[HANASHIR:14903] Reform and informed choices

[rahel <rahel...>]

At 10:43 AM 7/17/2003 -0400, you wrote:
You should read the book, Rachel's Daughters (don't remember the author
off-hand.)
My personal philosophy is that, the beauty of reform Judaism, is the
freedom to uphold any tradition that is meaningful to us, based on an
informed understanding of its meaning.
-Amy



I agree with you about this. But there is one key word that I find is not 
always the case in Reform Judaism: informed.


I work in a Reform synagogue and do my best to help my students become 
informed in order to make their choices. Do the students, or congregants, 
know the complete Amidah, Shma and blessings, and other prayers? Do they 
know that the Reform movement has chosed to delete parts of these prayers 
and others? Do they know why? Do they know the history of kippah, tallit, 
etc. and why men or women choose to don them or not in Reform? Do they know 
the difference between minhag, halacha, tradition etc?

I find that many of the members, at least at the synagogue I am at, as well 
as others in the area, are UN-informed about their heritage and traditions. 
How, therefore, can they make educated and informed decisions and choices?

I also admit that I, too, am uninformed about many of the above and am 
happy when the subjects are addressed on this list and on others.

Rahel


"It is a great mitzvah to be happy all the time." - Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
"The Holy One, blessed be He, will be the Head of the dance circle of the 
tzaddikim in time to come."
- Yerushalmi Succah, Lulav veAravah and Vayikra Rabbah 11 end

www.geocities.com/rahelmusic, www.geocities.com/bneishalom