"Reform Jews don't do that"

[cellio]

This morning the torah-study group continued looking at kashrut, and someone raised the issue of kashrut standards for the synagogue kitchen. (Several of us would like there to be some beyond "no pork".) We talked about that for a while and then a relative newcomer said the words that really bug me: "Reform Jews don't keep kosher". (Just to be clear, my gripe is with the first three words of that sentence.)

My response was (approximately): The Reform movement isn't about not doing things. It's about autonomy. We can't just say "I'm Reform so I don't do that"; we're required to study and make an informed choice. Sometimes that informed choice will be "I don't do that", and sometimes it will be "I do that".

Sigh. The Reform movement certainly has its bad apples (as do all movements, or for that matter all organizations). And it's had some really embarrassing history, mainly in the 19th century. But we get enough flack from outside the movement that it really bugs me when people inside don't recognize that it's possible to take this seriosuly.

Maybe, if I'm lucky, I helped to enlighten one person today. It's a start.

Comments

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I'm a Reform Jew, and I feel no obligation to keep Kosher. This does not mean other Reform Jews can't or don't keep Kosher.

My synagogue was the one where we had McDonald's cheeseburgers at one of our Hebrew school sponsored events, which just goes to show how much variance there can be in Reform congregations.

[eub.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I didn't mean the "perhaps" to apply uniformly over all Reform Jews.

[cellio]

Yes. Some Reform Jews really do see themselves as obligated to certain mitzvot, other Reform Jews to different mitzvot, and yet others to none at all. I personally feel I am obligated in many of them.