Erev Shabbat Services

In person & online

Open to members & non-members

Please join us in person and online for Erev Shabbat service. Rabbi Mosbacher will be in public conversation with Shaaray Tefila past president, Michael Laufer and Orly Erez Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. They will speak about "The World Zionist Congress and the Future of a Jewish and Democratic State of Israel."

Purchase: Digital Prayer Book

About Orly Erez Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center

Orly Erez Likhovski graduated from the Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University. After clerking at the Israeli Supreme Court, she studied for a Master's degree in Law at Columbia University, New York, focusing on human rights. Orly is a member of both the Israeli and the New York bar. 

Orly has been working as an attorney at the Israel Religious Action Center of the Reform Movement in Israel since 2004. She was the director of the legal department of IRAC between 2014 - 2021. In this capacity, she led the legal struggle against discrimination on the basis of religious affiliation, gender segregation in the public sphere and racial incitement. Orly has led to significant legal achievements such as abolishing gender segregation on public buses, breaking the Orthodox monopoly regarding the funding of salaries of Rabbis, disqualifying racist candidates from running to the Knesset and recognizing the rights of LGBTQ couples to adopt children in Israel. 

Since November 2022, Orly has served as the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center.

Orly is a member of the Reform congregation in Mevasseret Zion, where she lives with her family.

About Michael Laufer, Temple Shaaray Tefila Past President

Michael Laufer has been active in leadership within the Reform Movement for many years. In 2024, he completed 16 years of service on the URJ board where he served two terms on the URJ Oversight (Executive) Committee. Long involved in the Reform Movement’s Israel work, Michael is a long time ARZA board member, a former ARZA Vice-Chair and the former chair of the Reform Movement’s 2015 World Zionist Congress election campaign. He also serves on the executive board of ARZENU, the political voice of Reform, Progressive and Liberal Religious Zionists within the World Zionist Organization. Representing ARZENU within the World Zionist Organization, Michael has participated in four World Zionist Congresses and serves on the WZO’s Va’ad HaPoel and Presidium. He was a member of the Reform Pension Board for 9 years, Rabbi Rick Jacobs’ transition team, and the World Union of Progressive Judaism’s NA Advisory Board.

Michael currently serves as the Chair of the Board of the American Zionist Movement. On behalf of its 46 member organizations, the AZM promotes and defends Zionism in the United States and seeks to deepen and expand the active relationship of the American Jewish Community to Zionism and Israel.

Michael is a past president of Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan. 

Outside of the Reform Movement, Michael currently serves on the board of 70 Faces Media, the largest and most diverse Jewish media organization in North America whose brands include JTA, My Jewish Learning, Kveller among others. He has been active with UJA-Federation of New York’s programs and grantmaking in Israel and served as Chair of UJA-Federation of New York’s Synergy Coordinating Council which provided support, resources, and capacity building for New York area congregations. He is a long-time member of the board of Tulane University’s Hillel, has served on the BBYO International Board, the ADL NY Regional Board, the NY Jewish Week board and the University of New Orleans Foundation Board.

A retired lawyer, CPA and business owner, Michael lives in Manhattan with his wife Audrey.