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Movement for Reform Judaism
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Movement for Reform Judaism
The Movement for Reform Judaism (MRJ), known as Reform Synagogues of Great Britain until 2005, is one of the two World Union for Progressive Judaism-affiliated denominations in the United Kingdom.
In 2025, a vote confirmed that the Movement for Reform Judaism will unite with Liberal Judaism into one Progressive Judaism for the UK and Ireland.
It is originally larger and considered to be more traditional in comparison with Liberal Judaism, however differences between the two evaporated in the 21st century with Reform – previously seen as the more traditional – modernising, and Liberal Judaism re-adopting some discarded traditions. Both denominations came to very similar positions on principle and practice, "seeking to marry the traditions of the past with the realities of the present".
It is the second-largest Jewish religious group in the United Kingdom, with 19.4% of synagogue-member households. The new movement, which will be called Progressive Judaism, will represent about 30 per cent of British Jewry who are affiliated to synagogues.
The denomination shares the basic tenets of Reform Judaism (alternatively known also as Progressive or Liberal) worldwide: a theistic, personal God; an ongoing revelation, under the influence of which all scripture was written—but not dictated by providence—that enables contemporary Jews to reach new religious insights without necessarily being committed to the conventions of the past; regarding the ethical and moral values of Judaism as its true essence, while ritual and practical observance are meant to achieve spiritual elation and not an end to themselves – and therefore, rejecting the binding nature of Jewish law; a belief in the coming of a Messianic era rather than a personal Messiah, and in immortality of the soul only, instead of bodily resurrection. Prayers referring to such concepts were omitted from the liturgy, and traditional practices were abolished or altered considerably.
Although Reform Judaism in the UK does subscribe to these views, also held by Liberal Judaism and the American Union for Reform Judaism, several factors made it more moderate and less prone to modify old forms. Its constituency was socially conservative, and it attempted to appeal to potential newcomers from the Centrist Orthodox majority in British Jewry; renewed traditionalism by all WUPJ members since the 1970s also motivated Reform Judaism in the UK to adopt once discarded elements. Though it does not consider itself halakhic, it has sometimes been compared to American Conservative Judaism—the sociological functions of which, as an "intermediate" movement, it indeed filled, especially since the British expression of Conservative Judaism, the Masorti movement, was formally established only in 1985 and remains small—while Liberals are more reminiscent of American Reform.
Reform liturgy had always contained a high proportion of Hebrew or Aramaic, while the Liberals and American Reform abridged theirs and introduced much English. Since the 1970s, formerly excised blessings (like those on phylacteries) were returned. Reform Judaism in the UK observes dietary laws and Shabbat to a considerable degree in the public sphere. It has a get-like divorce document issued by its rabbinic court, and conversion requires circumcision by males and ablution by both sexes. Egalitarianism did not become prevalent in most synagogues until the 2000s, although the first female rabbi, Jackie Tabick, was ordained in 1975. Mixed seating was only accepted just before and during World War II.
Recognition of Jews by patrilineal descent was affirmed in 2015. Reform Judaism currently ordains female and LGBT clergy, conducts LGBT marriages and has egalitarian services, counting women in minyanim and granting them full participation. Girls have their bat mitzvah at 13, the same age as boys have their bar mitzvah. Reform Judaism is welcoming to non-Jewish spouses; while the Assembly maintains "clear opposition" to involvement in interfaith unions, since 2012 it allows rabbis to conduct celebratory events as long as the ceremony does not involve clergy or motifs from other religions, or conversely those of a Jewish wedding, like a ritual canopy.
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Movement for Reform Judaism
The Movement for Reform Judaism (MRJ), known as Reform Synagogues of Great Britain until 2005, is one of the two World Union for Progressive Judaism-affiliated denominations in the United Kingdom.
In 2025, a vote confirmed that the Movement for Reform Judaism will unite with Liberal Judaism into one Progressive Judaism for the UK and Ireland.
It is originally larger and considered to be more traditional in comparison with Liberal Judaism, however differences between the two evaporated in the 21st century with Reform – previously seen as the more traditional – modernising, and Liberal Judaism re-adopting some discarded traditions. Both denominations came to very similar positions on principle and practice, "seeking to marry the traditions of the past with the realities of the present".
It is the second-largest Jewish religious group in the United Kingdom, with 19.4% of synagogue-member households. The new movement, which will be called Progressive Judaism, will represent about 30 per cent of British Jewry who are affiliated to synagogues.
The denomination shares the basic tenets of Reform Judaism (alternatively known also as Progressive or Liberal) worldwide: a theistic, personal God; an ongoing revelation, under the influence of which all scripture was written—but not dictated by providence—that enables contemporary Jews to reach new religious insights without necessarily being committed to the conventions of the past; regarding the ethical and moral values of Judaism as its true essence, while ritual and practical observance are meant to achieve spiritual elation and not an end to themselves – and therefore, rejecting the binding nature of Jewish law; a belief in the coming of a Messianic era rather than a personal Messiah, and in immortality of the soul only, instead of bodily resurrection. Prayers referring to such concepts were omitted from the liturgy, and traditional practices were abolished or altered considerably.
Although Reform Judaism in the UK does subscribe to these views, also held by Liberal Judaism and the American Union for Reform Judaism, several factors made it more moderate and less prone to modify old forms. Its constituency was socially conservative, and it attempted to appeal to potential newcomers from the Centrist Orthodox majority in British Jewry; renewed traditionalism by all WUPJ members since the 1970s also motivated Reform Judaism in the UK to adopt once discarded elements. Though it does not consider itself halakhic, it has sometimes been compared to American Conservative Judaism—the sociological functions of which, as an "intermediate" movement, it indeed filled, especially since the British expression of Conservative Judaism, the Masorti movement, was formally established only in 1985 and remains small—while Liberals are more reminiscent of American Reform.
Reform liturgy had always contained a high proportion of Hebrew or Aramaic, while the Liberals and American Reform abridged theirs and introduced much English. Since the 1970s, formerly excised blessings (like those on phylacteries) were returned. Reform Judaism in the UK observes dietary laws and Shabbat to a considerable degree in the public sphere. It has a get-like divorce document issued by its rabbinic court, and conversion requires circumcision by males and ablution by both sexes. Egalitarianism did not become prevalent in most synagogues until the 2000s, although the first female rabbi, Jackie Tabick, was ordained in 1975. Mixed seating was only accepted just before and during World War II.
Recognition of Jews by patrilineal descent was affirmed in 2015. Reform Judaism currently ordains female and LGBT clergy, conducts LGBT marriages and has egalitarian services, counting women in minyanim and granting them full participation. Girls have their bat mitzvah at 13, the same age as boys have their bar mitzvah. Reform Judaism is welcoming to non-Jewish spouses; while the Assembly maintains "clear opposition" to involvement in interfaith unions, since 2012 it allows rabbis to conduct celebratory events as long as the ceremony does not involve clergy or motifs from other religions, or conversely those of a Jewish wedding, like a ritual canopy.