- Eric Yoffie
Eric H. Yoffie is a Reform
rabbi , and president of theUnion for Reform Judaism the congregational arm of the Reform movement inNorth America . Yoffie has remained the unchallenged head of American Judaism’s largest denomination since 1996 due to his popular advocacy of political liberalism and religious traditionalism. [http://www.forward.com/articles/religion-2/ Forward 50: Eric Yoffie] by Forward Staff, "The Jewish Daily Forward",November 10 ,2006 ] Raised inWorcester, Massachusetts , he is a graduate ofBrandeis University and received hisRabbi nical ordination fromHebrew Union College . He is married to Amy Jacobson Yoffie and they have two children.In 1999 "
The Forward " named Yoffie the number one Jewish leader in America. Some of the many issues that he has been involved with are gun control, gay rights, the death penalty, and assistance on various Israel related issues.In April 2006, evangelical pastor
Jerry Falwell invited Yoffie to address the students at his very conservativeLiberty University . Yoffie first spoke shared values of family and morality before defending church-state separation and gay marriage, which elicted boos from the students.In June 2006, Yoffie declined to meet with
Israel i PresidentMoshe Katsav after the President refused to address Yoffie by the title "Rabbi." Katsav explained that he was not the one who decides "on matters of ordination and titles in Israel. [ [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885822506&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Katsav at sea over Reform conflict] by Greer Fay Cashman, "Jerusalem Post",June 21 ,2006 ] TheChief Rabbinate of Israel does not recognize rabbinic ordinations from non-Orthodox institutions.On August 31, 2007, Yoffie gave remarks at the
Islamic Society of North America 's 44th annual convention in Chicago, IL. [ [http://isna.net/index.php?id=35&backPID=1&tt_news=899 Remarks to Islamic Society of North America] Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, President,Union for Reform Judaism ,September 1 ,2007 ] Yoffie speaks of "a huge and profound ignorance ofIslam " by Jews andChristians in North America. He states that, "the time has come to listen to our Muslim neighbors speak, from their heart and in their own words, about the spiritual power of Islam and their love for their religion." He conversely asks the conference for more understanding of Judaism; "The dialogue will not be one way, of course. You will teach us about Islam and we will teach you about Judaism. We will help you to overcome stereotyping of Muslims, and you will help us to overcome stereotyping of Jews."References
External links
* [http://urj.org/yoffie/bio/ Official Biography]
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