Orlando, FL – The largest movement of Judaism in the U.S. passed the most far-reaching resolution in support of transgender rights of any major religious organization, saying Thursday that it’s a continuation of a tradition of inclusion in the Reform Jewish movement.
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Members of the Union for Reform Judaism attending its biennial meeting in Orlando approved on a voice vote the resolution, which calls for congregations and camps to have gender-neutral bathrooms and encourages gender-neutral language at Reform Jewish institutions. It also suggests training on gender issues for religious school staff and encourages advocating on behalf of the transgender community.
There was no opposition, although three conference attendees who said they were in favor of the resolution asked if preschools and religious schools would be affected. Union for Reform Judaism leaders said they would be, but they weren’t asking congregations to spend extra money on new facilities.
After the resolution passed, most of the 5,000-attendees in the meeting hall stood up and applauded.
“Your reaction in this room shows what this movement is about. It makes me very proud,” said Stephen Sacks, chairman of the Union for Reform Judaism’s board.
Other religious bodies, such as the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, previously approved resolutions affirming equality for transgender and non-gender-conforming people. None, however, go as far as the one offered by the Reform Jewish movement, which counts 1.5 million members.
The Union for Reform Judaism is offering a one-page pamphlet to help congregations adopt the goals of the resolution. It suggests dividing kids by birth month rather than gender in youth programming and avoiding using gender titles such as “Mr.” or “Mrs.” on nametags or in emails. It also to ask congregants by which pronouns they would prefer to be called.
The resolution doesn’t mandate congregations to do anything, so it will be up to individual synagogues to implement policies to meet the goals of the resolution.
“One of the key components is it calls for resources, development and training so we get into the congregations and do training with their leaders, youth professionals, rabbis, lay leaders, and then supply them with materials on how do you deal with bathrooms? How do you deal with language? How do you deal with prayer?” said Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, a senior vice president with the Union for Reform Judaism.
The resolution was approved in a year when transgender issues have never been more visible, thanks to Caitlyn Jenner and others, but Union for Reform Judaism officials said it has been in the works for some time and is part of a tradition of inclusion that dates back decades. The Union of Reform Judaism in 1977 passed a resolution affirming the rights of gays and lesbians.
More than 6 million Jews live in the United States, less than 2 percent of the nation’s population, and more than a third of all Jews in the U.S. identify with the Reform movement, according to a 2013 survey by the Pew Research Center. Less than a fifth of them identify with Conservative Judaism — sort of a middle-ground ideologically between the more liberal Reform movement and traditional Orthodox Judaism. Orthodox Jews account for 10 percent of U.S. Jews, and Reconstructionist and other smaller movements make up 6 percent.
That’s why they are called Reform Jews.
At the same time its worth mentioning that the Open Orthodoxy movement is much closer to the views of the Reform movement than to orthodox Jews. The reform movement at least doesn’t hide under the Torah.Where the Open Orthodoxy folks are real Megaleh Punim Batorah Sheloh Kehalcha.All their twisted views they are placing it in the Torah.
I Mean what do you expect most of them are probably not even Jewish of the ones who are Jewish is thanks to their mothers and that’s basically where there Judaism begins and ends ends
Cannot understand why it’s called a religious body.
.Let them rot in hell for good
No surprise here. Reform Jews supporting reformed humans!
Why must they tarnish the image of authentic Judaism with their religion of country clubs?
Not surprising, pretty consistent with their message. It’s only if you believe in the Totah and the Halocha that one would have any issue with transgender practices, otherwise you are just a bigot, and since reform Jews don’t believe that Halocha is binding, why would they discriminate.
This is the future of open something-or-other. Not a distant future too.
My father ah used to refer to this “stream” of Judaism as “organized amaratzus”
I don’t get it. There are no different to liberals, reform between man or woman.
Baruch Hashem now I have a place to daven with a transgender Rabbi.
This is exactly what happened in Germany and most of Europe before the Holocaust! Rachmona Litzlon!!
The Article should have been titled “Transjews Approve Trangender Rights”
What does Reform have to do with authentic Judaism?
Absolutely nothing.
They have proven themselves to be religiously bankrupt.
The NY Times wrote about a Reform Temple in the South that didn’t have one Jew—they were all gentiles!
Hopefully, non-religious Jews who are honest with themselves, will return to the only authentic Judaism going back to Mt. Sinai—the Orthodox (and not the new cult called “Open Orthodox” that was condemned by a proclamation of Gedolim.
there used to be adverts for Levi’s rye bread in NY showing a goy eating it and saying: You don’t have to be Jewish to eat Levi’s rye bread.
Now we can say, YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE JEWISH TO BE REFORM
The percentages given only add up to 69%. Who are the other 2 million Jews?
So now when I go to the bathroom, I must do it in front of women, too? Gevalt !
A gentleman in a Reform Congregation (not Jewish) liked his sex-change operation so much that she went and had another one.