Judaism appealing to a modern, scientific milieu, the reformers emphasized the ethical elements of Jewish teaching and minimized ritual law. The transition from sacrificial worship to verbal prayer brought on by the destruction of the Temple was not seen so much as a tragedy, but as an important step in the development of Judaism toward pure ethical monotheism. American Jews' lack of familiar- ity with Tisha b'Av can likely be traced back to that early decision. The Reform movement is the larg- est denomination among American Jewry today, and there are a sig- nificant number of Reform temples across the country that do not mark Tisha b'Av on their calendars. But in the last several decades, more and more Reform rabbis and communities have begun reintroduc- ing some kind of Tisha b'Av obser- vance into their annual schedule. In an interview with the Jewish Chronicle in 2011, Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, the Barbara and Stephen Friedman Professor of Liturgy, Worship and Ritual at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, attributed the shift to two causes. First, the Holocaust and the subsequent founding of the state of Israel, events that brought the experience of national tragedy and a strong sense of unified peoplehood into the modern Jewish experience. Interestingly, the second develop- ment Hoffman identified was the growth of Jewish camps. As the anecdote above illustrates, Tisha b'Av's placement during the summer months made it a natural choice for inclusion within the Jewish edu- cational programming at Reform Jewish camps. Rather than focus on the destruction of the Temple, Hoffman explains, educators taught their campers about the Holocaust and other tragic events from throughout Jewish history. Moved by the experience, young people brought the observance of Tisha b'Av back to their home communities. Despite these changes, Hoffman aptly described the current attitude of the Reform movement toward Tisha b'Av as "ambivalent:' Like those skeptical campers, many American Jews are still just finding out about Tisha b'Av for the first time. ❑ READY. SET. SHOP! We redefined upscale resale. Now we're doing it again. NEW STORE OPENS JULY 13 IN COMMERCE TWP www.goodwilldetroit.org 1842310 Jennifer Stone "Harper" Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place Peyton List "Emma" Disney's Jessie "Paisley" Disney's A.N.T. Farm Disney's Good Luck Charlie Calum Worthy Disney's Austin & Ally Daniella Monet rine" Nickelodeon's Victorious "Flynn" Disney's Shake It Up to d7 9 T UOU A 2,0cd2, PRESENTED BY VisitMyrtleBeach.com Two unforgettable, jam-packed, totally interactive hours of clean family fun with today's most popular TV kids up close and personal! SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, SHOP WITH OUR ADVERTISERS! Binyamin Kagedan has a master's America. "Deuce" Disney's Shake It Up Davis Cleveland r Mention that you saw them in the JN! Jewish Theological Seminary of Adam Irigoyen Alexandria DeBerry See a related editorial on page 35. degree in Jewish thought from the Raven Goodwin Visit JNonline.us JN unTNE., SATURDAY, JULY 27 I 1 PM FREEDOM HILL AMPHITHEATRE Q&A with the Stars Totally Tween Trivia Backstage Bloopers Secret Show Scoops Chance to Act Out Scenes Onstage with the Stars Win Prizes I And Much More! * "Tween Stars & Me" Autograph and Photo Session Available * DETROIT JEWISH NEWS WIN 1 OF 4 FAMILY 4-PACK OF TICKETS OR THE GRAND PRIZE: 2 TICKETS TO TWEEN STARS LIVE TOUR 2013 PLUS LUNCH WITH THE ACTORS! ENTER ON THE JN FACEBOOK PAGE BY MIDNIGHT, JULY 15! https://www.facebook.com/DetroitJewishNews See the complete list of rules and regulations at https://wwwfacebook.com/DetroitJewishNews FOR COMPLETE TICKET INFORMATION, VISIT TZWETVARSLIVETOUR.GOM You I=1 184550 Juiv 11 • 2013 41