New group aims to preserve classical Reform

In December, more than two years of work came to fruition for Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn and his colleagues when they officially founded the Society for Classical Reform Judaism. Rabbi Cukierkorn of the New Reform Temple, along with representatives of congregations in Boston, New Orleans and Savannah, Ga., created the society to provide a home and a voice for Classical Reform Judaism.

Rabbi Cukierkorn is a member of the Society’s board.

“Judaism is always about plurality, and we congregate to give our voice more weight,” he explained.

In addition to establishing a Web site (www.renewreform.org), the SCRJ has engaged Boston-based Rabbi Howard A. Berman as its executive director.

It promotes such “classical” Reform practices as worship primarily in English, the use of the Union Prayer Book, organ music and a general emphasis on ethics over ritual. All Reform congregations in the early 20th century followed practices that today would be considered classical.

“The idea was not to reject the ritual, but to say ‘Does it mean anything for me?’ ” said Rabbi Cukierkorn.

However, he said, starting in the 1960s, the mainstream of Reform Judaism shifted rightward, toward more traditional services and more ritual. The change was so widespread that today, Rabbi Cukierkorn estimated, there are only about 20 congregations in the United States that can be said to follow classical Reform Judaism.

“Very few are the way it was before there was this major shift,” he said. “It doesn’t mean we don’t change; the essence of Reform Judaism is to change, but we change at a different pace.”

Rabbi Cukierkorn said, however, that members of mainstream Reform congregations sometimes express a desire to have an occasional classical-style service. That’s where the SCRJ wants to come in, with resources and expertise.

The Society intends “to promote classical reform services in every congregation once in a while,” he said.

Local Reform congregations will be affected, “only to the extent that they want to be affected,” Rabbi Cukierkorn said. “I think the voice of classical Reform Judaism is loud and clear in Kansas City because of the New Reform Temple, but in many places, there are Jews whose voices are not heard, and we try to be a voice for them.”|"By: Beth Lipoff

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