tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456130596907965392.post5637296704000704695..comments2023-09-08T01:39:09.688-07:00Comments on The dcc: Mr. Smith The dcc goes to Washington AlbanyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456130596907965392.post-5571288823760485292010-04-14T07:18:03.097-07:002010-04-14T07:18:03.097-07:00I don't know why a politically conservative pe...I don't know why a politically conservative person would feel comfortable in a progressive religious setting...but that is me. Here is a big but: There is significant diversity in political affiliation in the rank and file of the Reform Movement and anyone telling you otherwise really isn't paying attention. <br /><br />However, RJV (like the other advocacy groups in the Reform Movement)only speaks on positions that are taken by the lay lead bodies of the Reform Movement. This means, that when we speak, we say that we are speaking on behalf of the Reform Jewish Movement but NOT all Reform Jews. <br /><br />Just like there are problems in the major American political parties for power and direction, there are often struggles within decision making bodies. However, for the most part, our stances are liberal and come from a progressive reading of our traditions. Agree or disagree, but that is how the Reform Movement engages in the community...and therefore may come across as politically motivated but it comes from our understanding of our obligations to our faith.<br /><br />As to your question about tax free status, the answer is clearly yes Reform Congregations should be tax exempt, just like all of the other religious institutions in the US.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15862289668126648242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456130596907965392.post-42181384008396868072010-04-14T06:59:55.492-07:002010-04-14T06:59:55.492-07:00Interesting. Among Orthodox Jews and even Conserv...Interesting. Among Orthodox Jews and even Conservative Jews, you will find a mix of political viewpoints. <br /><br />Yet it seems more and more clear to me, that only progressives and/or liberals are welcomed within the Reform community.<br /><br />Of course, the Orthodox Union does have policy points and has similar functions to the one that you attended - but the OU doesn't control all of Orthodoxy. It is one view. <br /><br />In fact, the OU does not run a single rabbinical ordination program. As a result, rabbis of Orthodox congregations come from a wide variety of yeshivot, which may have varying political slants, or none at all.<br /><br />In contrast, the URJ is THE body of all Reform Judaism. ALL Reform clergy are educated in HUC. So when a Reform Jewish group lobbies a state government - in the name of Reform Judaism - that seems to alienate any politically conservative or even moderate Jew that might otherwise want to join a Reform congregation.<br /><br />If signing on to a progressive political outlook is a prerequisite for joining the Reform movement... ...do URJ and HUC deserve tax exempt status? <br /><br />Are these organizations primarily religious or political?<br /><br />Would a politically conservative Jew feel welcome at an oneg shabbat, if political subjects arose, and everyone else in attendance presumed that they all agreed?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01439914775932892703noreply@blogger.com