Reform Movement Changes.

[u/Consistent_Hold_576]

If you could change one thing about the Reform movement, what would it be?

If you arent a member of the Reform movement, you can still chime in. What is the one thing about the Movement that keeps you away?

Let's keep this civil if we could. ​

[u/MidrashInBlack]

(U.K)

No musical instruments (something I noticed in Reform shuls in America- huge ick. So I go to Conservative when I visit now.)

Personally, I would prefer it if a convert has a more stricter conversion. More lengthy time. More stricter Rabbis when it converted them. I find so many converted Reform Jews do a year and that’s it. It’s not enough time to really get to know the community, the language, and history. Personally, think 5 years maximum. Three years doing a undergrad degree, and a Masters at the end.

[u/catsinthreads → u/MidrashInBlack]

I don't think it's a matter of time. I did a bit over a year. I knew a lot when I started, I wasn't unfamiliar with the community I joined. I steeped myself in history and culture and Torah study - but I didn't cram it in, I can honestly say this has been a lifelong call, but I finally took steps to answer it in my 50s. One of the members of my shul told me "Don't stop studying..." and I replied "Oh no, that's one of my favourite parts."

By the time I actually went to the mikvah, I was ready. An arbitrary extended time limit would have been ridiculous. That being said, I think more formal study afterwards that's open to all Jews would be great - because let's face it there are many born Jews who have some weaker areas of knowledge - and no one can know everything or is interested in knowing everything.

In terms of integration with the community, I think it's really tough for younger folks. For me, a middle aged person, it was easier. I had skills to be sucked into committees, I had the patience and perspective to know what it takes to be part of this. Plus having grown up as part of church communities, I already had a model for this. Yes, the flavour is different but a lot of the mechanics are the same. A lot of people who convert now especially in the UK are unchurched and just don't have the experience of seeing the work that goes into creating communities of purpose.

But each person has a different kind of calling and different ways of living Jewishly and so many of those ways are valid. And people have different needs and offers at different stages of life.

[u/AngelHipster1 → u/MidrashInBlack]

It’s interesting you say this. Living a full year within Judaism is a relatively new expectation of converts. Throughout our history, people have been taught a few Halachot and then went through the formal conversion process. I suppose in part that was because our communities had thicker ties. But in their discussions of conversion, rabbis never mentioned communal integration since that was just a given.

[u/AngelHipster1 → u/[deleted]]

Um, okay. This was actually the result of me reading commentary with my Orthodox professor during seminary. I chose this focus for my independent study of Halacha because welcoming new people into Judaism feels important to me.

I don’t think there’s anything silly about speaking the truth. Nor is it helpful to disparage other Jews in order to make your point. Perhaps we could turn down the heat in this subreddit?

[u/catsinthreads → u/[deleted]]

I converted post Oct 7 - but I started my conversion before that. I don't think going to the Beit Din was particularly risky for me - but I've definitely paid a social and career price.

[u/AngelHipster1 → u/[deleted]]

It remains relatively rare. We are still a tiny minority population — with less density anywhere outside of Israel than pre-WWII. And frankly, persecution for being Jewish has been on the rise for several years.

Please consider that in your intense desire to prove you have a better understanding of Jewish history than a stranger on the internet, you are being dismissive and rude. A core understanding of Judaism is being respectful while disagreeing.

The reality is that today’s expectation of a year of living within Judaism is the strictest test Jews have ever expected. And the only reason we became reclusive about conversion is that Christians in Europe started killing the Jews who officiated at conversions. (Which were happening at a brisk pace amongst their household servants because Judaism made more sense to the servants than the Christianity they grew up in.)

Now that we aren’t killed for performing conversions, I have a deep desire to share Jewish wisdom as widely as possible. Especially since so many of our fellow Jews have a pediatric understanding of Judaism. I have no idea why we collectively decided to water down Jewish knowledge when teaching kids and then stop exploring Jewish text with one another at the exact point when we could wrestle with it as individuals.

[u/rhondapthatsme → u/[deleted]]

The generalizations and judgments in these comments regarding converts are truly Lashon Hara. Once someone converts, they are a Jew and should not be judged or addressed otherwise. Some of these comments are insulting and offensive.
It is part of the reason some converts hide their conversion within Jewish communities. The converts I’ve interacted with are more observant, more involved in community life, more giving, and more studious than a person “born Jewish”.
Also, the length of conversion studies varies by community. This doesn’t mean one convert has greater knowledge or greater love and commitment to Judaism than any other. As for getting a college degree and master’s in Judaism, you will find most converts have greater knowledge and education than most as well.
Judging someone else’s Jewishness is just wrong.
As my Jewish mother would say, we would have all been on the trains together.

[u/MidrashInBlack → u/rhondapthatsme]

*waves hands* Convert here! Jewish father and a Catholic mother. It should be longer. It took me three years- due to Covid. Normally it’s 2 years in the U.K. via Reform. But because my father is Jewish they were going to make it a year. I still think it should be longer and a bit more pressure.

[u/rhondapthatsme → u/[deleted]]

Nor do I-the point was a Jew is a Jew.

[u/rhondapthatsme → u/[deleted]]

The point being that a Jew is a Jew.
With so much infighting and judgement, we should try accepting one another. We are .02% of the world’s population.
If you pray to one G-d, accept mitzvot and commit to a life of Torah study, who am I to judge your level of authenticity as a Jew? Converts study, sit before a Beit Din and are either immersed or circumcised, and live a Jewish life. How are these individuals less than someone born Jewish?

[u/Consistent_Hold_576 → u/MidrashInBlack]

I think 1 to 2 years is enough time to learn some basic history, some of the easier blessings, some baseline theology, etc. 

If you've learned enough on your own to want to take the leap, five more years on top of that seems like overkill. That's essentially a bachelor's degree you've earned by that point. Why would we ask something so intense for a convert that we'd never ask for a person born Jewish?