Shalom Chaverim,
Today we went on an amazing tiyul to The Hebrew Union College to learn about three sects of Judaism. The streams of Judaism started in the early 19th century. The three main streams are Conservative, Reform, and Orthodox. Reform started to make Judaism appeal to the modern people. It happened along with the time of the French Revolution when Jews were recognized as citizens and we began to see more enlightenment and inclusion in society. The ideological ideas can be seen to come from Moses Mendelssohn and then the “father” of the movement is Avraham Geiger. Conservative Judaism started as a response to the Reform movement, keeping more of Halakha. Conservative is in the middle of Orthodox and Reform. Reform became the largest stream of Judaism in the early 20th century in America.
I thought that the Orthodox (even though in Israel he’s more national-religious) talk was the most interesting, but I most strongly associated with the Reform. There was a lot I learned today, that I would have never expected. They kept emphasizing that everything they said was their view and not everyone in their movement felt exactly the same way. There was obviously a lot of tension in between the movements.
The Conservative movement speaker, spent a lot of time talking about how flexible they actually are. It came as a huge shock to me, seeing as I did not realize how all the movements had actually modernized. They discussed gender roles and how in their conservative movement, it is acknowledged that the roles have changed over time. It was a lot less strict than I originally thought. The Conservative movement resulted from the tension between the Reform and Conservative sects. They believe that while the Torah did come from God, it was transmitted to the people to write and has a human element. The Conservative people generally accept Halakhah but do believe that the law should change and be flexible with the modern times like allowing men and women to sit together in synagogue.
Learning about the Orthodox/National-religious movement was such an eye-opening experience. It is not something I, along with most of you guys probably think about on a daily basis. Gabe, started out as a NFTY-EIE teacher, but as he learned more he began to realize that the Reform movement did not suit his beliefs. Orthodox people believe that God did write the Torah and gave it to Moses. They believe in the five books of Moses and Oral Law. They also believe that Torah came to us unchanged and contains 613 mitzvot.
The Reform movement believes that the Torah was not written by God but rather written and put together by many people. Reform people also do not believe that the observance of commandments is obligatory. However, they do retain the value and ethics of traditional Judaism, that we see in ethical monotheism through the prophets.
As a Reform Jew, this visit made me understand my stream of Judaism. It made me glad to be a part of the Reform movement because it fits more into my way of thinking and lifestyle. I realized from this Tiyul that Reform started as a way of bringing Judaism into the modern world.
Since we are part of a Reform organization at NFTY, I agreed with a lot of what was said. He said, “What is the point of people going to pray at some rocks?” about the Western Wall, although it was a bit harsh and very opinionated of him to say that. I somewhat agreed because I do think that although there is historical meaning behind it, now times have changed so much. I don’t see the need to go there for Shabbat to pray or all the rules that go with it. My question for you is… Which of the movements did you most identify with and what did you find most challenging about the ones you didn’t?
I didn't strongly identify with any of the movements, but reform was probably the most closely related to some of my views. I thought it was really challenging to hear about the orthodox views because I couldn't identify with them at all. I did not agree with how he thought Israel should decline funding and that he was very contradictory. It was interesting to hear, but I could not relate to basically anything that was said, I didn't expect for him to live in the middle of the West Bank.
ReplyDeleteI identify with the reform movement, as it is what I grew up into and still stick with as a teenager in NFTY. To me it is a good balance of Judaism and American culture. As for challenging parts of the other movements, according to what the HUC rabbis said, I have nothing at all against the conservative. However for the orthodox, I do not understand how it could be said that Judaism is not a religion. Sure the we are undeniably a people, but we are a people with a religion and common prayer. Although I associate with the reform movement, I do not know how this same statement could be made by the reform rabbi. I believe that although we stress community and people hood, we are a religion as well.
ReplyDeleteI didn't identify with a particular group, each had ideas that I thought were interesting, but none really jumped out at me as my type of Judaism. I thought the most challenging part was when the guys said we weren't Jewish. Who are they to judge me? They don't know me or my family lineage and I don't think their beliefs give them a right to judge who is Jewish and who is not.
ReplyDeleteThough I have always been a reform Jew, I thought that Chaim Shalom talked a lot about joining HUC and less about the religion, I thought a lot of what he said felt very natural to me and my beliefs. I didn't really disagree with what any of the other Rabbis about, however I felt that Gabe talked condescending to us, which I didn't love.
ReplyDeleteI most identify with the Reform Movement, I have grown up in the movement and I am familiar with all the songs and customs. Most of what Chaim Shalom spoke about I agreed with and has always been what I believed. The one movement that I found most challenging was the Orthodox movement. Their customs are very different from ours and I find that interesting, but it is very different than how we practice Judaism.
ReplyDeleteI most identify with the reform movement because as a woman especially, the way the reform jews have progressed with time is extremely important. We could not have the same rights in a conservative or orthodox setting and we are also allowed space to interpret torah and being jewish how we decide, which I think is imperative in keeping jewish life alive.
ReplyDeleteEach representative said some stuff that I liked. Some said more stuff than others that I liked. I can't really remember specifics, but I remember one line that I really liked and it was said by Chaim, the reform guy, and it went a little like this: "As Jews today, we are not in the place to shut others out." And I thought that was very important, because Jews today need to help each other, bring each other up, and keep the tradition going. Chaim did a good job at making that a key point.
ReplyDeleteEach representative said some stuff that I liked. Some said more stuff than others that I liked. I can't really remember specifics, but I remember one line that I really liked and it was said by Chaim, the reform guy, and it went a little like this: "As Jews today, we are not in the place to shut others out." And I thought that was very important, because Jews today need to help each other, bring each other up, and keep the tradition going. Chaim did a good job at making that a key point.
ReplyDeleteI most strongly identified with the reform representative Chaim for many reasons but most importantly because he shares my opinion on how you can become Jewish. The Conservative and Modern Orthodox speakers both gave more traditional views saying you need to have a Jewish mother or other things like that, while Chaim said that if you want to be Jewish and identify as a Jew, that is the only thing that matters. I agree with him in this respect, if someone identifies as Jew, they are a Jew. This is one of the most important aspects of the way I view Judaism and as a result I immediately felt most ideologically similar to Chaim.
ReplyDeleteI can identify most with the reform movement. I think it is the most accepting of people who want to become Jewish. Also, I really liked Chaim because he was the first Jew that I've heard say that it doesn't matter whether or not he thinks someone is Jewish as long as they think they're Jewish. I completely agree with that. I don't like when people tell others what religion they are because it's really not their place to say. That is what I didn't agree with in the orthodox and conservative movements.
ReplyDeleteI think that I probably identified most with the conservative movement. My synagogue at home identifies as reform and conservative, however, it's mostly conservative, and that's how I've been brought up. I don't know exactly how to describe what links me to this group above the others, simply, it may have been that the conservative speaker had the fewest statements that were, in my view, problematic. That is not to say I did not identify with the other two. They all had meaningful things to say about Judaism.
ReplyDeleteI really did identify with the Reform movement for the most part. I agree with if you consider yourself Jewish, then you are Jewish(not including Jews for Jesus). I dont think we have the numbers to be selective. Reform Judaism is inclusive and allows personal adaptation which I love.
ReplyDeletei feel like i identified most with the reformed rabbi, because i felt that him and i had roughly the same belief system and we had a few more things on common than the other rabbis. I found it challanging to understand Gabe (the orthodox rabbi) because i dont understand how one can only be Jewish if their mother is/was.
ReplyDeleteI most identified with the reform rabbi, because he shares most of my views about Judaism. The one who challenged me the most was Gabe, because of his extreme views the were totally foreign to me.
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