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The All-Important Verb: Wisdom from a Veteran
"Unreformed" Reform Jew I often hear Reform Judaism referred to as the "reformed" movement. It has always taken me by surprise. In truth, we could never have the title "reformed" because that would mean we already are what we set out to be. And that, thankfully, is far from the truth. Ever since Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise became known as the "father" of Reform Judaism, founding the three central institutions of American Reform Judaism, namely Hebrew Union College (the Reform rabbinic seminary), the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (the central organization of Reform congregations), and the Central Conference of American Rabbis (the profressional organization of Reform rabbis), we have been constantly moving, constantly rethinking, and constantly evolving. Reform Jews must work hard at their Judaism. Reform Judaism requires an on-going process of study, reflection and renewal that focuses both inward and outward, concerning our role as Jews within the Jewish community and within the community at large. For example, Reform Judaism was the first of the Jewish movements to ordain women. Reform Judaism has a serious and on-going commitment to issues of social action that involves issues affecting both Jewish and the community as a whole. Reform rabbis were an integral part of the civil rights movement in the 1960's, and Reform synagogues were among the first to open our doors to the hungry and homeless when we began to create shelters and soup kitchens in the 1980's. In the last twenty years Reform Judaism has been at the forefront of response to the phenomenon of intermarriage by creating a program of outreach to interfaith couples. Reform Judaism realized the importance of welcoming gay and lesbian Jews as both congregants and as clergy. More recently, Reform Judaism has been exploring finding new meaning in ancient rituals. It is because we are adaptive, proactive and not static, that Reform Judaism lives and breathes with the needs and with the times in which we live. Having been born to a Reform Jewish family and having lived as one for many years, I am proud to be part of this dynamic movement, always feeling that we are in the vanguard. Many years ago, Leonard Fein wrote a book entitled Reform is a Verb. A verb denotes action, activity and not passivity. Thankfully, I am an unreformed "reform Jew". |
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Helene Spring is a long-time member of East End Temple, in New York City. |
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