Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.Meyer, Michael. Response to Modernity: A History of the Reform Movement in Judaism (New York, USA: Oxford University Press, 1988), viii. "Reform Judaism" refers to a "particular position on the contemporary Jewish religious spectrum represented by a broad consensus of beliefs and practices and a a set of integrated institutions. Note: in the remainder of his book Meyer is quite specific about where he uses the phrase "Reform Judaism"—it is used only in connection with the U.S. Reform (pp.227–334, 353–384) and UK Reform (p. 347) denominations. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the surrounding culture. Many branches of Reform Judaism hold that Jewish law should be interpreted as a set of general guidelines rather than as a list of restrictions whose literal observance is required of all Jews.ReligionFacts - Reform JudaismWhat is Reform Judaism? Similar movements that may also be called "Reform" include the Israeli Progressive Movement and its worldwide counterpart.
== Reform Judaism in North America ==
Reform Judaism is one of the two North American denominations affiliated with the World Union for Progressive Judaism. It is the largest denomination of American Jews today.Bob Abernathy, Reform Judaism, Public Broadcasting Service, May 1999.Matthew Wagner and Greer Fay-Cashman, Reform rabbis offended by Katsav, Jerusalem Post, June 2006. With an estimated 1.1 million members, it also accounts for the largest number of Jews affiliated with Progressive Judaism worldwide.
== Reform Judaism in Britain ==
UK Reform is one of two Progressive movements in the UK. For details on the relationship between the two progressive movements, see Progressive Judaism (United Kingdom).
== Progressive Judaism in Israel ==
After a failed attempt in the 1930s to start an Israeli movement, the World Union for Progressive Judaism tried again in the 1970s and created the movement now known as the Israeli Progressive Movement. Because the first rabbis in the 1970s were trained in the United States, the Israeli press and public often refers to the Israeli Progressive Movement as "Reform". 
== Reform movement in Judaism ==
Along with other forms of non-orthodox Judaism, the US Reform, 
UK Reform, and Israeli Progressive Movement can all trace their intellectual roots to the Reform movement in Judaism.Louis Jacobs, The Emergence of Modern Denominationalism I: Modernization and its discontents: the Jewish Enlightenment and the emergence of the Reform movement from The Jewish Religion: A Companion, Oxford University Press, 1995. ISBN 0198264631Louis Jacobs, The Emergence of Modern Denominationalism II: The development of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Judaism from The Jewish Religion: A Companion, Oxford University Press, 1995. ISBN 0198264631Meyer, Response to Modernity, viii Elements of Orthodoxy developed their cohesive identity in reaction to the Reform movement in Judaism.
Although North American Reform, UK Reform, and Israeli Progressive Judaism all share an intellectual heritage, they have taken places at different ends of the non-orthodox spectrum. The US Reform movement reflects the more radical end. The UK ReformURJ. "What is Progressive Judaism in Great Britain all about? What is it like to be Jewish in Great Britain? How is it different from being Jewish in North America? "Usenet FAQ. "How is Reform Judaism structured in the rest of the world?"Judaism 101:Movements of Judaism, and Progressive Israeli movements,IMPJ. "Progressive Judaism in Israel" along with the North American Conservative movement and 
Masorti Judaism, occupy the more conservative end of the non-orthodox Judaisms.
==See also==
*Beliefs and practices in Progressive Judaism, for more about the platforms of the different denominations of Reform Judaism
*Liberal Judaism
*Reform movement in Judaism 
*Progressive Judaism
*Cantor in Reform Judaism
*Reform Judaism (magazine)
== Footnotes ==
==External links==
*Reform Judaism FAQ
*Reform Judaism readinglist
*What is Reform/Progressive Judaism?
*World Union for Progressive Judaism
*Bluethread.com, an independent Reform Jewish website
Category:Reform Judaism
Category:Jewish history
Category:Judaism