Local rabbis say new Reform ‘Principles’ have no impact

The newly passed "Statement of Principles" will have no effect on the average Reform Jew's religious practices, many local Reform rabbis agree.

"The 'Principles' are going to change nothing," said Rabbi Stephen Pearce, spiritual leader of Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco.

"The document has no real teeth, no real guidelines and no enforcement."

Rabbi Allen Bennett of Temple Israel in Alameda agreed. "The document, as adopted, will not have any impact on the lives of Reform Jews anywhere."

Approved by a vote of 324-68 at the annual convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis last week, the statement encourages Reform Jews to embrace more traditions, including keeping Shabbat, learning Hebrew and doing mitzvot.

But while earlier, controversial drafts explicitly supported more traditional practices such as keeping kosher and wearing kippot, last week's statement is devoid of directives asking Reform Jews to adhere to stricter observance.

The earlier proposals had touched off a wave of anger among some of the liberal movement's members who felt betrayed. After two years, six revisions and considerable fine-tuning, the language was significantly softened.

"Some say the principles are too watered down. I think they are too politically correct," said Rabbi Steven Kaplan of Temple Beth Torah in Fremont. "They are not sticking their neck out at all. The principles are so inclusive it's hard to find fault."

One hundred and fourteen years after the Reform movement adopted the Pittsburgh Platform, which rejected many of Judaism's practices and rituals, a number of rabbis saw the need for a new platform reflecting a move toward greater tradition. However, area Reform rabbis maintain that the "Statement of Principles" will not affect their congregations.

"The 'Principles' describe the way Reform Judaism is already," said Rabbi Ari Cartun, of Congregation Etz Chayim in Palo Alto. "It's not going to change anything in the synagogue."

Since rabbis were pressured to come up with principles that were all-inclusive, "that meant the document had to be ambiguous and vague enough to be nothing more than a study document," Bennett said.

Still, some rabbis are dealing with flashes of nervousness from congregants who fear the principles are a trend toward conservatism.

"There is a misunderstanding that the principles are a directive, which they aren't," said Rabbi Stacy Friedman of Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael. "A lot of Jews haven't read the final version and are under the assumption it's directing them to do certain things."

A number of local rabbis say the only benefit of the document will be to stimulate discussion in the synagogue.

Some are downplaying the negative backlash to the revised principles, saying that the document is intended to create harmony among the diverse adherents of Reform Judaism.

"We haven't passed a new Torah," said Rabbi Michael Berk, regional director of the Reform movement's Union of Hebrew Congregations.

"I know that some people read the statement and say they can't find themselves in it. The intention was to inspire people and to encourage a more significant Jewish dimension" in people's lives.

Kaplan said the impetus for revisions in the Reform movement's platform came from younger rabbis. The old guard, primarily male, sought to fend off the changes.

In his own congregation, Kaplan has seen a slow increase in the number of heads topped with kippot. Whether or not people adhere to more traditions, Kaplan doesn't want people to feel forced to justify their practices.

"Hopefully, the added aspects of tradition can help strengthen people's Jewish lives. It does not mean a movement away from liberal issues," he said.

"I accept the ruling of the majority. This has taken up a lot of time, we've done the best we could and we should move forward."

Rabbi Paul Menitoff, executive vice president of the New York-based CCAR, saw a need for revised guidelines because an infusion of women rabbis and Jews-by-choice have raised new issues. "Also, there has been a shift in our movement toward more traditional observance," he said.

Although the Reform movement recently has been castigated by Israel's Orthodox Jews for waffling on tradition, Menitoff said the statement isn't a concession to the movement's critics.

"We didn't do this for anyone else. We did this for the Reform movement, to study and discuss and clarify our beliefs," he said. "The principles indicate we don't cede any part of tradition to any other group."

Calling the statement "a Reform Rorschach on Jewish identity," Cartun said that anyone can project whatever they want into the document.

"Just because Reform Jews are wearing a yarmulke doesn't make them traditional. Traditions are forms of identity, not overarching divine mandates."

Still, for Pearce, Reform Judaism didn't need to be reformed -- at least not by the movement's leaders.

"Reform Judaism is based on individual choice," he said. "I would rather there be no 'Principles.' The document will have no impact."