Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Ops and blogs editor Miriam Hershlag and reporter Amy Spiro join today's host, Jessica Steinberg.

Spiro begins with a look at her recent interview with the new head of Israel’s Reform movement, Anna Kislanski, who grew up secular in Moscow, and discovered Reform Judaism in Israel, as a young adult.

She and Herschlag discuss the larger issue of secular Israelis and Russian immigrants in particular, given the struggle over the lack of civil marriage in Israel.

Along those lines, Herschlag describes a blog recently written by a Russian immigrant to Israel whose pandemic-era marriage through the US state of Utah, conducted online, isn't considered legal by Israel, forcing the young couple to move to Europe.

Finally, Herschlag mentions recent posts written in memory of the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who died one year ago.

Discussed articles include:

The new head of Israel’s Reform movement is cautiously optimistic

Forced to leave Israel by Rabbinate and Interior Ministry

Lessons in leadership from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt”l

Jonathan Sacks, morality and Facebook algorithms

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.

IMAGE: Members of the Women of the Wall movement hold Rosh Hodesh prayers as thousands of ultra-Orthodox women protest against them at the Western Wall in Jerusalem Old City, March 8, 2019. (Photo by Hadas Parush/Flash90)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.