
Originally posted on The Jewish Week
Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you win, but really lose. And then other times you lose, but really win.
On the face of it, J Street lost this...
Letter to Ambassador Rice in advance of her upcoming visit to Israel
May 6, 2014
Dear Ambassador Rice,
As you prepare for your upcoming trip to Israel in the coming days, I would like to wish you a nesiyah tovah, a good journey, on behalf of the Rabbinical Assembly. It is auspicious that your journey coincides with Yom...