PART OF SOMETHING LARGER THAN OURSELVES:
REFORM JUDAISM IN ST THE 21 CENTURY
Relationships
By Rabbi Suzie Jacobson
Jews join Jewish communities for different reasons. Some want a place to pray, a place to nurture their souls, and find deeper meaning. Some want a place to learn, a place to ask the hard questions, and connect with ancient history and tradition. Some want a place to go, a place where they are recognized, and a place to find connection. When we join a Jewish community we find that we are part of something larger than ourselves. The amazing blessing of Temple Israel is that being a part of this community means that we are part of something even larger than this large community—we are a part of Reform Judaism, the largest Jewish denomination in the United States. We also have many close, personal connections with leaders in the Reform movement, including Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union of Reform Judaism, and Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Since Jews gained citizenship in the post-enlightenment world, Reform Judaism has been at the forefront of creative change. Believing deeply in the importance of personal autonomy, in every generation Reform Jews have “made the old new and the new holy,” (to paraphrase former Israeli Chief Rabbi Rav Kook). Reform Jews have an ever-present awareness of our role in the world. This necessitates the prioritization of justice work, the creation of inclusive communities and an approach to Torah study that blends the richness of modern scholarship and the passion of our modern values. Temple Israel’s justice work, innovative spirit and inclusive community do not emerge from a vacuum—we are born from the best of Reform Judaism. On December 9th and 10th, we have the honor of welcoming Rabbi Aaron D. Panken, PH.D. as our Burstein Scholar-in-Residence. Rabbi Panken is the President of Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute (HUC-JIR), the institution that trained most of
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INSIGHT Vol. 16, No. 3, Winter 2016/5777
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the URJ, speaking at the Installation of Rabbi Zecher
our clergy, and a thought leader in the Reform Movement. When Rabbi Panken joins us in December, he will engage us in several conversations on Reform Judaism’s relationship with Jewish tradition: Qabbalat Shabbat Lecture, 6:00 p.m. Embracing, Distancing, Adapting, and Refining: Reform Judaism’s Relationship with Jewish Tradition Saturday Morning Torah Study, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. True Lies – Truth, Gossip, and the American Jewish Way Saturday Evening Havdalah, 4:00 p.m. Illuminating Hanukkah – An Exploration of How Jewish Holidays Grow and Change At Temple Israel we connect to a people, a tradition, a movement that is larger than ourselves. Join us on December 9th and 10th as we learn from a thought leader in Reform Judaism and imagine together the creative possibilities of our shared Jewish future.
