Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea
Reform Judaism
Ephraim Ben Noach:
Would you go to a Reform Synagogue, if that was your only option? Or would you just pray at home, and study online?
muman613:
It depends on the people and the Rabbi... I have explained my experience with a reform synagogue. I do not recommend it but my experience is not as bad as others have described. The reform synagogue does hold services which mimik the Siddur/Order of the Orthodox services. They say the same blessings like Shema, Kaddish, and Shemonie Esrie {but they add the names of the matriarchs which are not a part of the original prayers}. The synagogue I attended also held Torah readings on Shabbat but they do not keep the Orthodox laws concerning who is counted in a minyan {Only men older than 13 years old} and they even allow non-Jews to be called up for aliyahs.
In my experience the main difference has to do with keeping the commandments. The Reform will read about the commandments and look for ethical ideas without actually trying to keep them. They do not keep Kashrut, they drive on Shabbat, and they count anyone who thinks they are Jewish in the minyan {even if they are not}.
I have not heard the far out claims that they support Homosexual marriage {not the reform synagogue I know}... The synagogue I am talking about is not actually Reform as it does not belong the the reform movement, it is actually called an unaffiliated/progressive synagogue...
I agree that if you are looking for genuine Jewish religion do not go to the Reform. But if you realize what it is beforehand you may be able to separate out the good from the bad {difficult if you don't know where to start}.
Ephraim Ben Noach:
--- Quote from: Dan Ben Noah on January 23, 2012, 10:30:22 PM ---I'd say stay home and do prayers on your own and study online. Otherwise you're going to have to unlearn everything they taught you at the Deform shul. There are Orthodox Jews in this same situation and it is permitted to do your prayers at home. I have visited a Deform shul before but that was just to observe what goes on there, not as part of a religious practice. These are people that make as big a deal out of MLK day as they do Passover and have a tradition of ordering Chinese food on Christmas. Deform Judaism is not Judaism, it's atheism in drag.
--- End quote ---
Thank you Dan
Ephraim Ben Noach:
--- Quote from: muman613 on January 23, 2012, 10:40:17 PM ---It depends on the people and the Rabbi... I have explained my experience with a reform synagogue. I do not recommend it but my experience is not as bad as others have described. The reform synagogue does hold services which mimik the Siddur/Order of the Orthodox services. They say the same blessings like Shema, Kaddish, and Shemonie Esrie {but they add the names of the matriarchs which are not a part of the original prayers}. The synagogue I attended also held Torah readings on Shabbat but they do not keep the Orthodox laws concerning who is counted in a minyan {Only men older than 13 years old} and they even allow non-Jews to be called up for aliyahs.
In my experience the main difference has to do with keeping the commandments. The Reform will read about the commandments and look for ethical ideas without actually trying to keep them. They do not keep Kashrut, they drive on Shabbat, and they count anyone who thinks they are Jewish in the minyan {even if they are not}.
I have not heard the far out claims that they support Homosexual marriage {not the reform synagogue I know}... The synagogue I am talking about is not actually Reform as it does not belong the the reform movement, it is actually called an unaffiliated/progressive synagogue...
I agree that if you are looking for genuine Jewish religion do not go to the Reform. But if you realize what it is beforehand you may be able to separate out the good from the bad {difficult if you don't know where to start}.
--- End quote ---
Thanks Muman! I'm trying Hard, but there is so much to learn!
muman613:
--- Quote from: Dan Ben Noah on January 23, 2012, 10:55:15 PM ---That sounds more like a Conservative synagogue. In a Reform synagogue they cut HUGE parts out of the siddur, it takes less than a half hour to get through the prayer service.
I am not saying that no one should ever visit one, but if you don't know much about Judaism you can get a lot of false knowledge/impressions that you will have to unlearn if you want to authentically pursue Judaism.
--- End quote ---
I agree with you.... The progressive synagogue which i know does not subscribe to the reform movement thus I may be wrong about what reform does...
I do go to this synagogue at times when I need to use their sukkot {during the years I have not had time to build one} and I sometimes go on Chanukah to attend the candle lighting....
I would recommend sticking with Chabad though.... Except for me the local synagogue is only five minutes from my house and Chabad is a bit farther...
Chabad is a more fulfilling experience any way...
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