It is with extreme pride and admiration that we honor Rabbi Karyn Kedar, Cantor Jennifer Frost and a large BJBE delegation as they embark on a mission to Israel to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Women of the Wall and support pluralism in Israel.
The BJBE community wishes them safe travels and much success in their mission!
Please see below for the press release.
Rabbi Karyn Kedar and Cantor Jennifer Frost from Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Deerfield, Illinois to Join Mission in Jerusalem for 25th Anniversary of Women of the Wall
Lay Leaders, Clergy and Teens from Reform Movement on a Mission to Support Pluralism in Israel
On November 3, Rabbi Karyn Kedar and Cantor Jennifer Frost from Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Deerfield, Illinois will participate in one of three North American missions from the Reform Movement will commence their journey in the Holy Land to honor the 25th Anniversary of the Women of the Wall, the group aimed at achieving social and legal recognition of women’s rights to wear prayer shawls, pray communally, and read from the Torah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The three missions include a lay and clergy mission with 80 participants (69 congregants and 11 clergy); a rabbinic mission from the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) and the Women's Rabbinic Network (WRN) with 17 Rabbis; and a NFTY Mission led by Beth Rodin with five teens. (Click here to see bios of all the mission participants.)
This group of 69 lay leaders, 28 clergy and five young people including Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim Senior Youth Group President, Sara Splansky, will celebrate Rosh Chodesh Kislev together at the Kotel, engage in study with scholars at HUC-JIR, participate in a “Freedom Ride” to support desegregation on Israel’s public buses led by the Israel Religious Action Center and meet with Natan Sharansky, influential members of Knesset and senior government officials to discuss pressing issues of religious pluralism in Israel.
Delegates will also enjoy a gala celebration at Merkaz Shimshon/Beit Shmuel featuring remarks by WOW Chairwoman Anat Hoffman and former Member of Knesset Naomi Chazan. Renowned musician Julie Silver, cantors participating on the mission, and HUC Cantorial Students will provide entertainment.
Rabbi Karyn Kedar, Senior Rabbi of Congregation B’nei Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Deerfield, Illinois, commented, “Ours is a mission to fight for expanding recognition of religious pluralism in Israel. But let there be no mistake. Even as we stand in passionate opposition to discriminatory treatment of women at the Kotel, we must not take for granted that we do so in a democratic country where freedoms are guaranteed. We take our case to the Knesset, the center of political power. We take our case to the press, which is free and open. We travel without fear of persecution and we step onto the stage of history where the democracy and freedom of Israel are the cornerstones of the modern state.”
In addition to the congregational missions and the CCAR/WRN mission, there will be a North American delegation from the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) who will be in Israel representing the Reform Movement at the Zionist National Council, HUC-JIR Israeli Rabbinical Ordination, and the Jewish Agency Board of Governor’s meetings.
“Joining our Israeli brothers and sisters at the Kotel to express our support for a pluralistic Israeli society is at the core of what we do and what we stand for,” said ARZA President Rabbi Joshua Weinberg. “We look forward to bringing the message back to our members and our Movement in America.” For more information on the Women of the Wall, please visit http://womenofthewall.org.il/.