Calling all Reform Jews

I need someone who can be somewhat representational of
Reform Judaism.

I am doing a reaction paper for a World Religions class,
I am attending service tommorow night, but not sure
if i can get an interview.

SO if anyone is interested, and has a few minutes to
answer some questions, please let me know.

 

I can represent liberal Judaism in general, and I can answer your questions about Reform Judaism, but I cannot answer questions about my experiences as a Reform Jew. I'm more Jewish Renewal with a little Reconstructionism mixed in.

Dauer

 

Oh, but I should add that every Jew is different so I could really only speak for myself. I could in no way, nor could any Jew, represent all of liberal Judaism.

Dauer

 

I don't really practice so much anymore, but I was raised in a reform Jewish family, and went to religious school for 10 years. So I do know quite a lot. I'd be very willing to answer questions for you.

 

drummin,

You're near Boulder? That's awesome. That's like, a huge center of Renewal activity as far as the teachers that are there. I know someone who travelled there just so they could meet Reb Zalman for some personal advice. One of the things about Renewal is it's whatever you make it to be, it could be as Orthodox as you want it. I know Orthodox-Renewal people. A good intro book is Jewish with Feeling, if you haven't looked at it already. I spent this past summer at Elat Chayyim, the Jewish retreat center, and most of the people there would not wash dishes, use computers, but would do other things that would enhance their kavannah for them, like playing instruments (not true for the Orthodox Jews.) I think one of the good sayings that's come out of Renewal is that it shouldn't be less than what traditional Judaism offers. It's neo-hasidic or neo-pietist. So if kashrut is an issue traditionally, there should be something dietery, but something that sparks kavannah, thus eco-kashrut. If halachah is the method for traditional Judaism, then psychohalachah for Renewal. Although this doesn't mean that any given person must follow something equivalent to all of the traditional methods at any given time. I recently tried to figure out the key ideas behind psycho-halachah based on an article and this is what I came up with:

"Psychohalachic guidelines based on discussion between Reb Zalman and Reb Goldie found here:

http://www.ohalah.org/psychohalakhah.htm

Psychohalachah must have roots in the past, and also a sense of what's going to be the way the Shechinah would like to relate with the next generation.

Psychohalachah is making changes, not adaptations, but adaptations are not wrong.

Psychohalachah only happens within the consensus of the pious, and this consensus depends on the community, shifts with the community.

The kavannah underneath is important to psychohalachah.


Identify stakeholders and foreseeable consequences in a psychohalachic decision.

Try to find and know what the roots were in Jewish practice and work from that.

Is it conducive to avodat hashem? Will it strengthen or weaken the Shekhinah?

How's the kavannah? What's the kavannah?

Is it within the consensus of the pious (which changes) for the given community?

Is it something rooted in the past, that's going to help give the next generation room to grow as well?"

Enough of my rant.

Dauer

edit: but again I think I've defined Renewal too narrowly. Better, it's just a post-denominational movement that focuses on kavanah and mysticism, usually very progressive. There are some concepts that have developed within the movement among some of its members, like the ones I have mentioned.

One of the things I am horrible at defining is Renewal, I think in part because it is still defining itself, and different people within Renewal disagree as to how it should be defined in significant ways.

 

I dont need anymore answers now, i went to a Reform service friday
night, and got to hang out with the Rabbi afterwards.

Spent the rest of the night with a guy from the church that
was raised Hassidic (sp?) and was brilliantly versed in the
scriptures and ways.

So i have enough for my presentation now.

Thanks though. Im sure i will have more
just for personal knowledge, so i will
keep ya'll in mind

 

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