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Last update - 11:14 03/01/2008 When we are all Jews by choice By Daniel Freelander Tags: Reform Judaism Leaders of North American Reform Jewry have long recognized that changes in Jewish behavior cannot be legislated. We are seeing, however, that a slow, intentional effort to inspire change on the personal and congregational level can redirect American Jewry. More than 40 percent of all American Jews who join a synagogue are affiliated with a congregation belonging to the Union for Reform Judaism, North America's largest Jewish denomination, with more than 900 congregations and 1 million members. Changing the quality of members' Jewish lives is like moving a huge ship. It doesn't move quickly, but it does move definitively. Four significant studies commissioned recently by the union inform our planning. The results offer hope and direction, revealing two positive shifts, and two areas that require immediate attention. Advertisement The good news: The Reform Movement's policy of encouraging non-Jewish spouses to participate fully in synagogue life, and eliminating barriers toward conversion, has had startling results. Forty-nine percent of the children enrolled in congregational schools have one parent who was not born Jewish, yet all are being raised as Jews. Their parents' Jewish practices do not diverge in any significant way from those of other American Reform Jewish families. Interestingly, the ritual activity of families where one partner has converted far exceeds that of in-married families. The rising appeal of Jewish ritual and spirituality, evidenced by the contents of the new Reform siddur, "Mishkan T'filah," is documented in surveys the union conducted over the past decade. For example, in 2001, 32 percent of those attending the union's biennial convention said they light Shabbat candles weekly; this year, 55 percent reported doing so. A new initiative announced by URJ President Rabbi Eric Yoffie urges Reform leaders to refocus attention on Shabbat morning congregational prayer, just as we renewed Erev Shabbat worship over the past decade. Our concern is that when the focus of Saturday morning worship becomes the bar mitzvah celebrant, regular worshipers cease attending, resulting in sanctuaries filled with visitors, but few congregants. Another 2007 survey of more than 12,000 people confirmed that the full yet contemporary Shabbat observance in our camps and youth programs has influenced later-in-life observance; far more young people are celebrating Shabbat. Young Reform Jews are comfortable with public expressions of their Judaism. The challenges: Our challenges include engaging families in Jewish communal life, so they build a lifelong commitment to synagogue affiliation. Fifty percent of religious school students end their formal Jewish education with their bar mitzvah, even though virtually all congregations offer excellent Jewish educational programs through grades 10 or 12. Many parents drop their synagogue affiliation soon after the last child graduates high school. The study shows that almost 60 percent of former members said they dropped their affiliation because they "were able to be Jewish without the congregation." Though our synagogues succeed at delivering explicitly targeted services (education, life-cycle events), we lag at engaging each member in long-term communal Jewish life. Leaders perceive their congregations to be far warmer and more welcoming than visitors and new members do. They often do not understand that many of today's new members are looking for connection and community. Jews who feel needed and involved in a community are far less likely to view their continued membership as "discretionary." Involvement breeds commitment. Our new challenge is to focus on creating a culture of welcomeness, and forging Jewish social, spiritual and intellectual connections for each and every member. Regarding Israel, we have come far in strengthening our relationship, yet engagement is still not what it should be. There is no better way to teach a connection to Israel than actually going to Israel. Hence, we have committed to a renewed effort to make sure every Reform student personally spends time in Israel during his/her high school or college years. Movement-run short-term programs will hopefully lead to longer stays later on. A young person who directly experiences and engages with Israel is far more likely to remain committed to the Jewish state - and to Judaism itself - in adult life. Engaging these children's parents in an Israel experience would be an ideal way to complete this connection for the family as a whole. For its first hundred years, American Reform Judaism was concerned with preserving Judaism by helping Jews find compatibility between Judaism and Americanism. It succeeded. Now we must help our members live up to their Jewish potential - of Torah, avodah and gemilut hasadim - in ways that are uniquely American and unequivocally Jewish. All American Jews are Jews by choice; all religious behavior is voluntary. Encouraging Jews to make Jewish choices is our highest goal and mission. The choices we make will define the direction of our ship - North American Reform Jewry - for the foreseeable future. Rabbi Daniel Freelander is the vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism. More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us   A second visit? Peres invites Bush to visit Israel in May for Independence Day. After Iowa Is there room for both McCain and Giuliani's campaigns?   1.   I Just Woke Up From This Terrific Dream 13:44  |  Yosemite 28/12/07   2.   American Jews are Jews by Birth 14:43  |  Johnny Weintraub 28/12/07   3.   Abandon Zionism and supporting Rqcist Isarael 15:15  |  Mike the American 28/12/07   4.   STOP CRYING OUT 15:18  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   5.   between FAITH and LIES...YOU CANT REFORM JUDAISM ! 15:19  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   6.   WE CAN JUST LET YOU TALK AGAINST TO THE FAITH ! 15:21  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   7.   THE SCARS OF THE ONGOING CHARACTER ! 15:23  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   8.   YOU CANT SAVE JUDAISM BY REFORMING IT ! 15:26  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   9.   - of Torah, avodah and gemilut hasadim - 15:31  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   10.   JOIN ISLAM, PLEASE 15:33  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   11.   And they all support israel`s Illegal Presence in land 15:39  |  lakshmi 28/12/07   12.   OHHH HOW SAD ! 15:49  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 28/12/07   13.   Interesting 15:51  |  LisaV 28/12/07   14.   AM I HERE BY MY CHOSE ? 15:51  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   15.   Choice or Consequences 16:00  |  JK 28/12/07   16.   WHY YOU LET ME TALK, ALWAYS ? 16:00  |  ... 28/12/07   17.   SEX, ALCAHOL....WELLCOME TO MY OWN RELIGION 16:04  |  ... 28/12/07   18.   RABBI ! OLD MAN...DONT SLEEP...publish...publish 16:06  |  .... 28/12/07   19.   If are the rabbi as you claim 16:21  |  Gene 28/12/07   20.   LAY LAY LAY LOM 16:24  |  :) 28/12/07   21.   RABBIE ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU, PRESIDENT OF ALL ZIONISTS 16:25  |  :) 28/12/07   22.   human brain is interesting, I am looking at myself.... 16:28  |  ... 28/12/07   23.   I cant open Israelinsider web, anymore 16:32  |  ... 28/12/07   24.   I got headache by writing. sorry but I must leave 16:34  |  see you monday 28/12/07   25.   # 1 Michael Richards is NOT Jewish, by the way. 16:49  |  The Equalizer 28/12/07   26.   A step in the right direction 17:15  |  Danite 28/12/07   27.   The Reformer vs. the Imitator 17:31  |  Tosefta 28/12/07   28.   Thank God it`s Shabbat (Sabbatrh) 18:10  |  Yonatan 28/12/07   29.   What a load of baloney 18:23  |  Haredi 28/12/07   30.   ahh haaretz haaretz ! 18:30  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 28/12/07   31.   dearest haaretz :) 18:35  |  forgive me 28/12/07   32.   GODLESS COMMUNIST HAARETZ 18:36  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 28/12/07   33.   I LOVE YOU, ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 18:38  |  Miss Tali Farkash 28/12/07   34.   mike the american: your idiotic dishonest anti-`zionism` crap 20:14  |  Steve Randolph 28/12/07   35.   Tosefta, fine but....to be fair 20:47  |  Uday 28/12/07   36.   #7 JK - what self-hatred? 20:47  |  Rick 28/12/07   37.   #7 JK Addendum - where is bigotry? look in mirror. 20:54  |  Rick 28/12/07   38.   Very Good article, life-long affiliation to Judaism is vital 21:17  |  Smadar 28/12/07   39.   It is difficult to argue with success (Uday #16) 22:33  |  Tosefta 28/12/07   40.   #3 Mike..the American? 22:48  |  sel 28/12/07   41.   I LOVE TALİ KARAGÖZOĞLU 23:13  |  haretz boy 28/12/07   42.   Reform Youth spending quality time in Israel 20:56  |  Alex 29/12/07   43.   Reform Youth spending quality time in Israel 21:17  |  Alex 29/12/07   44.   We need to reciprocate 23:41  |  Joseph 03/01/08

Today Online Amos Harel: Israel is not the only one exercising restraint Responses: 143 Ramon: Crackdown on outposts likely to start after Bush visit Responses: 104 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to focus on suicide bombings Responses: 187 Editorial: The IDF is an army that has ceased to function as an army Responses: 127 Qassam causes damage to home in Sderot; IDF kills 2 Hamas men Responses: 99 More Headlines 01:27 Meshal: No compromise on terms for Shalit deal 01:18 Qassam causes damage to home in Sderot; IDF kills 2 Hamas men 20:27 Palestinian PM lambasts Israel over West Bank arrest raids 09:07 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to formally address suicide attacks 22:20 After Iowa: Is there room for both McCain and Giuliani? 21:20 U.S. President George Bush is likely to visit Israel again in May 19:34 Sinai lawmaker calls for calm after Bedouin man shot outside his home near the Israeli border 19:05 Poll: Fatah losing support among West Bank, Gaza Palestinians 19:29 Bush, Jordan's king confer by phone over Mideast peace process 21:26 Settlers council: Peres subjects pres. institution to extreme left Previous Editions Select Day 04 jan 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec

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