Israel

Temple Ner Tamid is a proudly Zionist congregation. We also know that many of us differ in our conception of what exactly Zionism is and especially on which steps the Israeli government should be taking in order to fulfill it's Zionist vision. For that reason, our approach Israel is one of discourse and dialogue and we seek to create programming that spans the political and ideological divide. We want to continually challenge all of our members to think more deeply about Israel, to greet it's challenges with nuance, and to bring our love and humanity into every conversation. 

We do this primarily through three ways:

Israel Trip 
Our last major trip to Israel was in the summer of 2023 where Rabbi Katz took a delegation on a mission to Israel. These trips will run every few years and will will cover the “bucket list” items of an Israel trip. These include Massada, the Dead Sea, the Western Wall, Yad Vashem, and more.

Speakers Series 
Multiple times per year our community gathers for learning sessions around a host of Israel related topics. These talks have included debriefs after Israeli’s elections by  authorities on Israeli politics (including our own Jodi Rudoren), discussions of religious pluralism with Rabbi Josh Weinberg, president of ARZA, briefings on the wider politics of the Middle East with Will Wagner, from the UN, and lunch and learns with Israel Reform Rabbis.  In the past, we have offered book groups where congregants can read Israeli fiction and discuss it as a way to better engage with the ideas and art of Israel. Visit our calendar for more information about upcoming Israel speakers.

Large Programs and Fundraisers 
Especially after October 7th, we seek to become a home for local Israelis to gather. Working with them, we have created fundraisers for destroyed Kibbutzim, celebrated Yom Ha'azmaut together by highlighting Israeli artists, marched in Washington, and raised awareness for the hostages.