Union for Reform Judaism
| Union for Reform Judaism | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Abbreviation | URJ |
| Theology | Reform Judaism |
| President | Rabbi Richard Jacobs |
| CCAR President | Rabbi Denise Eger |
| Associations | World Union for Progressive Judaism |
| Region | United States and Canada |
| Headquarters | 633 Third Avenue, New York City |
| Founder | Isaac Mayer Wise |
| Origin | July 8, 1873 Melodeon Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Congregations | nearly 900 |
| Members | ~880,000 affiliates 600,000–1,150,000 identifying |
| Official website | www |
The Union for Reform Judaism (until 2003: Union of American Hebrew Congregations) is the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America, founded in 1873 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, along with the Hebrew Union College in 1875 and the Central Conference of American Rabbis in 1889. The Union for Reform Judaism defines itself as "the largest and most diverse Jewish movement in North America," dedicated to "strengthening communities" and "transforming the way people connect to Jewish life" in order to build "a more whole, just and compassionate world." The URJ, whose current president is Rabbi Richard Jacobs, has an estimated constituency of some 880,000 registered adults in nearly 900 congregations. More than a third of adult U.S. Jews, including many who are not synagogue members, state affinity with Reform Judaism, making it the largest Jewish religious denomination. The 2013 Pew survey assessed that 35% of Jews in the United States consider themselves Reform (the 2001 AJC poll cited 38%); based on these figures, Steven M. Cohen estimated there were 1,154,000 identifying non-member adults in addition to those registered, not including children. There are an additional 30,000 affiliated congregants in Canada. Citing those findings, the URJ claims to represent an estimated 2 million individuals.
The URJ is the most populous organization in the world to espouse Reform Judaism (also known as Liberal or Progressive Judaism). Reform Judaism shares several basic tenets: a belief in a theistic, personal God; continuous revelation, under the influence of which all scripture was written by divinely inspired humans through the ages, and all the People Israel may form their own, new religious insights today, not necessarily in conformity with those gained in the past; a distinction between the moral and ethical heart of Judaism in contrast with the instrumental ritual and practice, which serve to express the former and may be altered or renewed to better fulfill this function, though they still occupy an important role in religious life; universal mission of the Jews to spread God's message among all peoples, and a future coming of a Messianic Age of peace, but without a personal Messiah or restoration of the sacrificial cult in Jerusalem; and rejection of bodily resurrection of the dead while generally affirming immortality of the soul. The movement also upholds the autonomy of the individual as the final arbiter on matters of his or her own religiosity, yet while this notion endures a growing stress is laid on participation in communal life and observance, especially since the 1999 Pittsburgh Statement of Principles.
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Wikipedia