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D’var Torah: Sexual Violence and Social and Political Movements
Shabbat Shalom, NFTY. In this week’s Torah portion, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim (after the death), G-d lays down dozens of mitzvot (holy commandments) for the people of Israel, including the mitzvah of sexual morality.
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Yes Means Yes
Does the absence of “no” mean yes. Many activists and advocates for consent use the phrase, “No Means No,” but what about nuanced situations where consent is not explicitly given.
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Defining Sexual Violence
Before we go into depth about sexual violence, let’s talk about its definition. The dictionary definition of sexual violence is a sexual act committed against someone without that person’s freely given consent.
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Deciding to Walk Out and What to Do Next
While the tragic challenge of gun violence is hardly new, and activism around the topic, primarily led by People of Color, has been organized for generations, the attention and momentum given to the issue in the wake of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting a few months ago is unprecedented. Rallies, marches, media attention, fundraising, and policy changes by large companies are among the ways in which the nation has mobilized in support of the young people fed up with “thoughts and prayers,” and advocating for tangible, intersectional change.
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How to Get Involved in the Progressive Zionist Movement
In the last two months, what we have always known has become abundantly clear for the rest of the world: organizations and movements are stronger when young people are involved. Across the country, our generation is leading in community organizing, social justice, and political action— we are using our shared values to fight for what we believe by building relationships and taking action.
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Finding My Home in Israel at Heller High
With a churning stomach and a fluttering heart, I said goodbye to my dad at JFK airport in New York the summer of 2013 to attend what was then called NFTY EIE. I was not fully sure what to expect being it was my first time to Israel, let alone out of the country.
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WUPJ: Catalyzing Global Progressive Jewish Citizenship
In a world that is increasingly more global and interconnected, the value and importance of a global progressive Jewish movement is more important than ever. The World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) is the international umbrella organization for reform, progressive, liberal, and reconstructionist communities around the world, spanning 50 countries, and representing nearly two million individuals.
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NFTY Addresses Student on Student Sexual Violence: Join the Effort
Count 98 seconds. That is the amount of time between one sexual assault and another in the United States alone.
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Turning Words into Action through NFTY’s Sexual Violence Prevention Campaign
In this past year, NFTY and the URJ have begun turning words into action by passing two resolutions on sexual violence prevention: the URJ Resolution on Student on Student Sexual Violence in Schools, and the Resolution Affirming NFTY’s Stance on Preventing Sexual Violence.
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70 Jewish Teens on A Bus
I got on a bus filled with Jewish teens from all different branches of Judaism, most of whom I hardly knew, and traveled a total of 44 hours to DC and back. Why would an anxious introvert like me do something so extreme.
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