Last week, RHR marked 20 years since its establishment, with a two day conference which launched a strategic planning process that will continue in the coming months.  An evening event was dedicated to friends and collegues who have supported RHR over the years. The conference was scheduledto be held in Ashkelon in solidarity with Israeli civilians suffering in the South, but Home Front Command forced the gathering to be relocated to a safer area. RHR moved the conference to the ''Maale Ha'Hamisha'' hotel near Jerusalem.

Last week's confrence served as a pause between the past 20 years of work, and the future of the organization, asking members and friends to share their views on ''what should be the role of a rabbinical human rights orginization in the Israeli society today?''

The timing of the event (7-8.1.09), during the current war, highlighted the challenges we face in terms of  boundaries, dilemma's, difficulties as well as the critical importance of confronting issues involving Jews and Arabs, Israel and Palestine, governments, armies and most importantly, human beigns.

RHR awarded Mrs. Tami Molad Hayo, Mrs. Hanna Friedman, Rabbi Levi Wiman-Kelman, Rabbi Izak Newman and The Negev Preparatory Program with Awards of recognition to their major contributions to the promotion of human rights in the spirit of the jewish tradition.