Tuesday, December 1, is #GivingTuesday, and we are asking that you consider MERCAZ USA to be among those organizations you choose to support this year!

MERCAZ USA has been fulfilling its mission during a unique and unpredictable 2020.

Despite the challenges, we have committed ourselves to an ambitious plan to increase our reach and provide engagement opportunities with Israel and her people, including:

• Continued support of our delegates and agenda at the 38th World Zionist Congress over the next four years
• Growing our ‘MERCAZ READS ISRAEL’ book club, featuring 3-4 book club meetings a year with the authors
• Building out our social media footprint on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and USCJ’s The Commons to provide information and resources to the broadest possible audience on Masorti concerns in Israel and worldwide
• Developing and disseminating materials that synagogues, camps, and other organizations can leverage to educate and excite the next generation of Jewish leaders on the importance of supporting Masorti Judaism in Israel …
• … and in supporting our movement’s North American engagement programs – such as USY Pilgrimage, Nativ, Camp Ramah, the Conservative Yeshiva, and Schechter Institutes – that connect our communities in the U.S. to our communities in Israel.

These combined efforts are critical to raising awareness about the role MERCAZ plays in the World Zionist Congress – and electing a strong MERCAZ slate in the 2025 Congress election – to the current and next generation of Jewish leaders (remember, individuals who are 13 today will be able to vote in the next World Zionist Congress election)!

Many of you have been long-time supporters of Mercaz by becoming members, donating, or working on the VOTE MERCAZ campaign. For all of your support, we thank you!

As we approach our celebration of freedom – Hanukkah – we ask that you continue to be our partner in fulfilling the mission of Mercaz.

And, if you have never supported us before, this is a great year to become a part of our Mercaz community! There are two ways you can become a supporter of Mercaz:

• Become a member of, or renew your membership to, Mercaz.
• Make a one-time or monthly donation: You can make a donation to MERCAZ USA – in any amount. Every dollar counts and is deeply appreciated. There is no such thing as a small or inconsequential donation!

Despite the many challenges ahead, we are optimistic and excited by our vision for how Mercaz can impact the lives of Masorti Jews in Israel, here in the U.S., and across the globe. We hope you will join us!

With best wishes for a joyous Hanukkah,

Marilyn L. Wind
President

Sarrae G. Crane
Executive Director

If you prefer to contribute membership dues by check, you can download and print the PDF membership form, and mail it to our office.

UPDATE | Wednesday, July 29, 5:00 p.m. EDT: If you missed the live presentation > This beautiful chanting of Megillat Eicha at the Egalitarian Kotel can be viewed on Masorti Olami’s Facebook page. You do not need a Facebook account, or be logged on to Facebook, in order to view the recording.

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Feeling confused about how to have a meaningful Tisha B’Av this year?

Please join MERCAZ Olami, Masorti Olami and The Masorti Movement In Israel for a live-streaming event of the reading of Megillat Eicha, directly from the Egalitarian Kotel.

The broadcast will take place on Wednesday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m. Israel time / 1:00 p.m. EDT as we join together virtually for the reading of Megillat Eicha.

We will be live-streaming via the Mercaz Olami Facebook page and Zoom (details to follow on the Mercaz Olami Facebook page).

Mercaz USA, as a member organization of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, is a signatory on this letter to Mort Klein, President of the Zionist Organization of America, regarding several of his recent Tweets.

June 12, 2020

Mort Klein
President
Zionist Organization of America

Dear Mr. Klein,

We, the undersigned members of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, condemn the tweets regarding Black Lives Matter that you sent out last weekend.

The specific tweets to which we are referring are: “BlackLivesMatter is an antisemitic, Israel hating Soros funded racist extremist Israelophobic hate group.” And “BLM is a Jew hating, White hating, Israel hating, conservative Black hating, violence promoting, dangerous Soros funded extremist group of haters.”

We hope that you agree that the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Aubrey have ignited a much needed and long-overdue push to address institutionalized racism, police violence and white supremacy that plague the United States.

At this delicate and critical juncture in American history, Jews of all colors must stand up for black lives and against senseless hatred and divisive bigotry. It is time to find our common humanity, not to search for ways to keep us apart. There is no room for hate in organized Jewish life.

Respectfully,

Kenneth Bob, President, Ameinu
Hadar Susskind, President and CEO, Americans for Peace Now
Rabbi Bennett Miller, National Chair, ARZA
Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Robert Aronson, Chair, HIAS
Stuart Applebaum, President, Jewish Labor Committee
Meredith Jacobs, CEO, Jewish Women International
Janet Gurvitch, President, Na’amat USA
Marilyn Wind, President, MERCAZ USA
Sheila Katz, CEO, National Council of Jewish Women
Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, Chief Executive, Rabbinical Assembly
Ann Toback, CEO, The Workers Circle
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President , Union of Reform Judaism
Leslie Lichter, Interim CEO, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Rabbi Marla Feldman, Executive Director, Women of Reform Judaism
Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, Executive Director, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism

For more background on this letter, read this article in The Forward.

May 1, 2019

At our Seder tables, we retell the Exodus story of the liberation from bondage of the Jewish people. Throughout the Passover holiday, we read of the power of redemption. Sadly, at the very same time when we celebrate the gift of freedom, we also recall the history of anti-semitism which weighs so heavily on us today.

We are deeply saddened and outraged at yet another senseless shooting of worshippers at prayer. This time, at the Chabad synagogue of Poway in San Diego County, one innocent woman has been murdered and three injured, including a child and the synagogue’s rabbi. It is not lost on us that this violence came both on Shabbat and the end of Passover, exactly six months to the day after the deadly shooting of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community.

Jews and all people of faith should be able to enter their houses of worship and live out the lives of their faith without fear, whether in Paris, Oak Creek, Charleston, Pittsburgh, Christchurch, Opelousas, Sri Lanka, Sunnyvale or Poway.

Deeply angered that modern-day anti-semitism has led to the increasing number of attacks on synagogues and Jewish institutions in the United States, we must stand together and condemn all hatred and bigotry. We need to be among the voices that oppose the rising tide of white nationalism and racism, as well as anti-semitism. We must be clear that language matters and indifference to it breeds violence.

The Jewish Community has kept the promise of redemption alive for thousands of years. We will not be deterred as we, along with people of all faiths, continue to work for the day when “Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree and no one will make them afraid. (Micah 4:4)

Rabbinical Assembly
USCJ
Cantors Assembly
Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs
Jewish Educators Assembly
Jewish Theological Seminary
Jewish Youth Director’s Association
The Masorti Foundation
Masorti Movement in Israel
Masorti Olami
MERCAZ-Canada and Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism
Mercaz Olami
MERCAZ USA
North American Association of Synagogue Executives (NAASE)
The Schechter Institutes, Inc.
Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano
Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
The Zacharias Frankel College
Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies

 

April 29, 2019

Dear Mr. Baquet,

We, the undersigned organizations, were extremely disturbed by the Antisemitic cartoon published in the international edition of the New York Times on April 25th. While we appreciate the clarification and acknowledgment of responsibility, we contend that you continue to owe an explanation.

Moreover, it is difficult to fathom why, at a time of increasing Antisemitism and hate violence, the New York Times editors would have been so insensitive to the impact of such a cartoon. Were the editors not aware of the Pittsburgh shootings, the rise in hate crimes aimed at Jews, and the spike in Antisemitic rhetoric on both ends of the political spectrum, all of which are animated precisely by such depictions of Jews and Israel?

Specifically, we would like to know the following: 1. How did such a blatantly Antisemitic representation elude the editors? 2. What do you intend to do to make sure this doesn’t happen again? 3. What consequences do you intend to impose on the editors, cartoonist, and the syndicate?

We would appreciate an expeditious response. Thank you.

Sincerely,

JCPA National Organizations:
Anti-Defamation League
B’nai B’rith International
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc.
Jewish Federations of North America
Jewish Labor Committee
National Council of Jewish Women
ORT America
Rabbinical Assembly
Reconstructing Judaism
Union for Reform Judaism
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Women’s League for Conservative Judaism

JCPA Local Organizations:
Atlanta Jewish Community Relations Council
Baltimore Jewish Council
Buffalo Jewish Community Relations Council
Charleston Jewish Federation
Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Community Relations Council of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council
JCRC of Greater Phoenix
JCRC of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines
Jewish Community Federation of Richmond
Jewish Community Relations Committee of Akron
Jewish Community Relations Committee of Columbus
Jewish Community Relations Committee of Greater Santa Barbara
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington
Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas
Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
Jewish Community Relations Council of Palm Beach County
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Pittsburgh
Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties
Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern New Jersey
Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC – Detroit
Jewish Federation of Central Massachussetts
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne
Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton
Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg
Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven
Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Jewish Federation of Reading
Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley
Jewish Community Relations Council – Jewish Federation of Springfield
Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Memphis Jewish Federation
Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation
Tampa Jewish Federation
The Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York
The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey
United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula
Youngstown Area Jewish Federation

Other Organizations:
Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs
Jewish Family Service of Seattle
Jewish Federation & Family Services
Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Jewish Federation of Central California
Jewish Federation of Edmonton
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties of New Jersey
Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey
Mercaz USA
New Jersey State Association of Jewish Federations
UJA Federation of Greenwich
Westchester Jewish Council

cc: Azam Ahmed