Were you convinced by what Dr. Sarna had to say? Let us know!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Professor Sarna's Address
On Friday night, we heard from Professor Jonathan Sarna of Brandeis University, who spoke gave an address titled Contemporary Reform Judaism: An Historical Analysis.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Rabbi Kaplan speaks
On Sunday, January 27, Rabbi Dana Evans Kaplan, a pulpit rabbi and scholar from Albany, Georgia, kicked off the Weinstein Weekend and KAMII's examination of the Reform Jewish movement with a discussion about his book, THE BATTLE FOR THE FUTURE OF REFORM JUDAISM.
First, the talk was extremely well-attended, with upwards of 100 people there to listen, learn, and engage Rabbi Kaplan.
Rabbi Kaplan noted that America is awash with new religious movements, a trend that reveals that spiritual seeking is prevalent among Americans. He said that while this seeking may not be immediately apparent in temple life, it's an important piece of the American religious landscape. He positioned KAMII as, in some respects, a distinct contrast, given this community's (hyper)intellectual bent and its rational approach to religious tradition and community. But he stressed that this widespread spiritual seeking has triggered changes in the Reform movement, a move that has left many congregants uncomfortable with the increasingly prominent place of ritual and spirituality.
Rabbi Kaplan recalled the inception of the "classical reform movement" in the U.S., noting that the core principle of the 1885 Pittsburgh Platform was that the Reform Jewish approach to religion should be rational.
Rabbi Kaplan offered that the Reform movement needs a clear set of doctrines and a compelling theology to help shape decisions and practices -- without this, Reform Judaism becomes what Kaplan called a "mish-mosh," just a "bunch of opinions." Reform Judaism owes more to America than to Judaism, he said, and that has pros and cons for the movement and its adherents.
Before taking questions, Rabbi Kaplan closed with two observations/recommendations:
1) according to Rabbi Kaplan, we need to reconceive a Reform Judaism that is "both coherent and compelling": coherent in that it makes sense, and compelling in that it draws people.
2) the Reform movement must offer a theology and practice that is immediately understandable and emotionally relevant. (Rabbi Kaplan appeared to suggest that one group that has made itself immediately understandable and emotionally relevant is the chabad movement, by encouraging people to do "one mitzvah," "to wrap tefillin" -- and that that's enough, at least as a compelling (re)introduction to the tradition.)
In closing, a few questions in anticipation of the Weinstein Weekend:
Prepared by Tom Levinson
First, the talk was extremely well-attended, with upwards of 100 people there to listen, learn, and engage Rabbi Kaplan.
Rabbi Kaplan noted that America is awash with new religious movements, a trend that reveals that spiritual seeking is prevalent among Americans. He said that while this seeking may not be immediately apparent in temple life, it's an important piece of the American religious landscape. He positioned KAMII as, in some respects, a distinct contrast, given this community's (hyper)intellectual bent and its rational approach to religious tradition and community. But he stressed that this widespread spiritual seeking has triggered changes in the Reform movement, a move that has left many congregants uncomfortable with the increasingly prominent place of ritual and spirituality.
Rabbi Kaplan recalled the inception of the "classical reform movement" in the U.S., noting that the core principle of the 1885 Pittsburgh Platform was that the Reform Jewish approach to religion should be rational.
Rabbi Kaplan offered that the Reform movement needs a clear set of doctrines and a compelling theology to help shape decisions and practices -- without this, Reform Judaism becomes what Kaplan called a "mish-mosh," just a "bunch of opinions." Reform Judaism owes more to America than to Judaism, he said, and that has pros and cons for the movement and its adherents.
Before taking questions, Rabbi Kaplan closed with two observations/recommendations:
1) according to Rabbi Kaplan, we need to reconceive a Reform Judaism that is "both coherent and compelling": coherent in that it makes sense, and compelling in that it draws people.
2) the Reform movement must offer a theology and practice that is immediately understandable and emotionally relevant. (Rabbi Kaplan appeared to suggest that one group that has made itself immediately understandable and emotionally relevant is the chabad movement, by encouraging people to do "one mitzvah," "to wrap tefillin" -- and that that's enough, at least as a compelling (re)introduction to the tradition.)
In closing, a few questions in anticipation of the Weinstein Weekend:
- do you agree with Rabbi Kaplan that Reform Judaism devolves into a "mish-mosh" without a compelling, and generally uniform, theology?
- to grow, should the Reform movement stress its Americanness, attempt to reassert its Jewishness, or some combination? Are "Americanness" and "Jewishness" complementary concepts, or oppositional?
- Can Reform Judaism maintain its rational core while embracing a more emotional, spiritual side?
- How can Reform Judaism best make itself "both coherent and compelling"?
Prepared by Tom Levinson
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