The Values of Reform Judaism
At Chavurah Beth Shalom, we embrace the values of a contemporary Reform Judaism that integrates reason, experience, intellectual curiosity and spirituality into our modern religious practice. Firmly rooted within the prophetic tradition, we believe that:
- Jews in every generation have a responsibility to preserve Judaism for the future.
- Jews in every generation must respond creatively to the challenges of contemporary society.
- Jewish tradition and ritual are a vital part of our religious practice and must comport with the highest standards of ethics. Old and new rituals alike must stand the test of reason and experience, and our rituals must enable us to lead an ethical life and to better understand the divine.
- Jews must embrace openness to truth from all sources including philosophy, science, art and literature.
- Jews must be willing to respect and acknowledge the value of other religious traditions and work with other religions to find common ground and strive for the betterment of all.
- Meaning in our lives comes from the pursuit of justice, a sense of humility, the idea of mercy and an obligation to make peace with ourselves as Jews and with other people of the world.
These values stand at the core of the teaching of the prophets and are the essence of Reform Judaism. Our Chavurah is dedicated to offering this vision of Reform Judaism to families who seek an inclusive, rational, ethical and religiously compelling form of Jewish practice and Jewish life.
Chavurah Beth Shalom 