Reform Judaism was founded in Germany in the early 19th century, as a result of the Emancipation that brought Jews out of the ghetto and gave them equal rights. The first Reform synagogue was founded in Seesen, Germany, in 1810, and in the United States, it was founded in Charleston in 1836.

From its beginnings, classical Reform Judaism eliminated the mandatory observance of the commandments. It views Judaism as a constantly evolving revelation, where its ethical aspects are more important than its rituals. It places greater importance on its members having a personal spiritual experience than on adhering to a set of established beliefs and rites. Reform Jews engage in dialogue with tradition, listen to it, and then practice their Judaism in their own way. This highly individualistic stance resulted in a lack of clear principles governing the general conduct of its members, which allowed for a great diversity of rituals in their temples.

They introduced unison prayer in the country’s language, the use of the organ and a choir, weekly sermons, the attire of the rabbi and the chazzan that imitated Christian pastors, and encouraged Friday night services to allow their members to continue with their work on the Sabbath. They consider the teachings of the biblical prophets to be central to Judaism, so Tikkun Olam, the betterment of the world, is central to their community activity. They rejected the concept of Judaism as a people and considered themselves citizens of the Jewish religion, thus opposing the Zionist movement.

In the wake of the tragedy of the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel, the situation of Soviet Jewry at the time, and especially the effect that the Six-Day War had on the entire Jewish world, the movement changed. The new Reform Judaism now accepts that they are part of a global Jewish community, and therefore participates in and supports Israel in all areas. They also propose a «return to tradition,» reintroducing customs that held sentimental value, such as the Bar Mitzvah ceremony or using more Hebrew in prayer, although their members and congregations have the final say. They promote complete equality in terms of gender and sexual preference. Their Outreach program seeks to attract mixed marriages, with the goal of integrating non-Jewish couples. In 1983, they recognized that Judaism could be transmitted through both the mother and the father, as long as the children receive a Jewish education. Their pluralistic stance attracted new members, making it the largest Jewish movement in the United States.

In 1999, they adopted the «Declaration of Principles of Reform Judaism» in Pittsburgh, which was approved after heated discussion among delegates. Even so, each community and each member of Reform Judaism is free to follow these principles or not. The recommendations of the governing bodies of the Reform movement are not binding. Eugene Borowitz tells us: “Reform Jews can choose for themselves not only what they believe but also how they should act as Jews. This freedom of choice is unusual in religion, because most religions emphasize discipline and obedience.” In the Reform movement, everyone can design their own Judaism like a custom-made suit.

By Marcos Gojman

Bibliography: Explaining Reform Judaism, by Eugene B. Borowitz and Naomi Patz, and other sources.