| R 387 |
| 2023 -- S 1096 Enacted 06/06/2023 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| HONORING AND PROCLAIMING JUNE 23 TO JUNE 25, 2023, TO BE "DAYS OF RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MEN OF REFORM JUDAISM" |
Introduced By: Senators Zurier, Miller, Kallman, Bell, F. Lombardi, Picard, Tikoian, Lombardo, Gu, and Lauria |
| Date Introduced: June 06, 2023 |
| WHEREAS, Men of Reform Judaism (MRJ) was founded in 1923 as the North American |
| Federation of Temple Brotherhoods to advance the values of charity and justice, repairing the |
| world, and performing acts of kindness and compassion; and |
| WHEREAS, Throughout its history, MRJ has supported local synagogue brotherhoods to |
| "engage in projects and activities that provide meaningful services to their congregations; to |
| sponsor and promote vitally important nationwide community-building projects"; and |
| WHEREAS, MRJ has inspired its members to be involved in not only their local Temple, |
| but also with the food pantry, the Union for Reform Judaism, and those organizations which |
| promote justice and equal opportunities for all; and |
| WHEREAS, MRJ has funded Reform on Campus Grants to support numerous initiatives, |
| including the expansion of a Jewish library at Hampshire College, a special Shabbat featuring |
| issues surrounding breast cancer at Ohio State University; and the donation of textbooks to |
| rabbinical and cantorial students at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion; and |
| WHEREAS, The MRJ recently began a collaboration with the Federation of Jewish |
| Men's Clubs (FJMC), its counterpart among synagogues that practice Conservative Judaism; and |
| WHEREAS, At a joint MRJ/FJMC Convention last year, the presidents of each |
| movement made a joint statement protesting certain decisions by the Israeli government to |
| question the legitimacy of non-Orthodox Jews and to renege on the Western Wall agreement, |
| declaring these decisions a departure from the founding ideals of the State of Israel; and |
| WHEREAS, MRJ continues to express its members' values by joining numerous lawsuits |
| as an Amicus Curiae in court cases in which others espouse antisemitism or try to suppress voter |
| rights, limit LGBTQIA+ rights or reproductive rights; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby proclaims June 23 to |
| June 25, to be "Days of Recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Men of Reform Judaism", |
| and recognizes MRJ's past and ongoing contributions and positive impacts upon its individual |
| members, its local Temples, Temple Beth El of Providence, and the world at large; and be it |
| further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Rabbi Preston D. Neimeiser, Temple Beth El. |
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| LC003117 |
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