What is Reform Judaism?
"Throughout history, the Jewish people have remained firmly rooted in Jewish tradition – and yet, since its earliest days, Reform Judaism has asserted that a Judaism frozen in time cannot coexist effectively with those who live in modern times. In this way, Reform Judaism has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition; to embrace diversity while asserting commonality; to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt; and to bring faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship."
What Is Reform Judaism? | Reform Judaism. https://reformjudaism.org/what-is-reform-judaism. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Books
American Reform Judaism by Publication Date: 2003-04-29The only comprehensive and up-to-date look at Reform Judaism, this book analyzes the forces currently challenging the Reform movement, now the largest Jewish denomination in the United States. Addressing the issues that have confronted the movement--including the ordination of women, acceptance of homosexuality, the problem of assimilation, the question of rabbinic officiation at intermarriages, the struggle for acceptance in Israel, and Jewish education and others--Kaplan sheds light on the connection between Reform ideology and cultural realities.
The Growth of Reform Judaism by Publication Date: 2015-10-01Gunther Plaut's classic second volume on the history of the Jewish Reform Movement is a sourcebook of the original writings that shaped the second century of organized liberal Judaism. The Growth of Reform Judaism features a new introduction, a new epilogue, and important additional primary sources documenting the profound changes of the last fifty years. Although the emphasis in this volume is chiefly on the American scene, where the movement had its most notable advances, selections of representative liberal Jewish thought in Europe and to a lesser degree in Israel are included as well.
The New Reform Judaism by Publication Date: 2013-11-01Dana Evan Kaplan, an American Reform Jew and pulpit rabbi, argues that rather than focusing on the importance of loyalty to community, Reform Judaism must determine how to engage the individual in a search for existential meaning. It should move us toward a critical scholarly understanding of the Hebrew Bible, that we may emerge with the perspectives required by a postmodern world. Such a Reform Judaism can at once help us understand how the ancient world molded our most cherished religious traditions and guide us in addressing the increasingly complex social problems of our day.
Reform Judaism in America by Publication Date: 1993-03-17This valuable reference extensively documents the lives and careers of the most influential leaders of Reform Judaism in America.
Helpful Links
- Reform JudaismReform Judaism. By: Auber, Tamar, MDiv, Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2022
Database: Research Starters - ReformJudaism.orgThe great contribution of Reform Judaism is that it has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition, to embrace diversity while asserting commonality, to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt, and to bring faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship.