Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Yael Splansky

Shalom from Yerushalayim!

I’ve enjoyed ten days of study with the faculty of the Shalom Hartman Institute. In addition to the learning and reconnecting with colleagues, friends, and cousins, I’ve made the most of every opportunity to put my finger on the pulse of this moment in Israel.

Some highlights include….

• I attended an alumni event at Hebrew Union College and learned from the unstoppable Rabbi Noa Sattath, the director of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.
• I met with Toronto’s incoming Israeli Consul-General to discuss the work ahead to expose Canadians of all backgrounds to the real Israel.
• I met with Reform Movement leadership — Anna Kislanski, head of the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism and Orly Erez Likhovski, the director of the Israel Religious Action Centre.
• I was welcomed into the home of former McGill University Professor Gil Troy to hear about his research and forthcoming books.  Inspired by the nine days of Av, I gathered at the ANU Museum in Tel Aviv with other North American Reform and Conservative Rabbis to dialogue with Orthodox Israeli Rabbis about how to build bridges of understanding and mutual respect.  You can read about it here.
• I travelled to the Gaza Envelope to learn from four community leaders about the rehabilitation process for rebuilding the infrastructure and the souls of the people who survived the October 7th massacre.
• And tomorrow I will visit with the Marmur family at their Shabbat table.

Yesterday, the Canadian Jewish Jews published this article in celebration of Holy Blossom Temple’s 170th anniversary.  It captures our own moment in time.  A time of growth and vision, a time of responsiveness and responsibility.

I look forward to sharing many of the ideas I’ve captured here in Jerusalem.  It is a time laden with many questions and much possibility.

From Jerusalem, I wish you and your dear ones a Shabbat Shalom.