Since 1961, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) has been a voice for Reform Jewish values in Washington, DC. The RAC educates and mobilizes teens, clergy, and everyone in between. In all, they advocate for public policy that reflects the Jewish commitment to social justice.
Every year nearly 2,000 high school students descend upon Washington, D.C. for the RAC's L'Taken Social Justice Seminars, a four-day Jewish public policy conference.
When I was in high-school, I attended the L'Taken Seminar, and I remember it as one of the highlights of my Jewish education. I had been in model U.N. But this was not a "model" -- it was the real US Congress!
This weekend, along with co-chaperones Larry and Bea Abrams, I will be in Washington with seven of our 10thgraders at the L'Taken Seminar.
Over the weekend, our students will have the opportunity to focus on a single, specific issue about which they are particularly passionate. The L'Taken Seminar will culminate with our students presenting a speech to our Members of Congress on the topic of their choice.
With the weather finally getting warmer, we will also enjoy taking advantage of the vast opportunities available in our nation's capital by visiting the National Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Smithsonians, the National Mall, and celebrating Havdallah at the Jefferson Memorial. And, all the while, our teens will have the chance to meet and mingle with Reform Jews from across the United States. It is an incredible weekend that our Reform Jewish movement creates for our high-school students.
While I am away, Glenn Wasserman, our 1st Vice President, will be filling in for me on the Pulpit leading Shabbat Services. I look forward to sharing more about our weekend when we return.
