Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism, as the term is understood in North America, refers to the first modern branch of Judaism that originated in Germany in the 1800s. This liberalizing movement sought to reform and modernize Jewish belief and practice in light of contemporary scholarship and views, and followed German Jewish emigration to countries including The United States of America, where it is currently the largest branch of Judaism. Its principles include:

Jewish identity

Despite a 1973 Central Conference of American Rabbis resolution recommending otherwise, CCAR allows its rabbis to officiate at interreligious marriages. Recent surveys by the Rabbinic Center for Research and Counseling show that 40% of CCAR Reform rabbis now perform some form of intermarriages. This is an important consideration for many Reform Jews, since according to a recent survey, 53% of Reform Jews intermarry. However, the great majority of Reform rabbis will only officiate at intermarriages where both the Jewish and the non-Jewish spouse agree to maintain a Jewish home, and to raise the children as Jewish. It is not clear what the direct impact was of the 1973 decision, since years before the decision some Reform rabbis had already been officiating at intermarriages. It is in fact more likely that the 1973 decision was more a result of pressure from the greater reform laity than an actual philosophical evolution in reform doctrine.

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Some Jews, both Reform and otherwise, are uneasy about the demographic trend towards Jewish assimilation, which particularly affects the Reform movement (as illustrated by a recent comprehensive survey of the American Jewish population , although this was not conducted by scientists.)http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/WillYourGrandchildrenBeJews.htm Most, however, point to the huge fluctuations in Jewish population size throughout history, as evidence that the future of Judaism lies in God's hands alone; a Jew cannot enhance the future of Judaism by encouraging other Jews to have more Jewish children. Jews can only secure a Jewish future by obeying God.

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American and British Reform Judaism accept the child of one Jewish parent (father or mother) as Jewish if the parents raise the child as a Jew by Reform standards. Gentiles may serve on Temple committees, and may count as full members of the movement. "In many congregations...non-Jewish choristers and soloists have occupied positions which seemed to make them into shelichei tsibbur ." Various Reform teshuvot (e.g. "Gentile Participation in Synagogue Ritual 5754.5") offer non-binding guidance limiting the role of gentiles in Reform prayer service, but local lay and rabbinic leadership have no obligation to accept this recommendation. Thus, 88% of Reform Temples allow gentiles to be synagogue members if they are married to Jews; 87% of Reform Temples allow gentiles to serve on synagogue committees, 22% of Reform Temples allow gentiles to have an aliyah to the Torah. .

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In contrast, some other branches of Reform/Progressive Judaism reject patrilineal descent and intermarriage, and do not allow gentiles to lead prayers in Jewish prayer services, have an aliyah, or count as synagogue members.

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A recent trend is an increase in the number of Reform congregations that are accepting of openly gay and lesbian members and clergy.

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