Honoring Tradition, Embracing Modernity A Reader for the Union for Reform Judaism s Introduction to Judaism Course Edited by Rabbi Beth Lieberman and Rabbi Hara Person
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Contents Acknowledgments Dear Learner xiii xv Unit I. Beginnings 1 What is Judaism? Who Are the Jewish People? 3 On the Jewish People, Rabbi Rachel Timoner 5 Jewish Religious Pluralism, Rabbi Joan S. Friedman 10 On the Jewish People, Rabbi Evan Moffic 19 A Statement of Principles for Reform Judaism, CCAR, Pittsburgh, 1999 21 Jewish Ethics and Values 27 Midrashic Thoughts, from Mishkan HaNefesh 29 On Our Humanity, Rabbi Denise Eger 33 On Our Humanity, Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs 35 On Our Humanity, Rabbi Judith Schindler 37 Not More Than My Place; Not Less Than My Space, Rabbi Laura Geller 42 Tzedakah, from Mishkan Moeid 47 Somebody s Child, Deborah Greene 50 Holiness, Mitzvot, and Justice in Jewish Time, Rabbi Jonah Pesner 52 Unit II. Creating a Jewish Life in Time 57 The Jewish Calendar and Shabbat 59 Source Texts 61 The Cycle of the Jewish Year, from Mishkan Moeid 63 The Jewish Calendar, Rabbi Alexander Guttmann 65 v
vi Honoring Tradition, Embracing Modernity The Possibilities of Shabbat, from Gates of Shabbat 69 M nuchah and M lachah: On Observing the Sabbath in Reform Judaism, Rabbi Mark Washofsky 71 The Possibilities of Shabbat: Questions and Answers, from Gates of Shabbat 75 Welcoming Shabbat, from Gates of Shabbat 79 Establishing Definitions for Work and Rest on Shabbat, from Gates of Shabbat 83 More Thoughts on the Meaning of Work and Rest, from Gates of Shabbat 85 Thirty-Six More Ways to Celebrate Shabbat, from Gates of Shabbat 92 The Yamim Noraim (High Holy Days): The Days of Awe 97 Source Texts 99 On S lichot, from Mishkan HaNefesh 101 Approaching the High Holy Days, Rabbi Elaine Zecher 103 Aseret Y mei T shuvah (The Ten Days of Repentance), from Mishkan Moeid 107 New Fruits and Old Crumbs for Rosh HaShanah, Ellen Zimmerman 109 Rosh HaShanah, from Mishkan Moeid 111 How to Harness the Healing Power of Forgiveness and Repentance, Aron Hirt-Manheimer 118 Shofar s Voice: A Poem for the High Holidays, Stacey Zisook Robinson 121 Yom Kippur, from Mishkan Moeid 122 Fasting on Yom Kippur, from Mishkan Moeid 128 Indulging the Physical?, Jane E. Herman 129 The Three Festivals (Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot), Chanukah, Purim, and More 131 Source Texts 133 The Pilgrimage Festivals (Shalosh R galim), from Mishkan Moeid 137 The Three Pilgrimage Festivals, Rabbi Joel Sisenwine 140 Sukkot (Including Sh mini Atzeret Simchat Torah), from Mishkan Moeid 141
Contents vii Dwelling in Safety on Sukkot: A Prayer for Refugees, Rabbi Michael Adam Latz 147 Pesach, from Mishkan Moeid 150 Passover Kashrut: A Reform Approach, Rabbi Mary L. Zamore 159 Next Year, May We All Be Free, Charlie Arnowitz 162 Counting the Omer, Rabbi A. Brian Stoller 164 Shavuot, from Mishkan Moeid 173 What Are the Numbers of Shavuot?, Ellen Zimmerman 176 Purim Source Texts 178 Purim, from Mishkan Moeid 179 An Adult Look at Purim, Rabbi Sari Laufer 182 Chanukah Source Texts 185 Chanukah, from Mishkan Moeid 187 Tu BiSh vat (Fifteenth of Sh vat), from Mishkan Moeid 192 The Festival of the Trees, Adam Fisher, from Seder Tu Bishevat 193 Tishah B Av (Ninth of Av), from Mishkan Moeid 198 Unit III. The Cycle of Jewish Life 199 Creating a Jewish Home and Life 201 Source Texts 203 The Jewish Home: From the Physical to the Spiritual, Rabbi Joui M. Hessel, RJE 205 Consecration of a House, from On the Doorposts of Your House 209 The People of the Food, Tina Wasserman 214 Eating Our Values, Rabbi Mary L. Zamore 218 Marriage, Partnership, and More 225 Source Texts 227 Reform Jewish Sexual Values, CCAR Ad Hoc Committee on Human Sexuality 228 Resolution on State Restrictions on Access to Reproductive Health Services, 119th CCAR Convention 233 Working Together to Create a Holy Context, Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener 241 The Ceremony / The Wedding Canopy, Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener 243 Circling, Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener 247 The Ketubah, Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener 250 Rings and Vows, Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener 252 vii
viii Honoring Tradition, Embracing Modernity The Wedding Address, the Sheva B rachot, and Breaking a Glass, Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener 256 What Weddings Can Teach Us about Community, Rabbi Larry Karol 259 Divorce and Remarriage, from Navigating the Journey 262 Mourning a Marriage, Rabbi Laura Geller 264 Birth and Raising Up the Next Generation, and the Wisdom of Adulthood 269 Source Texts 271 Birth and Childhood, from Navigating the Journey 272 Resolution Adopted by the CCAR: The Status of Children of Mixed Marriages 283 CCAR Responsa: 61. A Child Raised in Two Religious Traditions 287 Raising and Educating a Jewish Child, from Navigating the Journey 289 Go and Learn from Abraham and Sarah: Jewish Responses to Facing Infertility, Daniel Kirzane and Rabbi Julie Pelc Adler 295 Resolution Adopted by the CCAR: Jewish Genetic Diseases 304 CCAR Responsa: 16. When Is Abortion Permitted 307 On Our Humanity, Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell 312 Talmud Torah: A Lifelong Pursuit, from Navigating the Journey 317 Lech L cha, Go Forth: Aging as an Invitation to Gaining Wisdom, Rabbi Laura Geller 319 End of Life, Death, and Mourning 325 Source Texts 327 Death and Mourning, from Navigating the Journey 329 For the Mourner, from Mishkan T filah for the House of Mourning 332 Yizkor, from Mishkan Moeid 338 Organ Donation, from L Chol Z man V Eit 340 On Our Humanity, Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs 341 Unit IV. Creating a Jewish Theology 343 Different Understandings of God 345 Source Texts 347 On God, Rabbi Kenneth Chasen 349 Women and Contemporary Revelation, Ellen M. Umansky 351 On God, Rabbi Paul Kipnes 356 On the Jewish People, Rabbi Joshua Stanton 358
Contents ix On the Jewish People, Rabbi Bruce Kadden 359 On Holiness, from Mishkan HaNefesh 361 What Is a Mitzvah?, from Mishkan Moeid 365 On Halachah and Reform Judaism, Rabbi Mark Washofsky 377 On Our Humanity, Rabbi Micah Citrin 384 Our Role In the World, Rabbi Ariana Silverman 386 Where is the Spiritual Action? Rabbi Mike Comins 388 Jewish Faith, Rabbi Paul Citrin 392 The Synagogue 393 About the Sanctuary, Union Temple of Brooklyn 395 The Tallit, Rabbi Harvey J. Fields 396 Prayer 401 Source Texts 403 Jewish Music and Worship, Cantor Rosalie Boxt 407 The Order of Prayer, Rabbi Harvey J. Fields 414 Praying with Others, Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser 416 Building a Holy Network, Rabbi Evan Moffic 417 Communal Prayer, Rabbi Rachel S. Mikva 419 Creating New Prayers A Controversy: Old and New, Rabbi Harvey J. Fields 421 Sacred Texts 425 Source Texts 427 Jewish Sacred Texts Timeline 428 From The Torah and the Jewish People, Rabbi Bernard J. Bamberger 429 Women and Interpretation of Torah, Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss 440 Women and Post-biblical Commentary, Dr. Judith R. Baskin 443 Our Tree of Life, Rabbi Amy Scheinerman 453 Why Should Reform Jews Study Talmud? Rabbi Dvora E. Weisberg, PhD 460 Responsa, Rabbi Mark Washofsky 468 Unit V. The Jewish Story 469 The World of the Bible and the Rabbis and the Jewish World through the Enlightenment 471 Timeline of Jewish History 472
x Honoring Tradition, Embracing Modernity Four Exiles and Four Spiritual Revolutions, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman 474 Anti-Semitism and the Shoah (Holocaust) 489 Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), from Mishkan Moeid 491 Yom HaShoah, Rabbi Joel Sisenwine 492 The 614th Commandment, Rabbi Suzanne Singer 494 Love Letter to God, Rabbi Zoe Klein 497 Where God Dwells, Rabbi Andrew Vogel 500 Making Every Day a Blessing, Rabbi Kenneth Chasen 502 Israel and Zionism 505 Source Texts 507 Hatikvah 509 Prayer for the State of Israel 510 CCAR Resolution Condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Campaign against Israel 512 Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day), from Mishkan Moeid 516 Yom HaAtzma-ut (Israel Independence Day), from Mishkan Moeid 517 Restoring Tikkun Olam to Liberal Religious Zionist Activism, Rabbi Noa Sattath 519 The International Delegitimization Campaign against Israel and the Urgent Need of a Comprehensive, Two-State, End-of-Conflict Peace Agreement, John L. Rosove 526 The Tapestry of the Jewish People 545 How I Became a Reform Jew, Neshama Carlebach 547 Historical Reflections on 350 Years of American Jewish History, Rabbi Gary Phillip Zola 550 Denominations of American Judaism 566 1885 Pittsburgh Conference, CCAR 567 Reform Judaism A Centenary Perspective, CCAR, San Francisco, 1976 569 Unit VI. Creating a Jewish Journey A People and/or a Religion; My Jewish Journey; Next Steps and Siyum 575 Source Texts 577 Welcoming Converts, Rabbi Barry Block 579
Contents xi Peace at Home: The Virtue of Sh lom Bayit, from Mishkan HaNefesh 584 Questions You Might Be Asked by the Beit Din 587 Closing Note 589