Central Conference of American Rabbis

A go-to resource for students, teachers, and congregational leaders, “Voices of Torah” volumes 1 and 2 offer thoughtful commentary on each parashah for study and teaching.

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Congregation Beth Israel - Houston, TX in Houston is the home synagogue of CCAR President David Lyon. On April 22, 2026, law enforcement officials thwarted a credible antisemitic attack against Beth Israel and The Shlenker School, arresting individuals in North Carolina and Houston.

At a time of increased antisemitism and unbridled hatred toward the Jewish community, Rabbi Lyon reflects upon the need for secure a Jewish spaces and the words of Rabbi Hillel, who said “Do not separate yourself from the community.”

Rabbi Lyon reminds us: “Religious communities, and specifically, the Jewish community, are not an obstacle to anyone’s dreams for themselves or their own communities. The real obstacles to others’ dreams are longstanding stereotypes, age-old antisemitic tropes, and one’s own ignorance about others’ religious values and the values that many faiths share.”

We are grateful to law enforcement and security officials who helped keep Congregation Beth Israel safe. And we call upon our allies to stand up to antisemitism that threatens the physical and psychological safety of our peaceful Jewish communities.

I'm senior rabbi at Beth Israel. How do we respond to threats against Jews? Jewish tradition teaches us to embrace the world, not fence ourselves off from it. But how do you balance that with growing antisemitism?

Mazal tov to the Reform rabbis ordained today by Hebrew Union College in New York!

The CCAR is honored to welcome you into our community of Reform rabbis.

May you enter the rabbinate with the knowledge and wisdom of the rabbis, teachers, and leaders who guided you along the way, and may we in turn learn from you.

May you find deep meaning and wholeness in the sacred work ahead, in all of its challenges and infinite joys.

May you be blessed on your journey, and may you be fortified by the strength of your ancestors, prophets, sages, and our rich Jewish community and history as you help write the next chapter of Reform Judaism.