Our Jewish Perspective

Reconstructionism is the fourth movement in the contemporary Jewish world. The question I am asked most often is where does it fit on the Jewish spectrum: Is it between Conservative and Reform? Is it below Reform? Read on and you might understand why I say it defies placement on that kind of scale.

Originally, the goal of the teachings and writings of Mordecai Kaplan z"l (1881-1983) was to look at the Jewish community differently in order to bring about a more unified community. Similarly, he wanted to reinvigorate Jewish living, connection and identity. He focused on finding ways to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation. These reflections encouraged his students at the Jewish Theological Seminary (the ordaining body of the Conservative movement) to start another branch of Judaism; they credit Kaplan as the father of Reconstructionism.

Kaplan saw Judaism as a civilization, observing that being Jewish involves all aspects of life: art, music, history, language, food, ritual and philosophy. He emphasized that Judaism was indeed an evolving religious civilization. It is religious because all of this is reflected through the lens of Jewish practice and belief. It is evolving because Judaism has always had the wisdom and flexibility to adapt to each time and place where Jews have found themselves living. He credits this as what has supported Judaism's amazing ability to survive; that this empowers us to follow in our ancestors' footsteps and reconstruct Judaism so that it has meaning and relevance for today. For instance, Reconstructionist communities have developed new rituals based on tradition to honor lifecycles and moments that were not previously honored (e.g. the bat mitzvah, covenant ceremonies for baby girls, commitment ceremonies, weaning rituals, grieving the loss of a pet, turning 50, etc.) Through these new traditions, Judaism has expanded to meet the needs of Jews today.

Though Kaplan had a set of particular beliefs about God and Torah that have influenced many Reconstructionists, it was his ideas about process and growth that have attracted many of our current members at CBH. At Bet Haverim we embrace the Reconstructionist principals of pluralism, egalitarianism, and democracy.

We are pluralistic because we recognize that what binds Jews is rarely dogma or complete systems of beliefs. Even when we, as Jews, share common beliefs (as many of us do at CBH) we don't always practice our Judaism in the same way. So what does bring us together is our shared sense of peoplehood-a common history and shared destiny. In order to live this vision, we work hard to incorporate room for differing beliefs about God, Jewish practice and political views.

We are egalitarian because we recognize the need for Judaism to be accessible to all and to empower people to take responsibility for living meaningful Jewish lives. This has meant reconstructing Judaism to enable women, gays and lesbians, Jews of color, people with disabilities, transgendered people, and Jews of different classes to participate and contribute fully within the synagogue.

The value of democracy furthers this by giving people a voice and encouraging an informed congregation, guided by its rabbi, to make decisions for its present and future. It reimagines the role of rabbi, not as the authority over the congregation, but as a facilitator who educates and helps shape the conversations and decisions.

We also value the humanism that both egalitarianism and democracy bring. We recognize that people are at the center of the endeavor of Judaism. We work hard to develop a close knit sense of community and responsibility for each other and our society. We believe the fulfillment of Judaism is a society free of oppression where there is a mutual care for all and the earth, though we may differ in the ways it can be achieved.

Therefore, while many Reconstructionist congregations share similarities in process, differences in outcome through contrasting choices and priorities make it challenging to place Reconstructionism on a Jewish spectrum. At CBH, we take our Judaism seriously in that we want it relevant and meaningful. Because we value ritual and practice, we try to enhance it, not erase it. We are informed by Torah, but not without reason and logic. Also, we value the whole of Jewish civilization. We draw richness from Ashkenazi, Sephardic, and Mizrachi (Middle Eastern Jewry) traditions as we honor a global Jewish experience and heritage. For many of us belonging to a Reconstructionist synagogue is a deeply personal expression of living jewishly with dignity and with appropriate respect for all living things.

For more information about Reconstructionism, check out www.jrf.org and the book Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach by Rebecca Alpert and Jacob Staub.