To the URJ Leadership,

We urge you to call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine.

We grieve for the 1,200 killed during Hamas’ October 7th attack and the more than 18,000 Palestinians killed by the Israeli military – almost half of whom have been children – since then.

Israel has cut off water, electricity, fuel, and supplies to Gaza. Residents are on the brink of starvation. Over a million Gazans have been displaced. But even as UN experts warn of a “grave risk of genocide” in Gaza, the Biden Administration says it has drawn “no red lines” for the Israeli military. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans – including up to 80% of registered Democrats – support a ceasefire.

We are deeply concerned that billions of tax dollars have been so easily provided to support Israel’s military assault on Gaza, while we struggle for public resources to meet the basic needs of our communities.

The URJ teaches practicing Pikuach Nefesh, "saving a life," and Tikkun Olam, "repairing the world." An immediate ceasefire is in line with these Jewish values.

The URJ, as one of the largest Jewish organizations in North America, can play a significant role in advocating for peace. By calling for an immediate ceasefire, URJ can demonstrate its commitment to these core values and use its influence to help bring about change. This would also allow for a safe return of the Hostages in Gaza, many of whom have said they fear dying from Israeli bombing.

We urge you to publicly and unequivocally call for an immediate ceasefire, to sign onto, or introduce, a ceasefire resolution, and to do everything in your power to pressure the Biden administration to do the same. 

Signed,

Over 1100 Current/Former URJ Members, of which:

64% are Former/Current NFTY Members

56% are Former/Current URJ Campers

17% are L'Taken Participants

17% are Former/Current NFTY in Israel EIE/Heller High Participants

13% are Former/Current NFTY Regional Board Members

24 Participated in Machon Kaplan

42 did a RAC Fellowship

11 have been RAC Employees

4 are Former/Current Hebrew Union College Students

9 are Former/Current NFTY North American Board Members

3 are Rabbis

Years of membership range from 1 - 58

Elise Glaser, Jaime Korner, Avi Matarasso, Zach Simon, Anika Goldner, Danielle Polson, Zachary Young, Casimir Kotarski, Eliana Mozer, Megan Warrenbrand, Sarah Freyd, David Kahn, Jodie Friedman, Halleli Zacher, Jo Berliner, Zach Zimmerman, Susie Levy, Rabbi David Basior, Sophie Foxman, Alex Shulman, Mollie Wolf, Addie Bjornson, Gabriela Indivero, Carly Routman, Isabella Merritt, Rachel Edelman, Ilana Mass, Andrew Edelman, Leslie Young, Jonathan Edelman, Rachel Minetti, Avia Kaner-Roth, Erica Leif, Sammy Chavin-Grant, Joshua Glass, Emily D., Taylor Kahn-Perry, Alyssa Rubin, Casey Bachman, Carly Novell, Nicholas Ornstein, Norma Stobbe, Julia Silverman, Lauren  Maunus, Ezra Oliff-Lieberman, Rachel Horne, Jeremy Liskar, Yinnon Sanders, Deborah Nemens, Jack Rubien, Audrey Goldstrom, Ben Doernberg, Liya Rechtman, Emanuelle Sippy, Haddi Meyer, former SAVP, Lian Lucansky, Mica Maltzman, Trisha Wolf, Alissa Berman, Maxwell Kaye, Josh Rosenberg, Jessica Gordon, Dana Grotenstein, Aliza Cotton, Paige Welikson, Jacob Gendelman, Jenna Levine, Jacob Bor, Noah Welikson, Anna Fox, Aaron Selby, Ann Glaser, Russ Glaser, Bettyjo LaBare, Sam Panken, Eli Panken, Sam Friedman, Ethan Penny, Naomi Walthour, Avi Horwitz, Naomi Litwack, Dara Unger, Noa Polish, michelle margolies, Rabbi Leah Nussbaum, Joey Schweiter, Rachel Powlen, Miriam Bilsker, Lila Sefner, Brianne Leslie, Ziv Shmueli, Gabriella Silverman, Sacha Jacobson, Sarah Fogel, Alli Torf, Becca Leviss, Emily Gitten, Isabella Elliott, Ezra Briskin, Jeremy Davis, Alexa Folb, Danielle Courtney, Talia Kessler, Lex Winitsky, Efron Chudacoff, Monica Essig Aberg, Zoe Green, Mia Barr, Alex Green, Emilia Epstein, Evan Drukker-Schardl, Nathan Bawaan, Lauren Haines, Ilene Kruger, Joshua Glucksman, Maya Halpern, Samantha Wiesner, Josh Nichols, Keb Barshack, Michael Lebowitz, Asher Bank, Jared Jageler, Julie Siegfried, Kelsey Schulman, Ezra Silkes, Morgan Weidner, Alyssa Horwitz, Alana Green, Elsa Balton, Cara Goldfarb, Alyssa Diller, Zoe Steiner, Brianna perkel, Justin Andell, Abigail Miller, Rachel Eisenstat, Julia cutler, Gabi Laxer, Phil McKraken, Nathaniel Waldman, Lyssa Jellenik, Beyla Richman, Spencer Burnham, Leor Weber, Liza Freed, Alex Swerdloff, Sage Spalter, Talia Jaffe, Michaela Schwartz, Cameron Rich, Isaac Strauss, Eve Steiner, Curtis Brodner, Ari Goldstein, Mattan, Evelyn Frick, Ethan Wellerstein, Dylan Barash, Evan Lorant, Emily (Bunni) Walshin, Perri sheinbaum, Nora Cornell, Levi Kaplan, Theo Gibbs, Miriam Eisenstat, Carolyn Brager, Miriam Skadron, Sophie Luskin, Zemirah Willow Higgins, Allison Golisch, Bella Levine, Hannah Miller, Charlotte Sall, Rebecca Coates-Finke, Zoe Albion, Emily Ducker, Reese Felthoven, Gabriella Francolla, Hannah Snyder, Cam Cawley, Saffron Mintz Schuffman, Renna Gottlieb, Josh Burg, Clare Wiesen, Benjamin Haberman, Abbie Spielman, Courtney Tabor, Channah Powell, Sacha Wedner, Mara LaForte, Talia Attar, Adam Orman, Becca Paskowitz, Rebecca Sculler, Ben Yanowitz, Sam Duman, Zachary Herrmann, Rachel Goldstein, morgan denker, Jordan Yanowitz, Dylan Steinberg, Matthew Rosenberg, Talia Perluss, Lexian Shalek, Rachel Chancellor, Olivia Gibbs, Arianna Marshank, sam, Carly Danziger, Laura Moss, Jared Sloan, Jonah Silverstein, Sarah Perlmeter, Jackie Heymann, Madeline Canfield, Maya Renaud-Levine, Eliana Kahn, Claire Dodinval, Sawyer Tull, Joe Saperstein, Shira Yudkin Tiffany, Taylor Bernard, Rain Zacks, Ozi Shalom Goldstein, Jeremy Goldberg, Madison Stein, Elijah Lane, Liana Friedman, Alexander Stromin, Tess Solomon, Miranda Siler, Aidan Kaplan, Emily Ruth, Sophia R, Eiden Spilker, Rosie Saffer-Meng, Talia Tiffany, Gina Ledor, Maya Rosenberg, Rachel Zindler, Sarah Orman, Alice Auerbacher, Sam Goldstone, Molly Petchenik, Sarah Shuster, Jess Kaplan, Sophie Kaplan, Emily Kociubes, Sama Reitzes, Miriam A., Mimi Gotbetter, Jake Rosenberg, Sage Fabricant, Rachel Lilenbaum, Hannah Neuman, Emily Linden-Ross, Jessie Rubini, Andrew Goldberg, Jena Whitesman, Maegan Clearwood, Hanna Carr, Garrett Layton, Madison Koumelis, Peter Driftmier, Arianna Cooper, Raina Scherer, Juliana Matz, Sarah Hellman, Davis Westover, Alex Goldstein, Koren Harpaz, Zach Snyder, Emma Wendt, Annie Bush, Maya Kaplan, Daniel Igra, Lev Starr, Ariel Friedman, Rachel Kipnes, Sarah Snyder, Abigail Sherwood, Kevin Gibson Weinberger (NFTY SOCAL SAVP 2018), Vered Serotta, Iz Berman, Elan Elyachar-Stahl, Martha Schoolman, Mattan Berner—Kadish, Abby Schoolman, Haley Peckman, Susie Tanney, Alex Cohen, Rachel Epner, Sharon Bort, Hara Millman, Olivia Rosd, Bri, Ash, Jennifer Gertz, Lila Stevens, Naomi Friedman, Izzi Cooper, Rio, Nancy Eckenthal, Lauren Mathios, Max Melendez, Jennie Rose Halperin, Molly Paul, Naomi Paskowitz, Evelyn Moskovitz, Rebecca Wishnie, Hannah Krumholz, Sallie Bieterman, Kieran Schwartz, Leila Ordoñez, Caryn Shebowich, Josh Rosenthal, Zoe Nelson-Barkan, Jasmine Lerner, Tony Bryson, sylvia murray, Simon Wolfe, Rebecca Newman, Jacob Baritz, Megan S., Claire lieber, Rel Brender, Charlie Wright, Camille Gimilaro, Jared, Sydney, Joshua Koretz, Avery Mason, Gillian MacDonald (Wert), Jeremy Levine, Henry Weiner, Stephanie Seiler, Alice Turner, Stella Raffle-Wax, Adam Weingast, Wesley Blackwell, Alyssa Costa, Willie Brodsky, Catherine Reynolds, ilan Barnoon, Emily Isaacson, Max Yenkin, Halle young, Yonah London, Jennie Kogan, Rachel Kucharz, Leah Danson, Emily Brundage, Becca Heisler, Evan Jaffe, Eldridge Orum, Tamara Erickson, Katie Wysong, Becca MacKillop, Alea Chedekel, Leanne Gale, Alana Krivo-Kaufman, Emily Mastman, Alana Turnbull, Sharon Elkouby, Emilia Diamant, Ethan Schechter, Shea Leibow, Rebecca Asher, Lucy Kates, Kenny Dalsheimer, Becky Wartell, Jesse Grossman, Dani Tishkoff Chidester, Bonnie Feldberg, Lucy Brown, Mady Frischer, Sky Karp, Anna Dodson, Jonathan Israel, Hallie Berkson-Gold, Hollen Reischer, Zimyl (Simone) Adler, Rebecca Mather, Melissa Shea, Jessica Stein, Elizabeth McElheney, Sarah Flatto, Anna Friedman, Jen Dreiske, Jennie Netburn, Stacy Dickerman, Sara Wernick Schonwald, Elizabeth Chertoff DeLois, Devorah Levy-Pearlman, Tagan Engel, Sandy Lieberman, Rebecca Shapiro, Becca Lubow, Rachel Brustein, David Litvak, Rosa Stern Pait, Mar ehrlich, Holden Arquilevich, Jeremy Solomon, Maya Griswold, Sophie Mason, Jesse Altman, Hannah Pierdomenico, Rachel Ellison, Allie Wainer, Rachel Saywitz, shannon raider-ginsburg, Zoe Stricker, Jacob Sklar, Leah Weinstein, Ruti kadish, Eli Cohen, Abigail Pont, Caroline Black, Molly Sloane, Anna Rosenfeld, Karen Siegel, Lauren Harris, Simon Chervenak, Jaz Twersky, Annie Brodsky, Jenny Swift, Kelsey Terhune-Cotter, Francesca Rubinson, Abraham "Abe" Plaut, Kobi Naseck, Hannah Ableman, Mandy Bach, Batya Devorah Kline, Rachel Hausman, Emma Harmon, Hannah Teller, Jonathan Lerdau, Maddy Winard, Noah Rubien, Sascha Bollag, Michaela Brown, Arielle Dror, Talia Gilbert, Lucy Fey, Lauren Abrahams, Rebecca Snyder, Eric Abrahams, Eliana Kleiner-Lichtman, Amelia Egland, Aaron Rose, Matt Emmer, Sasha Halpern, Noah Mendell, Nell Sirotin, Rebeccah Yterdal, Shelby Robalin, Anya Riddell-Kaufman, Benny Jimenez, Max Friedenwald-Fishman, Ayla Bleznak, Emily Levin-Rosenshine, elan loeb, Sophie Friedenwald-Fishman, Em Duhamel, Hannah Snitzer, Ezekiel Winitsky, Kyle Fradkin, Judah Hoffenberg, Amanda Robalin, Henry  Ramaikas, Hero Magnus, Hannah Peterson, Benjamin LaCross, Ilana Farnsworth, Miranda Ward, Abigail Kesselman, Alex Sher, Mitch Bollag, Frankie Kerner, Nina Tracy, Max Spivak, Dan Levy, Deborah Elkin, Shayna Ortega, Zibby Jahns, Danielle kolker, Shayna Howitt, Hannah Wischnia, Miche Budin, Ellie Feder, Naomi Caplan, iO Fields, Anya Tudisco, Dan Hennagin, LS, Caleb Loeb, Talia Inbar, kendall belansky, Alan Friedman, Sarina Elenbogen-Siegel, Lauren Fine, Edie Falk, Lucy Marriner, Caroline Soffer, Sarah Barr Engel, Grace Haggerty, Noa Eaton, Leah Shear, Morgan Hoffman, Eric Hochberger, Maya Emerson, Gayle Zoffer, Michal greenfield, David Barr Engel, Maeve Wiesen, Michael Wiesen, Alicia Gallant, Tyler Benjamin, Lindsey Forg, Erica Leiserowitz, Graiden Miller, Phoebe Marcus, Elijah Summers, William Levine, Olivia Kogan, Sebastian Torero, Julia Auerfeld, Mollie Zoffer, Alan Grossman, Mariya Gefter, Sophia Kaufmann, Michael Einiger, Ari Smith, Rachel McKinnon, Dani Miller, Andrew Schloss, Mahayla Meyer, Maya Hahn, Emily Gold, Talia Zankman, Eli Fighter, Naomi Kosman-Wiener, Emily Rapport, Miriam Hitchcock, Matthew Lubin, Dani Mahrer, Maya Hamberg, Zachary Ginsberg, Eli Haber, Morgan Bell, Leora Matison, Micah Marder, Shayna Hahn, Georgia slater, Micah Roland, Molly Diamondstein, Jesse Schwartz, Petra Reyes, Robin banerji, Liora Silkes, Kiley Keehan, Nancy Kalow, Ben Fogel, Natalie Guthrie, Rachel Burns, Henry Hoffmann, David Eden Abraham, Aaron Lefkowitz, Elizabeth Cohen, Isaac Ostrow, Jacob Tyler Marder, Peter S., Maureen Flaherman, Sophie Rubin, Rachel Kahn, Jack Parnell-Wolfe, Jen McCartney, Eliza Klein, Sarah Helden, Mel Motel, Alicia Glassman, Benjamin Schwartz, Aaron Lurin, Amelia Channin, Leah, Dr. G. Samantha Rosenthal, Emily Greenspan, Katherine Siegel, Jay Shifman, Hannah Prince, Abigail Wurtele, Jessica Baloun, Laura Horwitz, Jonah Watt, Dan Fishback, Izzy Cotenoff, Matt Nussbaum, Jasmin Willard, Ryan Seffinger, Emily Unger, Chloe Joseph, Rachel Black, Alex B, Hannah Radner, Avery Rosen, Ian Zeitlin, Leah Susman, Diana Rodin, Lena Stein, Laurence Plonsky, Annie Wyner, Sam Shear, Lily Alexandroff, Jackie Maris, Sarah Sherman, Ethan Lott, Rosanna Gray, ari rosenberg, Dana Leader, Raimi Marx, Dom Kelly, Ellen Rosenberg, Elyse Shuster, Heather O'Gara, Sarit Cahana, Rebecca Pattiz, Sarah Greenberg, Emily Young, Bettina Ernst, Rachel Harlich, Chloe Abarbanel, Abigail Segel, Bella Weksler, Jonathan Shapiro, Joshua Bensink, Karen cordes, Hannah Villhauer, carly boyce, Andrew Conroe, Alex Rabb, Ezra Edelist, Rebeccah Hoffmann, Em Lebow, Madeleine Hart, Sarah Sanchez, Maddie Harris, Erin Barney, Anna Levy, Jonathan Ben David, Maya Grossman, Elizabeth, Jules Mallis, Lindsay Meiman, Sam Rubin, Marion I. Lipshutz, Lauren Westendorf, Alison Kirsch, Sarah Mandell, Jessica Murgo, Anna Lieberman, Eva Kalikoff, Hannah Siegel, Shelby Davis, Alyssa Guttman, Sasha Friedman, Arianna Alter, Harper Wise, Ariele Ladabaum, Kaila Haenn, Dan Perry, Emma Bella Bass-Lawrence, lena cohen, Rachel Spence, Ethan Sabourin, Noa LaMaskin, Meryl Lauer, Natania Malin Gazek, Sofia Piracha, Hannah Piracha, Debbie Klein, Rhys Ivan, Maj Seckler, Max Lipchitz, Maddie Weikel, Emily Marmer, Ezra Hilton, Isabel Young, Simone Werner, Renee Ritchey, David Matz, Julia Tecotzky, Jonas Specktor, Sonia Chajet Wides, Ari Seckler, Naomi Davis, Noa Nir, Laura Florick, Hannah daniel, Aaron Hamilton, Ever Reiko, Johanna Siegel, Sarah Edelstein, Sarah Fremder, Rebecca Lerdau, Emma Ziegler, Adrian Niedermann, Hailey Rosenfield, Rachel Drizin, Nili Schreibman, Jake Rudolph, Anabel Milton, Moriah Chedekel, Matt Simkowitz, Solomon Steen, Alyssa Scheiner, Geoff Young, Jonah Gottlieb, Toby Berkson, Hailey Waldman, Lucy Rothbardt, Rachel Goldberg, Julia Breskin, Andy Kahn, Rachel Copel, Davia Young, Anna Feldman, Ari Ewalt, Abigail Solomon, Belle Chesler, Joya Mandel-Assael, Leslie Davis, Ali Jawetz, Molly Cohen, Izzy Kim, Emma Weiss Holyst, Delilah Orizaba, Sophia Tuch, Celia Goldfarb, Ione Heigham, Sarah Malott, Bernadette Margolius, Chloe Sherman, Lauren Aussprung, Molly Kulwin, Jules Clardy, Evan Chartock, Sarah McCaffrey, Ellie R, Talia Eligator, Allison Shepard, Reah Vasilakopoulos, Dov Wiener, Rebecca Simon, Sophie Gordon, Sydney Schoenholtz, Margolit Sands, Jean Kintisch, Ben Wolfson, Maya Roma, Ari Zimmet, Mari Altshuler, Joseph Altshuler, Alex Gordon, Melanie wolfson, Joshua Altshuler, Daniel C. Stein, Linnie Ulick, Lulu Adler, Maia Waxman, Sarah Goldstone, Amie Morrison, Molly Gorman, Celeste Tannenbaum, Alix lindenbaum, Shir Bach, Isaac Gamoran, Bill Yaffe, Hannah Ross, Avi Benjamin Lipsyc, Sophie Bramnick, Max Margolius, Amanda Front, Asya Artikaslan, Devorah Stavisky, Netanya Perluss, Lillian Collea, Emily Leviss, Thomas Dayzie, Nate Perlmeter, Dina Gelsey, Arielle Gingold, Rachel Graubart, Samara Scharf, Stephanie Levy, Jacob Bretton-Granatoor, Samantha B.G. Gordon, Marcella, Margo Shickmanter, Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, Shirah Kraus, Muriel MacDonald, William Pollard, Rachel corber, Sari J Kamin, Erica Rakowski, Miryam Coppersmith, Liv Amrami, Emma Coates-Finke, Sophie Parker, Charlie Resnick, Ilana Slavit, Marissa Magasiny, Harris Wohl, Hannah Riegler, Matt Rogers, Sam Cadiff, Leah Bry, Hannah Altshuler, Alana Leeds, Keren Edelist, Zoe King, Julie Freed, Avi Hessel, Sofia Fichera, Miriam Alterman, Leila Alterman, Claudia Stagoff-Belfort, Rachel Stein Rosner, Talia Berniker, Raquel Dunoff, Jordan Rochelson, Rayden Kaplan Casella, Ben Gingold, Matthew Weisberg, Marisa Ellison, Rachel Klein, Sophie Freedman, Sophie Goldsmith, Isaac MacDonald, Rachel Berman, Rachel Lee, Lauren Fanger, Rebecca Friedenwald, Jules Zuckerberg, Maxwell Liu, Sydney Fine, Sophie Elwood, Lex Caron, Jake Chervin, Brooke Rabinovici, Carter W, Isaac Berman, Julia Gruberg, Ryan Abrams, Nicole Cohen, Daniel José Older, Shira Gelsey, Rebecca Speisman, Sara Jane Longstaff, Asher Kirchner, Mollie H, Jessica Berger, Sam Horowitz, Ryan Piracha