American Reform Judaism – Mourn or Celebrate

Two million Jews in the United States—at least one-third of the total—identify as Reform in polls. Yet, two prominent analysts dismiss this largest single group among American Jews as irrelevant.

In Tablets Shattered: The End of an American Jewish Century, Joshua Leiber predicts the extinction of Reform Judaism, likening it to mammoths—seemingly imposing but ultimately doomed. He derides “neo-Reform” with its guitars and inclusiveness, claiming it is indistinguishable from Unitarianism. Leiber’s book was the subject of a major review in the influential Jewish Review of Books, which frequently dismisses Reform Judaism as “Judaism light” unworthy of serious attention. Similarly, Noah Feldman, in To Be a Jew Today, critiques Reform Judaism as spiritually shallow, suggesting its adherents conflate Judaism with the views of the moderate-to-liberal wing of the Democratic Party, with little depth or serious struggle beyond that alignment.

Both 2024 publications advocate discarding the largest segment of American Jewry without offering meaningful alternatives or practical paths forward. Moreover, both are fundamentally wrong. Leiber’s argument, in particular, falters even in its paleontological analogy. Modern evidence suggests mammoths did not vanish due to natural expiration but were hunted to extinction by humans who valued them as a food source. This analogy, akin to how the Maori eradicated the moa within 150 years of their arrival in New Zealand, underscores that external forces—not inherent obsolescence—were responsible for their demise. Similarly, there is no inevitable, natural process leading to the demise of Reform Judaism.

True, the era of massive suburban synagogue buildings has passed. However, Reform’s commitment to social action remains vibrant. No other branch of Judaism rivals its contributions to social consciousness in the US. The 1964 and 1965 Civil Rights Acts were partly shaped at a Reform conference table. David Saperstein, the head of Reform’s Religious Action Center, served as President Obama’s Assistant Secretary of State for Religious Freedom as a proud Reform Jew. Today, the Commission on Social Action continues this legacy. Its recent L’Taken program brought over 400 youth to Washington for public policy advocacy, demonstrating that Reform Judaism is far from moribund. These young advocates and their mentors embody the prophetic tradition of speaking truth to power.

Leiber and Feldman also fail to appreciate the Reform movement’s vital partnership with like-minded Israelis. While Leiber dismisses the “moribund peace camp,” he overlooks the complexity of Israeli politics. Surveys show that many Israelis, across the political spectrum, oppose the Chief Rabbinate’s control over marriage, divorce, and Shabbat restrictions, as well as proposals threatening Supreme Court independence and Haredi draft exemptions. The Union for Reform Judaism, led by Rabbi Rick Jacobs, provides a vital forum for Israelis who share these views. Reform’s Zionism, once anti-Zionist, now aligns closely with those fighting for a Jewish and democratic Israel, as promised in its Declaration of Independence. This partnership is essential and continuing.

Geographically, Reform Judaism is thriving beyond large metropolitan centers. At Reform gatherings, you’ll meet Jews from small towns and rural areas nationwide. In Maine, the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College exemplifies this reach. Reform communities thrive in locales as diverse as the vicinity of Acadia National Park, Ponca City and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and even the Montana state legislature, which recently elected and re-elected a Reform rabbi. In exurban Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Reform synagogues stand alongside Chabad centers, reflecting the movement’s adaptability and vitality in smaller communities.

The gravest misstep in both books is the assumption that Reform Judaism lacks spiritual seriousness or a distinct connection to Jewish tradition. A visit to a contemporary Reform synagogue would disprove this notion. Most services are conducted primarily in Hebrew, with rabbis and congregants actively engaging with Jewish texts and traditions. In my own experience, I referenced the Talmudic story of Aknai’s oven during my swearing-in as a Superior Court judge and quoted Maimonides while presiding over the family court calendar. I wear a pendant from a JNF mission to Israel, which I’ve visited ten times. My Torah study group confronts challenging texts, like Leviticus’s prohibition on homosexual acts, recognizing Judaism as a faith of questioning. The very name “Israel” means “to contend with God,” and this ethos is central to our approach.

Reform Judaism is not “Judaism light”; it is a living, vibrant faith deeply rooted in tradition and innovation. Contrary to Leiber and Feldman’s assertions, it deserves to be taken seriously—not dismissed. If only they took the time to understand!