The Debate Begins
Local Reform congregants take in stride
a call for more strict ritual practice.
DIY MINDELL
ecial to The Jewish News
or the past three weeks, the
23 members of Temple
Israel's tish have set aside
their Bibles to take up and
amine the "10 Principles," a proposal
at calls for stricter ritual observance
ong the Reform movement.
The Principles were drafted by
chard Levy, a Los Angeles-based rabbi
Lso heads the Central Conference of
form Rabbis (CCAR). While Levy
ew fire nationwide for his proposal,
cal Reform Jews are responding more
ith curiosity than concern.
"We have had platforms and princi-
es before," said Ida Nathan, a tish
gular who joined Temple Israel in
56. "Reform Judaism is always
ano-ina b- "
Nathan echoes the sentiment of
any metro Reform Jews when she
gues that the most important Reform
i
rinciple is religious tolerance.
"I like that our Temple is a place
here each person can perform to their
n depth of Judaism and no one will
ok at them any differently," said
athan.
Tish attendee Judy Redmond
reed. "I think the Principles can be
methina to strive for, but I also
elieve that
b there should be at least one
ranch of Judaism — Reform — where
eryone is welcome and no one is
xcluded."
Martha Paul, another member of the
ish, approved of the Principles. "We
'eed to have some guidelines. We need
o have some limits," she said.
An amiable discussion on the role of
itual in the Reform movement contin-
ied over coffee and cake after the tish
:oncluded, which is what Levy has said
le hoped would happen. In presenting
iis draft, published in the winter 1998
ssue of Reform Judaism, a magazine
nailed to 300,000 Reform households,
Levy noted that he was presenting an
opinion rather than a final version for
congregations to embrace.
Unlike other branches of Judaism,
leach Reform congregation is
autonomous. If CCAR or the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations
adopt these or any principles, no con-
gregation is bound to follow.
-
Regardless, local rabbis do not
appreciate Levy's prescriptive method.
They do, however, welcome the
increased discussion on the shape and
dimensions of the Reform movement.
Rabbi Paul Yedwab, who leads the
Temple Israel tish, noted, "I was never
excited about the proposal in the first
place. I don't have a problem with the
Principles ideologically, but I think that
creating 'official' policy is not a power-
ful tool. And, we'll never come up with
a perfect document that satisfies every-
one. At the same time, I agree that the
Reform has always been a place where
the process of renewing and reevaluat-
ing the role of mitzvot in our life is
encouraged. Nothing is wrong with
reevaluating the role of those rituals."
Said Temple Beth El Rabbi Daniel
Syme: "The 10 Principles and response
to them represent an ongoing dialogue
with tradition that has been part of the
Reform movement since its inception."
Syme does not support the
Principles.
"My own belief is that there is noth-
ing within the Jewish tradition that is
inherently alien to the Reform, because
the essence of Judaism is not in the
embrace or rejection of rituals. I often
find that when people say 'I'm not reli-
gious,' they usually mean 'I'm not ritu-
ally observant,' but they may be pro-
foundly spiritual. I never define spiritu-
ality by ritual observance," he said.
Rabbis have found increased interest
in traditionalism among congregants in
recent years.
Temple Kol Ami Rabbi Emeritus
Ernst Conrad noted, "It's very much in
the air. There has been a gradual ten-
dency among Reform Jews toward till'
aims of (Rabbi) Levy, toward ritualism,
toward 'spirituality.'
"Some believe that may lead to a de-
emphasis of social action as more atten-
tion is paid to ritual and to Israel," said
Conrad. "We must ask if this is what
we want. Each congregation will have
to wrestle with these questions."
For Ida Nathan, who has taught
children's religious school for 40 years,
it's a matter of a pendulum swinging.
She also senses a longing for tradition
among the younger generation.
"But it's just like anything else. When
you've been around a long time, you've
seen it all before," said Nathan. 7
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12/2
1998
Detroit Jewish News
19