<![CDATA[BJBE - Blog]]>Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:28:06 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Reproductive Justice]]>Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:43:23 GMThttps://www.bjbe.org/blog/repro-justiceBJBE stands with a person’s right to choose.  For thousands of years, our tradition has understood that the decision to keep or terminate a pregnancy is ours to make.  Jewish law is overwhelmingly clear on abortion: it is permitted in most cases; it is required in some.  Our texts explicitly say that we prioritize a person’s life, including both physical and mental well-being, over a potential life.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision, legal abortion is banned in several states.  Millions of people must cross state lines to seek reproductive health care, if they are even able to do so.  Lack of access to reproductive care predominantly affects Black and brown people and those who struggle economically.  Some of those affected will be Jewish people who are losing both their access to reproductive care and their freedom to make choices consistent with Jewish values.

BJBE, in concert with the Reform Movement, has been outspoken about supporting reproductive choice.  We host annual Repro Shabbat events in conjunction with Parashat Mishpatim, the foundational text honoring the Jewish value of reproductive freedom.  Guest speakers have educated us about relevant Illinois legislation that protects reproductive freedom.  We have learned about “crisis pregnancy centers”, how the medical profession has been impacted by the Dobbs decision, and about anti-semitism in the abortion movement since October 7.  We’ve held postcard writing campaigns and prepare comfort care kits for patients at a local clinic.  

The goal of the Reproductive Justice committee is to educate, advocate for, and support the sacred Jewish values of equality and personal autonomy
]]><![CDATA[Meet Rabbi Adam Wright]]>Tue, 19 May 2026 15:25:48 GMThttps://www.bjbe.org/blog/meet-rabbi-adam-wrightCongregation BJBE (B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim) announced that Rabbi Adam M. Wright has been appointed as the congregation’s next Senior Rabbi, beginning July 1, 2026. Rabbi Wright joins BJBE after serving as senior rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, Alabama since 2019.

Rabbi Wright succeeds a storied rabbinic legacy at BJBE, building on the enduring impact of Rabbi Karyn Kedar, whose creative foresight inspired BJBE’s current beautiful home in Deerfield, and Rabbi Mark Shapiro (z”l), who led the congregation for nearly four decades and served as the visionary who brought together B’nai Jehoshua and Beth Elohim in 1965.
In a message to the congregation, Rabbi Wright reflected on his personal relationship with Rabbi Shapiro, who was his ordination mentor. “Rabbi Shapiro taught me the foundations of lifecycle presence: how to show up; how to listen; how to carry holiness into moments of joy and moments of heartbreak. He spoke with such pride about BJBE, about its congregational excellence, devotion to Zionism, and scholarship. Looking back now, those conversations feel less like coincidence and more like roots quietly planted long before I knew where I would one day stand.”

For BJBE leaders, Rabbi Wright’s blend of pastoral depth, visionary community-building, and commitment to Jewish learning and Jewish peoplehood made him a powerful fit for the congregation’s next chapter. Steffanie Pinsky, BJBE Board President, said, “Rabbi Wright brings a rare blend of warmth, scholarship, and courageous leadership. Throughout the search process, we were inspired by his clarity of purpose, his devotion to congregational life, and his commitment to building lasting Jewish memory. We are thrilled to welcome Rabbi Wright and his family to Deerfield.”

At his previous congregation, Rabbi Wright strengthened synagogue life through wide-ranging innovations: reimagining Shabbat and holiday worship, creating Birmingham’s first Hebrew ulpan program (teaching modern Hebrew to adults), establishing a community religious school, and launching new membership approaches that brought dozens of young families into the congregation. Following October 7, 2023, he organized citywide vigils, interfaith solidarity events, and weekly prayers for hostages, deepening relationships across Birmingham’s Jewish and interfaith communities.
A committed scholar, Rabbi Wright earned a Master of Theological Studies at Vanderbilt University, focusing on the Ancient Near East and Early Judaism, and holds additional graduate degrees in Hebrew Letters and Jewish Education, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Jewish Nonprofit Management from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion. He is currently pursuing a doctorate at HUC–JIR, with research focused on contemporary antisemitism. His work and scholarship have been recognized with awards including HUC–JIR’s Samson H. Levey Prize and Vanderbilt’s Nella May Overby Memorial Award.
Rabbi Wright is a fellow of the Amplify Israel Rabbinic Fellowship, serves as board chair of Rabbis United (a division of StandWithUs), and is a member of the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition. He also serves the wider civic community as a chaplain for the Mountain Brook Police Department and as a founding member of the Highland Interfaith Society.
Originally from West Bloomfield, Michigan, Rabbi Wright is married to Dr. Rachel Wright, an internist and pediatrician. Together they are raising their three children, Lillian, Maisie, and Teddy.​

Rabbi Wright and his family look forward to meeting the BJBE community this summer and beginning a new chapter together.
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