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Reform's Reverence

Leader of Reform movement plans
radical new call to worship.

stituents and congregations have
engaged in a process of religious soul-
searching.
New York
The search for rooted spiritual
first came the call to learn.
coherence has been complicated by
Now, from the most
the fact that Reform Jews often view
prominent leader of
personal autonomy as the First
Reform Judaism, will come
Commandment, which has led to
the call to worship.
resistance from some Reform quarters
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the
to anything that can be interpreted as
Union of American Hebrew
a religious requirement.
Congregations, the synagogue branch
The shift from emphasizing exter-
of the Reform
nal political and
movement, will
social concerns
introduce a
to focusing
major new ini-
more on inter-
tiative focusing
nal spirituality
on prayer at his
began, perhaps,
group's conven-
with Rabbi
tion next week,
Yoffie's Jewish
according to
literacy initia-
sources within
tive, made in his
the organization.
first address as
The upcom-
president of the
ing convention,
UAHC at the
titled "Realizing
last convention
God's Promise:
in 1997.
Reform Judaism
Rabbi Yoffie
in the 21st
demanded then
Century," will be
that his con-
the first biennial
stituents rise up
to offer a pre-
from what he
assembly kalla,
described as
or retreat, in
their "crippling
which the
ignorance."
UAHC's nation-
He put in
al leadership will
place
several
Rabbi Eric Yoffie.. Focusing on prayer.
engage in an
programs to help
intensive, if short,
them do so. He
Hebrew-language course.
urged Reform. Jews to read and dis-
Rabbi Yoffie said in an interview
cuss at least four serious Jewish books
this week that in his presidential
each year and called on them to learn
address, slated toward the end of the
how to chant the Torah, which has
Dec. 15-19 conference in Orlando,
historically been the rabbi's role in
Fla., he will "suggest particular kinds
Reform congregations.
of approaches to personal Observance.”
Another program he initiated
He refused to divulge specifics.
encouraged local synagogue commit-
Whatever the details of his plan, it
tees to begin their meetings with the
is clear that this initiative will be a
study of religious texts.
logical next step for Rabbi Yoffie and
While Reform movement leaders
the Reform movement, which has
welcomed the programs, actual
lately been engaged in a major shift
implementation on the grass-roots
in focus.
level has been "mixed," Rabbi Yoffie
Just a few years ago, it was a move- said in the interview.
ment whose theology was described
"We have many congregations that
as based on social action. Today,
began the programs, and in some
under Rabbi Yoffie's stewardship and
cases we hear glowing reports of how
a major push by the rabbinical arm of it has changed the nature of the busi-
the Reform movement, many con-
ness they do. In other congregations,

Explore our
•
comprehensive list
of synagogues
on pages 36-46.
You'll be amazed
whrt you'll find.

DEBRA NUSSBAUM COHEN
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

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