Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism (also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism) is a major confessional division within Judaism, which emphasizes the evolving nature of the religion, the superiority of its ethical aspects compared to the ceremonial ones, and a belief in a continuous revelation not centered on the theophany at Mount Sinai. It is characterized by a lesser stress on ritual and personal observance, regarding Jewish Law as of basically non-binding nature, and great openness to external influences and progressive values. The origins of Reform Judaism lay in 19th-century Germany, where its early principles were formulated by Rabbi Abraham Geiger and his associates, and its greatest center today is in North America.

The various regional denominations sharing these beliefs, including the American Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the British Movement for Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism, are united within the international World Union for Progressive Judaism, founded in 1926. The WUPJ estimates it represents 1,800,000 people – 65,000 of whom are non-Reform Reconstructionists – both registered congregants and unaffiliated identifiers, 1,500,000 of them in URJ.

Union of Progressive Jews in Germany

The Union progressiver Juden in Deutschland (UPJ; "Union of Progressive Jews in Germany") is a registered association, founded in 1997 as the congregational arm of Liberal (also Progressive or Reform) Judaism in Germany. It is headed by Sonja Guentner and has around 4,500 members. It is an affiliate of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Rabbi Walter Homolka is the most senior rabbinic figure associated with the UPJ, and the Abraham-Geiger-Kolleg serves as rabbinical seminary since 1999.

Liberal – known internationally also as Reform or Progressive – Judaism has a long history in Germany. Abraham Geiger, Samuel Holdheim and the other great Reform rabbis considered founders of the movement led it in the mid-19th century. After the 1844-46 synods, the term "Liberal" substituted the formerly common "Reform" to denote the relative moderation maintained in communities which remained unified. Only the semi-independent, splinter Reform Congregation in Berlin followed a radical line. The Liberals did not formally consolidate as a denomination, but were rather a tendency within communal frameworks. Their focal point was the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums, their seminary. In 1898, Rabbi Heinemann Vogelstein was determined to counter conservative elements and formed a Liberal rabbinical association, Union of Liberal Rabbis. In 1908 a congregational arm followed, the Union for Liberal Judaism in Germany. These were founding members of the WUPJ in 1926. After World War II, the movement slowly recovered.

Reform Judaism (magazine)

Reform Judaism was the official magazine of the Union for Reform Judaism. Its print edition had a quarterly circulation to nearly 300,000 households, synagogues, and other Jewish institutions. The last issue was published in Fall 2014.

Awards and academic recognition

From time to time its articles have won awards or been listed in RAMBI, the index of articles on Jewish Studies:

References

External links