#progressive judaism

[bringmemyrocks]

"What is the Balfour Declaration? Whence did it come? Where has it taken the Jew? Much of its antecedent history is contained in the account I have given of Herzl and the early years of Zionism. During those years, no one but Herzl and a few intimates perhaps dreamed of anything like a Balfour Declaration… But England, France, Germany and Russia were all anticipating the imminent collapse of Turkey and its empire and each of these powers had ideas as to what would be done with the dismembered parts. This was common knowledge, even to amateurs in secret diplomacy. It was this situation that Herzl tried desperately to exploit for a charter for Zionism. If there had not been a Zionist Organization, constituted as a political machine, claiming that Jews wanted a political stake in the political games of the world powers, there would not today be a Balfour Declaration. There was also the desire of the Western Powers to dismember the Turkish Empire and the troublesome problem of what to do with a Holy Land sacred to three religions. Here was something approaching the perfect combination for which Herzl had desperately searched. Here was a stream of colonial interest into which, by shrewd manipulation, Zionists might launch the Jewish ship of state… The goal of the Arabs was independence. The goal of Great Britain was the winning of an ally and protection of her vital communication links in that part of the world."

-Elmer Berger, The Jewish Dilemma, 1945, p 120-121, bolding mine.

Elmer Berger z’'l (1908-1996) was a Reform Rabbi and lifelong anti-zionist. His 1945 work The Jewish Dilemma confronts and dismantles the idea of Judaism as a race and explains why zionism will only hurt Judaism and the world long-term, from displacing Jews from their true homelands (Europe, the US, the Middle East and North Africa, etc) and leading to accusations of dual loyalty, thus exacerbating anti-Jewish hatred. Berger never advocated for an end to Judaism, as “anti-assimilationist” zionists claim–he simply refuses to endorse racism or ethnonationalism, maintaining that Jewish safety will be maintained through establishing civil rights everywhere.

I’m posting selections from Elmer Berger because I want to share the history of anti-zionist religious Judaism from the liberal tradition, which has been almost entirely written out of history. Fellow lefty Jews, please learn about Elmer Berger.

You can read the entire book for free on the Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.75472/page/n26/mode/1up

#anti zionism #judaism #the jewish dilemma #elmer berger #progressive judaism #progressive anti-zionism #quotes

[wrestlingwithtorah]

All are welcome! Jewish! Not Jewish! Kind of Jewish! Jewish-adjacent! All are welcome!

Financially Accessible Option Available via the Wrestling with Torah Discord.

Contribute and Register here!

In Jewish Tradition, the concept of 'sin' doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means: and it can be a transformational concept that helps us to become better versions of ourselves.

In Hebrew, the words often translated as "sin" does mean all of the negative things our culture associates with the word, but it also means so much more. Everything from a "misstep" or an "oops," to a spiritual moment to make amends and learn from this particular experience.

Come join Rabbi Gischner as we begin the spiritual process of reflecting on our year as we celebrate the first of Elul together, to reflect on who we have been and who we are becoming as we enter the new year of 5784 together.

#judaism #jumblr #jewish #progressive judaism #wrestling with torah #wrestlingwithtorah #rosh hashanah #wwt #torah #torah study #elul #hebrew #sin #chet #misstep #oops #mistake #theology #philosophy #self help #self growth #growth

[wildfeather5002]

Progressive & inclusive Christians I love you 💙

Progressive & inclusive Muslims I love you 💜

Progressive & inclusive Jews I love you 💚

Progressive, inclusive & accepting religious people in general I love and cherish you ❤💞❤

Have a blessed day/night!

#progressive religion #progressive christianity #lgbtq christian #lgbtq muslim #jewish #jumblr #positivity #religion #spirituality #religious pluralism #random stuff #❤ #progressive islam #progressive judaism #anti conservative #anti right wing

[on-my-way-to-jew]

Went to my first Seder! (and other Pesach updates)

Thought I wouldn't have much to talk about yet, but I ended up going to a fair bit of Pesach stuff.

There was a progressive service on the first day, which I really enjoyed! I quite like the rabbi who runs the progressive services, and it was a smaller crowd than erev Shabbat usually is. More personal, and there were lots of songs/prayers I enjoyed. There were snacks after, too, and I got to actually introduce myself to the rabbi.

And then the seder! It was specifically for young adults -- they did separate seders for families and everyone else. I got to meet a lot of neat people; one woman was heading home on the same bus I was and we ended up chatting and exchanging contact info. And I met someone who recently joined the conversion program as well, so I'll at least know someone at the classes. The seder itself was really interesting too! Definitely non-traditional -- the ten plagues themed "Let It Go" remix was a highlight lol. It wasn't all silly stuff, of course. The haggadah reading was neat, and we often broke into conversations about the themes. Food wasn't bad either xD

Going to go to the eighth day service as well -- the second and seventh day are just masorti, no progressive option. I'd initially planned to go to them, but I didn't get home til late after the seder on the second night and ended up deciding to just sleep in instead. And then the seventh day is the same morning as an exam for uni, so I'll have to miss that. Still, I should make it to Shabbat and the eighth day!

The Intro to Judaism class should start next week too, which I'm excited about :D

#jewish conversion #judaism #jumblr #progressive judaism #reform judaism #masorti judaism #a's journals

[heavenssexiestangel]

Okay this is not very strictly related to my blog theme, which is fandom.

But I'm currently in a Leo Baeck College free talk Zoom call, BEING PROGRESSIVE AND SPIRITUAL with RABBI DR RENÉ PFERTZEL.

We are talking about many things, but he asked us just now "What does it mean to love G-d?" I think this question very hard to answer to. I'd like to read your opinions about this, your answers.

(I would highly prefer if only Jews or student converts answered, as this is about Judaism)

#judaism #hashem #progressive judaism #jew by choice

[toa-greatmind-nothingislittle]

the most Jewish of phone backgrounds:

#jewish #judaism #jumblr #reform judaism #conservative judaism #orthodox judaism #progressive judaism #reconstructionist judaism #phone aesthetic #aesthetic

[edenfenixblogs]

Reform/ProgressiveJews of Glasgow:

How are y’all doing? I was potentially looking at a move to Scotland last year, but it looks like that won’t happen due to health reasons.

But when I was researching possible areas in Scotland to live I saw that there was only one reform synagogue in all of Glasgow and that most Jews in Glasgow are considered Progressive/Reform. How’s the community holding up there? You feeling ok? Any way for Jews across the pond help ya feel a bit better?

#Glasgow #Scotland #Jews #Judaism #Jewish community #jumblr #Jews of Glasgow #Jews of Scotland #reform judaism #progressive Judaism

[pargolettasworld]

The Kotel is a place in the middle of Jerusalem where Jews are regularly physically assaulted with fists, chairs, and hot coffee, and aurally assaulted with whistles, screams, and curses for praying as their tradition gives them space to do. Their assailants are other Jews. The Kotel is administered by a heavily Orthodox rabbi, and prayer there is meant to be strictly gender-separated along Orthodox lines. I've been there; the men's section is three times the size of the women's section.

Women of the Wall (WOW) is an organization that, for thirty years, has been working for the right of Jewish women from movements other than Orthodoxy to exercise the right that their movements give them to pray out loud and to read from the Torah, about once a month. The Orthodox establishment is NOT happy about this, and chooses to express this displeasure by means of physical violence and audio terrorism.

Because Israel has no equivalent of the Free Exercise clause, official religious activity is Orthodox, and the Israeli government and Chief Rabbinate are all pretty much okay with this state of affairs. To be clear: the Israeli establishment is fine with the idea of women being shouted at, hit with chairs, splashed with hot coffee, spat on, and otherwise assaulted because they pray in public once a month. There was a plan a couple of years ago to pay lip service to the idea of progressive Judaism in Israel by establishing a gender-egalitarian prayer space at Robinson's Arch -- a bit away from the actual Kotel, and the space planned was less than half the space of the Kotel prayer space. As far as I know, no real action has been taken on this plan.

The Women of the Wall have now formed a choir. Women's voices, united, are going to resist the shouting and the screaming and the cursing from Orthodox groups, making space for themselves and welcoming women to pray as their tradition allows. Women singing together have the strength and the power to push back against a smothering establishment that wants them to believe that one way is the only way.

#judaism #progressive judaism #choirs #religious music #leading women #feminism

[politijohn]

Supporting Palestinian Liberation is not Inherently Antisemitic

Source

#free Palestine #Palestine #news #current events #Israel #important #politics #government #the left #religion #Judaism #progressive #activism #international politics

[mauricedharris]

Review of my Leviticus book from Progressive Christianity Network Britain

Review of my Leviticus book from Progressive Christianity Network Britain

This was written shortly after my book, Leviticus: You Have No Idea was published almost a decade ago. To read the full book review, click here or on the image below.

View On WordPress

#interfaith relations #Leviticus #Leviticus 18 #Leviticus: You Have No Idea #LGBTQ #marriage equality #progressive Christianity #Progressive Christianity Network Britain #progressive Judaism #progressive religion #Rabbi Maurice Harris #Reconstructionist Judaism #religious pluralism #torah study

[gay-jewish-bucky]

A high-quality edit of Keshet's Jewish Progress Pride Flag

#jumblr #jewish #judaism #i love this version of the jewish progress flag so much #pride #pride month #queer jews #jewish and queer #lgbt jews #queer #lgbt #lgbt+ #lgbtq #lgbtq+ #lgbtqia #lgbtqia+ #I could only find it in 480p #so i made it myself dslga;sdjlghkjdas #also made the colours more vibrant

[is-the-fire-real]

Me when they bring up Haman

#jumblr #judaism #purim #jew by choice #jew in progress #jewish convert #jewish positivity #all my shalomies hate haman #somebody asked for more joy and humor for purim so here you go

[wrestlingwithtorah]

Come join Rabbi Josh Gischner (he/him) and the Wrestling with Torah Community for an 'Ask the Rabbi' session! All are welcome regardless of their religious or cultural background to join Rabbi Gischner to ask questions (no question is too silly), or even just to listen to the wisdom shared!

Pre-ask your questions at this link, or bring them with you. This session will be held over Zoom and will not be recorded. This session will proceed Rabbi Gischner's brand new text study "The Torah of Inclusion" at 3:00 PM ET.

Rabbi Josh Gischner (he/him) is passionate about inclusion, accessible Jewish learning, justice, and artistic expressions of Jewish life and was ordained from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in May of 2021. Rabbi Gischner is one of the founders of Wrestling with Torah, and proudly serves as the rabbi educator at Temple Shalom in the DC area. Rabbi Gischner is excited to help you to discover your Torah.

Wrestling with Torah is a radically inclusive online Jewish learning community created by Rabbi Josh Gischner and Rachel Abrams in the Summer of 2020 to serve as a community for Jews and non-Jews, interested in exploring Judaism and their spirituality. WWT is dedicated to radically inclusive and financially accessible Jewish learning. Please email Rabbi Gischner at [email protected] in advance of this session regarding your accessibility needs and to introduce yourself!

#jumblr #judaism #progressive judaism #jewish #AskTheRabbi #Bible #Torah #Hebrew #questions #learning #religion #religious #culture #RabbiJoshGischner #RabbiJoshG

[spale-vosver]

After five years of beating around the bush, forcing myself into denial over and over again, I'm sick of ignoring what I've known I wanted since I first learned about it:

I'm beginning the Jewish conversion process.

This is a gigantic step for me, but I'm thrilled to take it, and I'm fully confident it's the right choice. I cried when I learned that converts are considered to have Jewish souls that were present at the Temple Mount, I feel unbelievably affirmed and at home when I'm at Jewish services and holidays, and I'm ready to make that official.

To that end, I'd also love to make some Jewish friends! I'm going to tag @vaspider to politely ask him to reblog this, and I'll tag this post up so it can be found naturally!

(note: my blog still has some old posts from when I considered myself Christian, and I'm still in the process of deleting them)

#jumblr #jewish tumblr #judaism #jewish #jew in progress #jewish conversion #jewish convert

[transmascpetewentz]

*jigsaw voice* hello. in front of you is a haggadah. you have 1 month to learn it before passover starts. good luck.

#wentz.txt #jumblr #jew in progress #converting to judaism

[caitlinjohns77]

#antisemitism #israel #jewish #muslim #Judaism #arab superiority #arab supremacy #arab slave trade #arab israeli conflict #arab men #middle east #al jazeera #education #historical revisionism #history #jew in progress #propaganda #palestine #gaza #fuck sharia law #sharia #social issues #social justice #social commentary #free palestine #world news #war #news #politics #trends