The ARZA/Israel Committee is Kol Tikvah’s connection to ARZA
(Association of Reform Zionists of America) and Israel. Since 1978, ARZA’s
mission has been to connect Reform Jews and the State of Israel and to make
Israel fundamental to the lives and Jewish identities of Reform Jews. In
addition, ARZA champions activities that further enhance Israel as a
pluralistic, just and democratic Jewish state by providing political and
financial support to the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) and its
25 member congregations in Israel, and to the Israel Religious Action Center
(IRAC) in its struggle for religious rights for Progressive (Reform) Jews in
Israel in addition to advocating for basic civil rights for all Israelis.
In the U.S., ARZA develops educational
materials about Israel and Zionism for Reform congregations which are available
on its website www.arza.org and which also include materials
which allow Reform Jews to incorporate Israel in Jewish Holidays, trains Reform
youth and college leaders in Israel advocacy, and organizes trips to Israel for
individuals and congregations (including Kol Tikvah) while providing significant
pre- and post-trip programming.
At Kol Tikvah, the Committee advocates for Israel by
encouraging members to join ARZA, by sponsoring Israeli movie nights,
discussions groups, educational activities such as the Modern Israel Seminar,
speakers, Israel trips, and providing programming for Shabbat services, Yom
Ha’Zicharon and Yom Ha’Atzma’ut.
