Shabbat Torah Study with MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv

In person & online

Open to members & non-members

Join us in person and online for Shabbat Torah Study with special guest educator, Member of Knesset Rabbi Gilad Kariv.

Gilad Kariv is an Israeli politician, Reform Rabbi and attorney. He is currently a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party serving in the 24th and 25th sessions. Prior to this, Kariv served as the Executive Director of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ).

For those who wish to attend online:

Torah Study Link: https://tstnyc.zoom.us/j/239540744

Dial In: 929-436-2866

Meeting ID: 239 540 744

Having issues accessing our Torah study? Visit the Zoom Help Center »

About MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv

In the Political Arena

Kariv ran in the 2012 Israeli Labor Party primary elections, winning 27th place on the party's list for the 2013 Knesset elections. The party won only 15 seats. In December 2014, he informed Labor Party Chairman Isaac Herzog that he would be running for a spot on the Labor list for the 2015 elections.

In January 2021, Kariv ran again in the Labor Party's primary election for the 2021 Knesset elections and placed fourth on the party's slate. As a result, he was elected to the 24th Knesset in 2021 where he served as chair of the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee. He was again elected to the 25th Knesset in 2022 where he has been serving in numerous committees including Constitution, Law, and Justice; Foreign Affairs and Defense; and Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs.

Kariv is a leading voice in the Knesset against Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government coalition, and a fierce opponent of the judicial overhaul proposed by Netanyahu’s government in 2023. At the same time, he is a strong proponent of the vision of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with full equality for all of Israel’s citizens, the promotion of the two-state solution, and the recognition of Reform Judaism in Israel. He launched the Knesset Caucus toAdvance the Two State Solution in July 2023.

Advancing Progressive Judaism in Israel

Among his posts as a Reform Rabbi, Kariv served as a leader at Congregation Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv until 2008. From 2003 until 2009, Kariv served as the director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) and headed the Reform Movement’s public and legal initiatives in Israel on issues of freedom of religion, relation between religion and state, conversion, and many other social causes. Kariv initiated the establishment of Keren Be'chavod ('Be'chavod Fund) – the Reform Movement's humanitarian aid foundation, and "Kehilat Tzedek" – the training and guidance center for Jews of all denominations in the field of social action.

In 2009, Kariv was appointed executive director of the IMPJ. During that time, he worked to expand the work of the movement, advance its standing with the Israeli public, establish new Reform congregations around the country, and obtain government recognition of the movement's activities.

Kariv was regularly invited to represent the Reform Movement before Knesset committees and in a variety of other public settings. Between 2006 and 2009, Kariv took part in the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee's discussions over the proposed writing of an Israeli constitution. In these meetings, Kariv represented the liberal Zionist point of view. Together with his colleagues at the IMPJ, Kariv proposed constitutional principles for the State of Israel.

Kariv helped lead the efforts to establish an egalitarian praying platform at the Western Wall, resulting in a government resolution officially recognizing the right for egalitarian prayer at the end of January 2016.

As arepresentative of the Reform Movement, Kariv served as a board member at the Jewish Federation Institute for Jewish Learning, and as a board member in the Menucha Nechona organization, which works to advance civil burials in Israel. Between 2008 and 2011, Kariv also served as acommittee member at the Israel Broadcasting Authority.

Kariv has published opinion pieces in the media as well as position papers on a variety of topics, including a proposal for the re-organization of religious service provisions in Israel, a suggestion for separation of religious institutions from state bodies, Israeli public space on the Sabbath and a report on the crisis of conversion.

Biography

Kariv was born and educated in Tel Aviv. He became involved with the Reform Movement in high school, when he joined the Beit Daniel Synagogue, the center of the movement inTel Aviv. Once completing his secondary education at Lady Davis High School, Gilad volunteered for a Service Year in the Hebrew Scouts, and worked on establishing educational Nahal groups.

Kariv served in the Israel Defense Forces Intelligence Corps in the Haman Talpiot program. Following five years of service, during which he completed the officers program with honors, Kariv went to study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2001, he earned a bachelor's degree in law and Jewish studies. In 2001–2002, he interned in the Supreme Court in the State Attorney Office. In 2003, Kariv was ordained as a Reform Rabbi and received a master's degree in Jewish studies at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem. In 2004, he was certified as a lawyer by the Israel Bar Association. In 2008, Kariv received a master's degree in constitutional law from Northwestern University in Chicago, in a joint program with Tel Aviv University.

During his academic studies, Kariv established the Progressive Movement student networks on campuses around the country. Following the economic sanctions of 2002, Kariv was one of thefounding members of the Social Organizations Forum, and was active in several social initiatives, such as the single mothers protest.

Kariv lives in Giv’atayim with his wife and three children.