Temple Sinai

CIESJ Mission Statement

The Temple Sinai Israel Committee for Engagement and Social Justice seeks to enhance engagement of members of the congregation with Israel and to promote the social justice values of Reform Judaism in Israel.  Those values are reflected in the founding principles of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, which calls for a Jewish and democratic state with “complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.”  We applaud URJ/ARZA’s progressive “Just Zionism” initiative and will work cooperatively with URJ/ARZA to protect Israel’s democratic institutions, combat hate, and promote a just and lasting peace.  Just as Temple Sinai’s formidable programs in the Davis Center for Social Justice advocate passionately on behalf of civil, social, and economic rights for all Americans, so too will the Israel Committee for Engagement and Social Justice advocate for the same principles and policies as they apply to Israel.

Towards these objectives, the Israel Committee for Engagement and Social Justice will:

  • Affirm our support for Reform Judaism’s commitment to the State of Israel as the fulfillment of the foundational principle of Zionism that Israel is the historical home of the Jewish people.
  • Affirm our commitment to Israel as a democratic pluralistic state, including respect for religious freedom, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and ethnic minority rights.
  • Advocate for an end to the conflict with the Palestinian people, an end of the occupation, and pragmatic solutions that will afford Palestinians a viable independent state alongside of the State of Israel.
  • Celebrate Israel’s vibrant culture, education system, and economy and its shared Jewish and Palestinian society.
  • Broaden participation of Temple Sinai members in matters relating to Israel, including conducting educational programs.
  • Work with URJ/ARZA to support Israel engagement and advocate for strong policy positions by URJ/ARZA regarding democracy and human rights in Israel and the occupied territories.
  • Partner with progressive Israel organizations that are advocating for social justice in Israel and an end of the occupation of Palestinian land through policy and legislative solutions.
  • Work with other Temple Sinai committees to enrich programs for the congregation.

 

Resolution for Board of Trustees Meeting
Approved February 15, 2023