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Reform Judaism
Worship Requirements

Religious Program Specialist 3 & 2, Module 01-Personnel Support
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views. For example, the Conservative Jew would feel that although the law, the  HALAKAH  (Jewish  Law),  is  changeable,  the  interpretation  of  existing laws must be maintained in firm Jewish tradition. The Torah is accepted as binding.  The  Conservative  movement  is  identified  by  some  as  the  area  for possible  coalition  within  the  Jewish  community. Conservative  Jews  attempt  to  adapt  Orthodox  precepts  to  modern  life. They maintain that Jewish Law is a living organism which is subject to and undergoing  change.  Conservative  services  resemble  those  of  the  Orthodox except that men and women usually sit together, and the use of the organ and choir is permitted. Reconstructionist  Judaism Reconstructionist Judaism arose as a response to the climate of natural- ism  and  functionalism  in  American  thought.  The  Reconstructionist  Judaism movement,   a   derivative   of   Conservative   Judaism,   was   inspired   by   the teachings  and  writings  of  Mordecai  Kaplan.  The  Reconstructionist  move- ment  functioned  as  a  school  of  thought  in  the  1920s  and  1930s.  Professor Kaplan  served  as  a  teacher  of  philosophy  of  religion  at  the  Conservative Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and had great influence over his  followers.  In  1940,  the  Jewish  Reconstructionist  Foundation  was  estab- lished.  This  was  followed  in  1951  by  the  establishment  of  the  Reconstruc- tionist   Federation   of   Congregations   and   Fellowships   of   which   local congregations are a part. At present, the Federation has 36 affiliates in the United States and Canada. Reconstructionist Judaism is the only branch of Judaism with which families may affiliate as individuals in the absence of a Reconstructionist   congregation. Black Hebrew Israelite Nation The  Black  Hebrew  Israelite  Nation  traces  its  roots  to  the  Torah. Adherents believe themselves to be the true descendants of the original Jews, and  heirs  of  the  Promised  Land. After the destruction of the second temple of Jerusalem, the Israelites are believed  to  have  moved  southward  into  Africa.  Hundreds  of  years  later, some  descendants  of  these  Israelites  were  sold  into  slavery  and  brought  to America. As early as 1880, some of these black people began to recover their identity as Israelites. In 1960 black groups began to gather in Chicago and other  urban  centers.  Ben  Ami  and  Moreh  Isedek  led  a  group  migrating  to Liberia in 1967 and to Israel in 1971. Most of these people later returned to the  United  States.  Other  groups,  not  a  part  of  the  migration,  remained  as independent congregations in various cities. There are about 4,000 members of the Black Hebrew Israelite Nation in the United States today. ORGANIZATIONAL    STRUCTURE Jews  are  organized  locally  rather  than  nationally.  Jewish  worship  is distinguished by its congregational or group character. Jewish congregations are  self-governing  religious  communities.  Each  congregation  elects  its  own rabbinic and lay leadership. 2-46







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