This is the Forward’s coverage of Reform Judaism, a major liberal Jewish denomination.
Reform Judaism
The Latest
-
Culture Modern Judaism’s Approach To Sex Is Still Creepy And Medieval
I had sex for the first time at a Jewish youth program. It was a positive experience for me, like having an elective surgery performed by a newly licensed family friend and waking up afterward to find that all your limbs still work. I am sure there are as many people who give up their…
-
Fast Forward Southern Poverty Law Center Leaves National Women’s March
(JTA) — The Southern Poverty Law Center and a major Reform synagogue in New York have disassociated themselves from this year’s Women’s March. Top leaders of the main organization have been accused of engaging in or condoning anti-Semitism, of not cutting ties with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and of failing to heed the…
-
News Baltimore Rabbi Expelled By Reform Rabbinic Group Amid Sex Misconduct Probe
The former senior rabbi of a historic Reform synagogue in Baltimore has been expelled by the movement’s rabbinical association two months after being fired by the board for over unspecified allegations of the movement’s ethical code, Rabbi Steven Fink was fired in October after the members of Temple Oheb Shalom, a large, 165-year-old community, voted…
-
Fast Forward Reform Movement’s Kutz Camp, Incubator For Teen Leaders, Is Shutting Down
(JTA) — Kutz Camp, the Union for Reform Judaism summer camp for teens and an incubator for modern spiritual Jewish folk music, is closing. URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacob made the announcement in a statement Wednesday, citing competition from other programs. The camp celebrated its 50th anniversary on July 4, 2015. The summer 2019 session will…
-
News Is The Temple Sisterhood Over? Or Reinventing Itself?
Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, in Lancaster, PA, is one of the oldest continually operating congregations in North America. Its cemetery has graves from the colonial period. Its sisterhood was founded in 1894. But when that sisterhood decided a couple years ago to try to attract younger members, they changed their name — the Temple Sisterhood became…
-
Fast Forward Reform Movement’s Rabbinical Group Appoints First Female Leader
NEW YORK (JTA) — The Reform movement’s rabbinical wing has appointed Rabbi Hara Person as its first female chief executive. The Central Conference of American Rabbis, which represents 2,100 Reform rabbis around the world, made the announcement on Thursday. Person succeeds Rabbi Steven Fox, who is retiring in June after 13 years as CEO. With…
-
Fast Forward Rabbi Races Into Temple To Rescue Torahs From Raging California Wildfire
Despite fires raging in the distance, a Southern California rabbi ran into his synagogue to rescue its Torahs. Temple Adat Elohim, a Reform synagogue in Thousand Oaks, sits in the path of two fires, Hill and Woolsey. Rabbi Barry Diamond and President Sandy Greenstein made it to the synagogue before mandatory evacuations to save the…
-
Fast Forward Jewish Groups Helped To Pass Florida Amendment Allowing Felons To Vote
WASHINGTON (JTA) — An amendment to Florida’s constitution that would restore voting rights for felons passed Tuesday with the help of Jewish groups that campaigned for the measure. Amendment 4 won 64 percent of the vote, passing the needed 60 percent threshold for passage. A number of Florida branches of Jewish groups, including the Reform…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Opinion Outrage over Nicholas Kristof’s op-ed on sexual assault of Palestinians is missing the point
- 2
Culture At Eurovision, Israel’s near triumph shows the limits of tolerance
- 3
Opinion The profound internal contradiction that could spell doom for Hillel
- 4
Opinion I run The Jewish Theological Seminary. Here’s the real story about President Isaac Herzog speaking at our commencement
In Case You Missed It
-
Art This Jewish artist hadn’t painted in more than 5 decades. Then came Oct. 7.
-
Opinion How can I explain to my 93-year-old mother why it suddenly seems ok to hate Jews?
-
Looking Forward The bizarre antisemitic book that taught me to better understand Judaism
-
Music For Bob Dylan’s 85th birthday, an 85-minute playlist