#reform judaism

[the-catboy-minyan]

due to a certain asshole spewing bullshit in spacelazarwolf's notes, I wanna emphasize something:

YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW HEBREW TO BE JEWISH

YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEARN HEBREW TO BE JEWISH

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WANT TO LEARN HEBREW TO BE JEWISH

the only thing you need to be Jewish is to be Jewish. a Jew is a Jew.

(this message does not include messianic jews)

#jumblr #judaism #jewish #jewish positivity #diaspora jews #jewish converts #patrilineal jews #reform judaism #conservative judaism #orthodox judaism #secular jews #all of them are fucking Jews regardless of what languages they speak #I can't believe I have to say this in 5784 #gatekeepers are not welcome on my blog ☺️

[emotboyswag]

Closet antisemites/racists love bringing up that the swastika is a Buddhist peace symbol (as if they give a shit about buddhism) like yeah it is but the skinhead white guy with a swastika tattoo isn't a Buddhist and the edgy teenagers who painted a swastika on a wall aren't Buddhists and you need to use the tiniest dash of critical thinking and common sense.

In a Buddhist temple its a peace symbol, scratched on some guys house its a hate symbol . And stop telling Jews they are being dramatic or chronically online for being upset/disturbed/scared or annoyed by swastikas!!

#jewish #jew #jews #orthodox judaism #reform judaism #jews and judaism #judaism #jumblr #judaica #antisemitism #antisemitic

[saharathorn]

#reform judaism #Jewish #Judaism #lmao

[my-jewish-life]

We all need to take a break from social media with everything going on atm, stay safe everyone✨️

Credit to sefiracreative ✨️

#converting to judaism #ftm jewish #reform judaism #judaism #transguy #queer jews #trans jews #stay safe everyone #jewish

[gay-jewish-bucky]

As a disabled and chronically ill person "Thank You G-d, who has made me in Your image." is infinitely more affirming and comforting for me than the variation that goes, "...who has made me according to Your will."

It's not that G-d intentionally gave me a body that causes me to suffer because They will it to fulfil some greater purpose.

It's that my body, even as sick and weathered as it is, is a living breathing reflection of the Divine.

Reminding me that my disabled and chronically ill body is sacred too.

#jumblr #jewish #judaism #disability #actually disabled #reform judaism

[babka-enjoyer]

A YouTube video just dropped explaining the evolution of Jewish "denominations" (movements) from the Bible times until now. It's fairly American-centric once you get to modern time but still useful.

#jumblr #jewish convert #judaism #reform judaism #conservative judaism #orthodox judaism #Youtube

[hindahoney]

To the Reform Jewish community:

I think I have some misconceptions about the reform community. I think I'm wrong about how I perceive reform Jews and their level of observance, and I want to be educated.

The things I'm going to say are going to be pretty harsh, but I promise I say them so you can understand where I'm coming from, my experience with the Reform movement, and that I want to learn because I see some problems with my thinking. My background and experiences are primarily with the conservative movement, modern orthodox, and Chabad. It's no secret that within these communities, reform Jews get a pretty bad reputation (I want to stress: Not everyone in these movements says/believes these things, but it's common to hear) To the more right-wing side of Judaism, reform Jews are seen as assimilated Jews, "Jewish only in the name" I've heard. I'm told about how reform Jews widely don't keep kosher, often don't have mezuzot, don't pray, don't lay tefillin, don't keep shabbat except making a dinner every now and then. I'm told, and given the impression, that reform Jews have a loose relationship with their Judaism and misunderstand our core texts which leads to misunderstandings and demonization of Jews who do (ie "Orthodox Women are oppressed").

I don't have very much experience with Reform Judaism (which is likely where my ignorance comes from), and I understand that there are Reform Jews who may keep kosher, or may keep Shabbat, but I think my misunderstanding of what makes someone reform is their level of observance. To me, if I encountered a Jew who grew up Orthodox but now no longer kept kosher, kept shabbat, threw out the tzitzit and doesn't lay teffilin, I'd say he's no longer orthodox and he's reform.

Is this where my misunderstanding is coming from? Is it the shul you go to? I just can't imagine seeing a man with tzitzit in a Reform shul. Are you taught that there are observances you no longer need to keep?

I have a pretty decent-sized Reform following, so I've heard from you about how it's offensive and painful when people assume a lack of observance, and that that's not what it means to be reform. I want to be educated, and I want to listen. At the same time, I can't ignore the instances I was in a reform-dominated space and they told me themselves "Oh yeah reform Jews don't keep kosher, it's not important," or about how they work on Shabbat, and then I notice they don't know Hamotzi or the Birkat.

I see the divide between movements and it feels like we can't reach across the aisle to understand each other. Ring-wing Jews are mad at left-wing Jews for not maintaining important traditions, but mainly they are mad at reform rabbis because they see the loss of tradition as the fault of the community leader, that the community would choose to uphold more traditions if they were educated on it, which is the responsibility of the rabbi. Reform jews are mad at right-wing Jews because, let's be honest, right-wing Jews are constantly talking trash and have a belief that they are "better" Jews for being more observant. But I think reform Jews don't really understand some practices, or they aren't taught about them right, because a large portion of dialogue I've had with reform Jews has been me having to field accusations and speak for the movement about how right-wing Jews aren't all sexist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. and neither are the practices. So I think this also plays a large part in why Reform Jews have a problem with Jews from other movements, because they believe we're closed-minded.

I think these hard conversations need to be had so that we can come away understanding each other. I want Judaism to move past the need for movements, which I think we are, because part of me believes they do more harm than good and people never feel like they quite "fit" certain movements. I just hope that these conversations can be had in good faith.

#jumblr #frumblr #judaism #jewblr #reform judaism #reform jews #j tag #jew tag #jewish discourse #jewish culture #goyim dont touch

[jewishautism]

I love Judaism more than I could EVER have the words for it. I stood in my synagogue and I was surrounded by friends, old and young. I saw my favorite person there. Saw people who haven't been to shul in a while. I got to meet new people. I got to sing V'shamru with everyone. I got to hear us laugh and giggle as we messed up the clapping beat. And my Rabbi stayed a little too long on the "Vah" sound so that we all of us laughed together. I love it. I love to see how much the community works together and wants our temple to last.

My Rabbi talked about the Torah portion and the up coming High Holidays. She talked about how we have to take the time to change and to get become a better person. This is our duty as humans. To quote something, she said, "We have obligations to other people, as they have obligations to us." We get better for ourselves and others around us. It's something we take on. To make the world a better place. I had a conversation with someone from shul at pride, and she said, "I think that's our job as Jews, to make this world a better place than it was when we were brought into it" And I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about that.

I am so early into my journey, but I have never felt so certain about something in my life than when I knew I was queer. This is my family. This is my community. Where I meant to be. I looked around as the toddlers ran around. At my new friends. At all, the recurring faces. At some new ones. At the people who I've started love with all my heart. At the faces of the future and so much past, we are bringing with us.

I nearly cried as I realized that is where I want to be. This is where I choose my life. My new Star of David charm, I just got that night, in my pocket, but not a new love in my soul. Just one that was confirmed.

We will forever be in Egypt because there is still so much to do. We have to join hands and march together. This is my home and my family. These are the people I want to be with as I march on to make this world a better place, and I make myself better, too. I am obligated to them. As they are obligated to me. This is something I am willing to carry and I want to carry. I will be hand in hand with ones I love as my soul guides me down this journey.

#my writing #jaymes sings #jumblr #judaism #jewish convert #jewish conversion #jew by choice #reform judaism

[applesauce42069]

I remember being a kid at (reform) hebrew school and being told not to talk about halloween.

but now i teach (reform) hebrew school and I asked my kids what they were dressing up as. when some of them started to talk about celebrating christmas, i didn't tell them to be quiet. I told them that I celebrate christmas too - some people do, some people don't, and thats okay.

because the last thing i want to do is create a dissonance between their judaism and their jewish community and their lived experiences. my job is not to make these kids jewish - they already are. my job is to help shape and form what their relationship to their judaism will be like, what knowledge and experiences they will have. i want them to know above all that they belong, and that they are jews no matter what, that there is not necessarily a "right" way to connect with their ethnicity and culture.

#judaism #reform judaism #jewish and proud #ramblings

[monath]

is it possible that the reform movement in the US is different than in the rest of the world?

US reform jews usually have a reputation that they do not keep kosher, don't go to shul, don't keep shabbat and are "lazy jews" (which i don't agree with, everyone should live their religion how they want to without being insulted or called lazy)

but is it true that american reform jews are less observant than reform jews in other countries? i'm just curious since i've come across statements like these a few times before

#jewblr #jumblr #jewish #reform #reform judaism #judaism

[rudegoose]

currently googling “how to survive thanksgiving dinner with my dad’s polish-jewish family and my mom’s italian (sicilian)-catholic family”

#thanksgiving #italy #italia #italiano #italian #polish #poland #catholic #catholiscism #polska #sicily #sicilian #jew #jewish #judaism #reform judaism #y’all help #there’s no way i’m surviving this #let the drama begin #i’m just here to kvetch with my oldest cousin #roman catholic

[emotboyswag]

Drama going down in the tik tok orthodox jewish swiftie community

#jewish memes #jewish #jew #reform judaism #orthodox judaism #orthodox #judaism #taylor swift #taylor #swift #swifties #swifty #swifttok #stuff i said

[my-jewish-life]

Happy Transgender Day of Visibility everyone! You are loved, you are awesome and you are perfect🏳️‍⚧️

#converting to judaism #judaism #reform judaism #ftm jewish #queer jews #trans jews #transguy #transgender #jewish #transgender day of visibility #trans rights #trans rights are human rights #nonbinary jewish #trans joy #nonbinary joy

[gay-jewish-bucky]

The CCAR Worship and Practices Committee felt that bet mitzvah best reflected our determinants of inclusivity, honoring Hebrew, and using familiar or existing language.

Importantly, we do not intend for this term to replace “bar mitzvah” and “bat mitzvah” but rather to be an additional, inclusive option for families and youths. While “bet mitzvah” will be our default general term in CCAR materials, we hope that each student will be encouraged to choose the term that’s most meaningful to them.

#jumblr #jewish #judaism #trans jews #trans and jewish #jewish and trans #lgbt jews #reform judaism #ccar #central conference of american rabbis

[moonlightandmarble]

#jumblr #judaism #the one thing we all pretty much agree on #reform judaism #shout out to my carrot throwing homies

[stary-night]

A question for primarily Reform/Reconstructionist Jews of Tumblr, though I'd love input from Jews of any denomination:

I'm a patrilineal Jew. I was raised/went to Hebrew school (from ages 6 to 12) at a Reconstructionist/Jewish Renewal synagogue, which is where I had my Bat Mitzvah. My mother converted to Reform Judaism when I was young (around 4). I know that for many Conservative synagogues I would not be considered fully Jewish without converting.

If I were to have a kid someday, could I raise them Reform or Reconstructionist Jewish and would they be able to have a Bnai Mitzvah at a synagogue of one of those denominations?

I don't really know if I want to have kids but I'd like to carry on my Jewish heritage if I do and I kinda want to know what my options would be if I don't end up having the time to commit to officially convert.

Also for reference, I do not currently attend my synagogue, however I celebrate most of the Jewish holidays with my family.

#jumblr #jewish tumblr #reform judaism #reform jewish #reconstructionist jewish #reconstructionist judaism #religious stuff #Judaism #jewish #also like I would totally be fine with raising kids jewish renewal but I know it's more rare than Reform and I don't know where I'll live