#reformjudaism

[pinetreeappreciationsociety]

Talk about a tangent and this might be just me but... when I say "oh my g.d" I mean it like what has g.d done this time, wow. Not necessarily "in vain" though I believe that's also a kind of praise. Maybe it's an evolution of the phrase? 🤔

[jmw87]

Posted @withrepost • @reform_rabbis We are outraged and heartbroken by yet another senseless killing of members of the LGBTQ community: five people were killed and 25 more were injured at a gay club in Colorado Springs, Colorado this weekend. Though we offer these words of consolation and our unending support to the LGBTQ community and their loved ones, we acknowledge that thoughts and prayers are never enough, and continue to demand gun reform. #ReformRabbis #ReformJudaism #LGBTQ #LGBTQJews #Judaism https://www.instagram.com/p/ClPXrPQrTIW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[magnetothemagnificent]

Heya. I hope you’re not too overwhelmed with asks atm.

I recently got given a JPS tanakh (the Hebrew-English version) and I’ve been looking up how to read it properly and stuff and I thought I understood so I started trying to read it but I’m just not getting it. It’s almost just like washing over me and I’m not really getting anything out of it? I know there’s different ways to engage with it but I don’t really understand how to actually put them into practice.

I was reading Genesis and I didn’t really have any thoughts or anything. I do wonder how much of it is simply that I don’t understand Hebrew so I can’t really comment much on the word choices and connotations coz the English isn’t the original and may not always accurately pick up on the nuances? But I don’t even know what I’m meant to be getting out of it atm lol

And I saw ppl recommending to read commentaries so I started trying to read some of the commentary on it but I didn’t quite understand how the two were meant to slot together, if that makes sense? It feels like I’m missing a piece of the puzzle here and idk how to help that.

Sorry this is a bit of a long one. I hope it doesn’t come across as disrespectful or anything. I’m trying to learn more about this coz I think it’s interesting. Thank you muchly for any advice in advance :)

First, there's no "right" way to learn Torah. Everyone learns and interprets Torah in different and unique ways.

However, the nature of Torah and the nature of Judaism is that it works best with a community. Torah is meant to be learned with other people: The concept of a Chavruta, partners in Torah learning, goes back thousands of years. Every week we read a different Parsha (Torah Portion) in synagogue, and share Divrei Torah (words of Torah) about it with our community. Torah is meant to be learned communally.

Now, I understand that it's not possible for everyone, and everyone has different learning styles. However, I really think it would help you to try and find a Torah study group. Nowadays there are lots of virtual options, too.

If that doesn't work for you, here are a few tips:

Torah, and Tanakh in general, isn't meant to be read like a storybook. Bereishit (Genesis) isn't the beginning and Dvarim (Numbers) isn't the end. You'll notice that the Torah, and all of Tanakh, often makes chronological jumps and that time doesn't seem to make sense sometimes. It's a tradition even to start teaching children from VaYikra (Leviticus) first before teaching the other four sections. And Torah is meant to be cyclical. That's why we have Simchat Torah every year, a holiday celebrating the completion of reading all Parshiyot in the Torah in synagogue and the re-start of the Torah from Bereishit again.

Torah is also meant to be read critically. There's classical commentaries like Rashi, and more recent and contemporary commentators, too. There's countless Divrei Torah written about everything in Tanakh. The text isn't meant to be read "raw". If reading it straight from your book doesn't work, try learning about different concepts in Torah through easier-to-digest Divrei Torah and articles. If one story or law in Tanakh fascinates or confuses you, look up things written about it by Rabbis and scholars from hundreds of years ago to today.

And my biggest tip: Use Sefaria. Sefaria is a free (although they always accept donations) website with an archive of so so many Jewish texts, from Tanakh, to Talmud, to Apocrypha, to Midrash, to contemporary discussions and texts. And most of it is translated to English, too. You can also click on a piece text and it will show you if there's any commentary or discussion about it, and show it to you. It's incredible and I use Sefaria all the time.

Other websites I recommend:

MyJewishLearning

Torah.org

AlephBeta

ReformJudaism

ParshaOfTheWeek

Best of luck!!!

[progressivejudaism]

Are you going to a digital Shabbat service this Shabbat?  Check out these Reform prayerbooks !

[godisinthewind]

We celebrated #tubishvat early with our class via zoom. #newyearofthetrees #Judaism #reformjudaism https://www.instagram.com/birchwind/p/CYnhZGdr4FA/?utm_medium=tumblr

[grateful-melancholic]

Blessed to have been able to finally be able to spend the High Holidays in our own sanctuary after outgrowing our previous space and waiting for this one to be built. * * * * * * * * * #lshanahtovah #Year5779 #bethisrael #congregationbethisrael #roshhashanah #roshhoshanah🍯🍎 #jewish #highholidays #highholydays #blessed #reformjudaism #reformjew #bh https://www.instagram.com/p/BnlGdTkAD85/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hgyioglz07do

[iamarslanazad]

May 29, 2021 #jewishart #judaica #judaicagifts #jewishholidays #jewishhome #jewishwedding #judaism #judaicastore #reformjudaism #jewishtradition #jewishwomen #judaicaart #judaicaartist #jewishculture #jewishartist #jewishlife #jewishgifts #jewishcommunity #orthodoxjudaism #mezuzah #jewishartists #judaicart #jewish #jewishstyle #judaicainthespotlight #jewishgirl #middleastart #silverjudaica #jewishpeople #jewishpride https://www.instagram.com/p/CQy_b1xrs0u/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mflomenhoft1]

Chag Sameach! Happy Pesach! Why is this night different from all other nights? I think we all know the answer to that. A rundown of my post: 1. An illustration from @bycaseywright giving a modern spin on today's Seder plate; 2.-4. some other images I liked; 5. My box of Matzah; 6. My cousin and his wife organized a Zoom Seder for all of us and we took turns reading from the Haggadah; 7. Lucky slept through the service; 8.-9. @michaelaloni and @moriyalombroso celebrating the holiday in Israel with friends & loved ones on the phone. ***Be sure to check out Michael's posts from today about he & friends reading from his book, Love in the Time of Flu, throughout Passover. First up was the amazing @n.tayeb! #michaelaloni #passover #passover2020 #judaism #seder #passoverseder #illustration #jewish #jewishart #reformjudaism https://www.instagram.com/p/B-vWqirDjff/?igshid=p459wiu5iyo6

[humanismtoday]

So Far Rightwing Christian says that his alleged god is going to make Jews bow down before them. But yeah, Christianity is all about “love”, right?

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/08/12/preacher-sarah-silverman-will-soon-bow-at-the-feet-of-the-men-in-this-church

[marcigeller]

I keep saying that my inclusion in the @togetherasonethealbum is the gift that keeps on giving. I shared with you my profoundly deep spiritual experience that I had when I sang at the WRJ SJC Conference 2 weeks ago. How poignant that this morning this arrived. Yet another gift and another reminder that I belong to something greater than I ever imagined. #shabbatshalom #reformjudaism #gratitude #happymusician #morning #healing #thankfulmusician #wrjsjc2019 #womenempowerment #womensrights #womenofreformjudaism https://www.instagram.com/p/ByIQIz5BjK9/?igshid=1craiou5b5dr7

[oneshul]

Speak: A Poem for Parashah Emor

Speak of ritual and rules, of purity and piety.

Speak of celebration, and time that drifts and flows in a spiral of light and dark and bounty and decay.

Speak, in each season of coming and going and rising like smoke, like breath, effortless as thought, and rising, ever rising kadosh, kadosh, kadosh.

Speak of light and dark and oil that is holy and bread that sustains: a bounty, a banquet, laid before you in My presence.

Speak of betrayal and death, of oaths and lies.

Speak of life and all that is - Life, filled and whole and pushed to the edges of everything.

A life that is filled with weakness and strength and holy and profane. With sacrifice. and binding.

This shall be for all time in every season under every sky empty and filled broken, whole.

Speak of the whole of life.

Stacey Zisook Robinson is a member of Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in Evanston, IL, and Congregation Hakafa in Glencoe, IL. She blogs at Stumbling Towards Meaning.

[jmw87]

Posted @withregram • @reform_rabbis On #TransDayOfVisibility—and every day—we honor and welcome the trans members of the Jewish community with a blessing for transgender Jews, by @hucjir rabbinical student @arieltovlev in "Mishkan Ga'Avah: Where Pride Dwells A Celebration of LGBTQ Jewish Life and Ritual," by @rabbideniseeger . This groundbreaking CCAR Press collection of LGBTQ prayers, poems, liturgy, and rituals is both a spiritual resource and a celebratory affirmation of Jewish diversity. Order the book at http://pride.ccarpress.org. #TDOV2022 #wherepridedwells #ReformRabbis #ReformJudaism #Rabbi #JewishPrayer #Judaism https://www.instagram.com/p/CbxjitXu9xY/?utm_medium=tumblr

[disneynut]

Yay!  Welcome back Rabbi Saperstein!

[bakurapika]

free jewish resources online

Because so many of these lists require a high buy-in cost, I feel like I should add my own personal resources for learning about Judaism. Because on the one hand, yes, unfortunately a lot of resources cost money, and if you’re actually converting, you need to be working with a rabbi. But if you’re just wanting to educate yourself, or if you want “lighter” reading, I have some recs!

Keep in mind that Judaism varies a LOT in both belief and practice. This is not all-inclusive and opinions on EVERYthing may differ. 

Podcasts/audio (I grabbed whatever link seemed best, but use your fav streaming platform):

Bad Jew Weekly is hard to find on some streaming services right now, but it’s SUCH a good casual look at Jewish thought from a more relatable/average point of view.

Jewish History Matters - for historical context, told engagingly!

Jewcurious is a podcast (also uploaded as a series of Youtube videos) specifically for people new to Judaism. 

Hashivenu is put out by Reconstructing Judaism and shares practices that encourage resilience.

ReformJudaism’s podcasts include “Wholly Jewish” (interviews about identities and how they intersect with the individual’s Jewishness), “Stories We Tell” (fun short stories, child-appropriate), and “On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah” insights on the weekly Torah portion.

Judaism Unbound is another informative podcast. A few episodes are transcribed on their website here. 

Digital Hammurabi is a Youtube channel put together by historians studying the ancient world. They tend to cover Biblical history as well as the history of cultures of the surrounding peoples. 

Books that tend to be available at US libraries

(note - your local library may be willing to buy books at your request. Additionally, some libraries let non-residents sign up for a digital library card for free or for a small fee. These change frequently so you may need to check out the library’s websites individually! You can also specifically search for a book on Overdrive and then “Search for a digital library with this title” to find one near you. I’m only listing stuff here that I didn’t pay a dime for and which are on Overdrive; most have audiobooks available too.)

Jewish Literacy Revised Ed by Joseph Telushkin. A broad view of Judaism basics and history. (Note that IMO, some of the history seems anti-Islam in a way that I don’t usually see in other Jewish histories.) 

The Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch. Another one of those basic training manuals.

Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends by Anita Diamant.

Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home by Leah Lax: A moving memoir of a gay woman and her experiences with the Hasidic movement of Judaism. (May be triggering for those with negative religious/homophobic experiences.

Becoming Eve: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman by Abby Stein: A memoir of a transgender woman who was raised in the Hasidic movement. (May be triggering for those with negative religious/homophobic/transphobic experiences. I dealt with panic attacks from this for weeks but I still recommend it. It’s that good?)

Torah Queeries edited by Gregg Drinkwater, Joshua Lesser and David Shneer. Commentaries on Torah portions from a queer perspective.

Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor's Son by Sholem Aleichem. This also is more cultural history than religious information but dammit. It’s the source for Fiddler On The Roof and it is charming and you will cry.

Other:

Visiting a local temple is free and informative - check their website to make sure visiting is cool. Many are currently streaming services and even have their recorded services on Youtube. (Mine did not charge a fee for any conversion-related services. Based on what I see online, that’s not the norm... but it’s possible!) As an example, here’s OurJewishCommunity.org’s Youtube channel, which uploads services regularly. 

Note - many temples and synagogues filter attendants for safety reasons. If you can’t access your local temple’s streaming services, you may need to reach out to an administrator to ask. They also may be able to direct you to other local activities, like Torah study. In my experience, there is no barrier to entry saying that you can’t participate unless you’re Jewish already - it’s only about being open and engaged and respectful. Even if that’s not the case for your local temple/synagogue, it tends to be true for streaming online events--which also tend to be “pay what you can”! For example, some of Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s programs, classes, and holiday services. 

Sefaria. Sefaria. Sefaria. Did I say Sefaria? It has holy texts (English and Hebrew!) along with study texts, hosted for free, and it is HUGE. Click on anything and it will link you to commentary and other resources. Users can create “sheets” to arrange quotes by topic. Here’s a helpful list of information by topic! 

Stay informed on social media. You will see a lot of perspectives online. Reddit has a subreddit of course if you want a taste of those. Ask-jumblr here on Tumblr also shares great resources and has an FAQ page. Of course, following people who you like who are also Jewish is good and may give you a more well-rounded perspective on Jewish life (but you probably knew that!).

The Jewish Theological Seminary has tons of online resources for the curious. The link is for their Youtube.

MyJewishLearning has how-to articles and other easy-reading info.

RitualWell is great for finding prayers.

I can’t write a list like this without mentioning Chabad. It tends to be the first result for Google inquiries because it is an extensive online resource, but note that it doesn’t necessarily curate perspectives that are LGBTQ+ friendly.

ReformJudaism also has a resources tab which includes an “Answering Jewish Questions” section. They also offer Judaism 101 courses online.

T’ruah is a political rabbinic group fighting for human rights. I’ve linked their news section, but you can also sign up for their newsletter to stay updated!

OKAY. So that should be a few hundred hours’ worth of no-cost resources, audio and visual, and I’m sure there are a jillion more that I don’t know about yet. So go!! Go read and listen!!! And share more info if you’ve got it!

[jewfrogs]

hi do yo have any advice for people seeking to convert to judaism?

hi!! i’m sorry this answer is so late, but, you know, Life and all.

i think probably the most important thing to consider is why you want to convert. there are absolutely no right or wrong answers to this question; what matters is what’s true for you. what is it about judaism that draws you? do you feel strongly connected to jewish spirituality? do you love jewish communities, culture, and practices, even if you don’t believe in g-d? do you have jewish family/children or a jewish partner, and you want to be part of that community? 

keep in mind that it isn’t about whether your reason is ‘right’ or ‘good enough’. that’s not what matters here at all! you could convert because you just really love challah and you would still be a jew and we would still love you as a jew.

here is some introductory reading for people thinking about converting (note that i don’t agree with everything presented in all of these): myjewishlearning, reformjudaism, jewsforjudaism, and jewinthecity. i also strongly recommend reading what converts have written about their experiences and why they converted! every jew has a pintele Yid inside them, a fundamental spark of judaism that can be ignited, and converts are absolutely not an exception to that. if you feel like you want to convert to judaism, my best advice is do it!!!! judaism is wonderful and complex and meaningful, and we would be delighted to have you.

in terms of practical advice: if you want to convert, start by experiencing judaism! go to synagogue, if there’s one accessible for you, and experience a shabbat service. read about judaism, and read different sources about judaism, because no one book/author/website is going to have the entire perspective. talk to other jews and explore your jewish community, whether it be local or online. once you’ve done that, talk to a rabbi, and then look for conversion classes!

i am so excited for you on your journey! please feel free to ask if you have any more questions, or if you want to talk about your conversion at any point (and this goes for anyone, of course!). good luck!!! 💕💕💕