Reform Judaism
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Introduction
Reform Judaism began in central Europe in the mid nineteenth century and was established in the United States in 1873. Reform Judaism affirms the central tenets of Judaism: God, the sacred teachings of Torah, and connection to the land and people of Israel. It takes a liberal approach to tradition, and members of Reform temples have a diversity of beliefs and practices. As written on the Union for Reform Judaism national website, “Reform Jews accept the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) as the foundation of Jewish life, containing God’s ongoing revelation to our people and the record of our people’s ongoing relationship with God. We see the Torah as God inspired, a living document that enables us to confront the timeliness and timely challenges of our everyday life.” back to top Commitments Reform Jews are committed to the principle of inclusion, not exclusion. Our clergy and congregations reach out to Jews-by-choice and interfaith families. Reform Judaism considers children to be Jewish if they are child of a Jewish father or a Jewish mother, which is distinct from most other branches of Judaism, which only accept the doctrine of matrilineal descent. Reform Jews are committed to the absolute equality of women in all areas of Jewish life. We were the first movement to ordain women rabbis, invest women cantors, and elect women presidents of our synagogues. Reform Jews are also committed to the full participation of gays and lesbians in temple life as well as in society at large. back to top Clergy and Community
Reform synagogues are led by Rabbis and Cantors. Rabbis are ordained clergy who serve as teachers, pastoral counselors, and worship leaders. Cantors are ordained as musical leaders, leading the music of the worship services and often serving as teachers and pastoral counselors as well. Individual Reform synagogues in the United States are part of a national body known as the Union for Reform Judaism. In addition, there are Reform synagogues around the world which participate in the World Union for Progressive Judaism. In the US, Reform Judaism is the largest and most inclusive branch of Judaism, including well over 1 million members and nearly 1000 synagogues. back to top Setting the Record Straight
There is a pervasive misunderstanding about Reform Judaism, that there are no standards and no restrictions placed on its members. While individual choice is indeed a celebrated part of Reform Jewish identity, Reform Judaism places a great emphasis on informed and thoughtful choice. Traditions have an important place in Reform Jewish life, even as changes are made to make our spiritual life meaningful and relevant to today’s realities. The holy days, the teachings of Scriptures and later sacred texts, and the personal religious traditions all have an important place in the life of Reform Judaism. Members are encouraged to learn as much as possible about the way to do things and the reasons behind the traditions, and then to shape a religious life which is appropriate for the individual today. Reform Judaism is firmly rooted in tradition, even as we learn from our interaction with other cultures and with the changing times. Reform Judaism aspires to introduce innovation while preserving our connections to ancient traditions. Reform Judaism is a vibrant tradition that allows individuals to find meaning and inspiration in ancient traditions while participating fully in modern society and culture. It has a proud history of 200 years from its origins in Germany and nearly 150 years in the United States. It allows us to embrace diversity while asserting our commonality, to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt, and to cultivate faith without sacrificing critical thinking back to top |
Sacred Texts
As with other branches of Judaism, the Scriptures for our faith are the books of the Hebrew Bible. These include not only the Torah, but the books of the Prophets (Nevi’im) and the books of the Writings (Ketuvim). The later texts of Jewish tradition, including the Talmud and the Midrash, are used for guidance and inspiration, but are not considered legally binding on how we conduct our religious lives today. One of the distinctive elements of Reform Judaism is a focus on the prophetic teachings and the idea of tikkun olam: repairing the world. Our various institutions and individual Reform Jews are involved in a wide variety of social justice work, believing that all human beings are created in the image of God and that we are all God’s partner’s in creating hope, peace, justice, and equality back to top Highlights of the Week, Month, Year While Reform Judaism is liberal and has made significant changes to traditional ritual practices, it follows the traditional liturgical and holiday cycle. The Sabbath is observed from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday, with communal worship on both Friday night and Saturday morning. Many Reform congregations have daily worship services on at least some weekdays. The holiday observances, done both at home and in the synagogue, include those named in the Bible (Rosh Hashana/New Year’s, Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, Sukkot/Tabernacles, Pesach/Passover, and Shavuot/Weeks). In addition, Reform Judaism celebrates the festivals of Chanukah and Purim, as well as the modern holy days of Yom HaShoa (Holocaust Memorial Day) and Yom Ha’Atsmaut (Israel Independence Day). In all Reform worship services, there is a combination of Hebrew and English reading that is done, and the worship services are accessible to all, regardless of their level of knowledge and facility with Hebrew. back to top Reform Judaism in Rhode Island In Rhode Island, there are three Reform temples. Temple Beth El is on the East Side of Providence, and has been in existence since 1849. It was one of the very first to affiliate with the national Reform movement, joining the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the Union for Reform Judaism) in 1877. Temple Habonim is in Barrington, having been founded in 1963, and Temple Sinai is in Cranston, having been founded in 1958. All three congregations are proud members of the national Reform movement, and offer worship, education, and programs that are liberal, modern, and inclusive. back to top Would you like to know more about Reform Judaism? Follow these links: www.urj.org This is the website of the Union for Reform Judaism, with information on the history, members organizations, and programs of the national movement. www.ccarnet.org This is the website of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, which is the body of American Reform rabbis. The site includes a section of documents which includes the historic platforms defining Reform Judaism and also a response section of questions and answers. www.huc.edu This is the website of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the seminary and training center for Reform rabbis, cantors, educators, and communal workers. www.rac.org This is the website of the Religious Action Center, the Reform movement’s social justice arm, based in Washington, DC. www.temple-beth-el.org This is the website of Temple Beth El in Providence. www.templesinairi.org This is the website of Temple Sinai in Cranston. www.templehabonim.org This is the website of Temple Habonim in Barrington. back to top |
