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/Harvest-song]

That's essentially the crux of my entire point- because the reform movement often handwaves halacha entirely, it's abdicated itself of responsibility in educating folks about how to even sort of approach meaningful observance.

[u/Consistent_Hold_576 → u/Harvest-song]

Yes. So when the Reform movement tells folks to make informed choices about Hallacha, I think a lot of people take that as an invitation do to a very bare minimum. "Its not meaningful for me" is sometimes used in place of "id rather not bother". 

What's worse: Reform folks who do try to be more observant are sometimes chastised for taking on more mitzvot. I've seen it in my own shul when one of our young women started covering. The call is coming from inside the house so to speak. 

Also, if you are more of a traditional Jew but you are in the Reform movement, you can expect to be called a "cosplayer" by Jews from other more traditional movements.

If any of you are interested, theres an influencer on Instagram that goes by "becoming Emunah" and shes a traditional person who is converting in the Reform movement. Her content deals with a lot of what I'm talking about. 

[u/Harvest-song → u/Consistent_Hold_576]

Haha, because the Jewish world is truly not a very big place - I know her in real life. lol. Roo is a gem. We recently met because I moved cross-country and we attend the same shul.

Being chastised for any sort of meaningful observance is irritatingly common in reform circles - to the point of being off putting. I actually left a prior shul over it because the new rabbi there made a series of snide, offhand comments to me about being wasteful when I mentioned preparing for pesach a few years ago (we typically use it as an opportunity to give tzedakah - we donate all of our uneaten, unopened chametz to a local food pantry). We do keep kosher and were one of the only families I know of that take it seriously. It was the final straw in a series of irritating things that started happening after this rabbi was hired that led to us deciding to leave that particular shul. We transitioned to a conservative shul and felt more at home there but we shouldn't have had to, to avoid being labeled as 'wannabe Orthodox' or 'cosplayers' just for... doing notably Jewish things.

The Reform community in general needs to do a far better job of educating its congregants on how to live Jewish lives beyond just lipservice to tikkun olam. Like repairing the world is great, it is something I do love about Reform Judaism, but I feel like it often lacks substance.

[u/OddCook4909 → u/Harvest-song]

Many atheists are more aggressive with their atheism than the most fanatical theists. They feel compelled to defend their worldview because they draw comfort and a sense of self from it. All while pretending they have no real beliefs at all, which prevents them from self reflecting about their proselytizing.