What is Progressive Judaism?: Rabbinical/Cantorial School 101
November 8, 15 & 22, 12:00 pm
Help be the ‘test audience’ for three lectures Rabbi Helfman is giving at the German rabbinical and cantorial school this winter.
The three lectures are:
- The Building of a European Movement (1811-the 1900s?)
- North American Reform Judaism
- Liberal Judaism Today
Register here today: https://congregationconnect.tfaforms.net/f/HBTPJFall2021
Each lecture is an hour-and-a-half, and addresses the questions:
a) Where were Rabbis trained, and rabbinical courts setting policy.
b) Lay leadership and organizational structure
c) and Statements/Platforms
Session 1: The Building of a European Movement (1811-the 1900s?)
What is Liberal Judaism? Is there an essential idea (biblical essentialism – egalitarianism etc) versus a chain of ordinations?
Who are the key people and rabbis?
Emphasis on Abraham Geiger and Zacharias Frankel
Reading and discussing the minutes and resolutions of the rabbinic meetings
Looking at David Einhorn as a bridging figure
Session 2: North American Reform Judaism
Einhorn versus Wise
Platforms of Reform Judaism
CCAR/HUC/URJ
‘Woman Rabbi of the American West’ and Ordination of Women
Session 3: Liberal Judaism Today
Snapshot of the current alphabet and leaders.
Mapping the chain of ordinations and current rabbinical institutions
Current creative tensions around the World Union
Introducing Reconstructing Judaism and Liberal Judaism as ‘regional’ movements with some international ambitions.
Future directions and looking into the future / how to get involved.
