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Reconstructionist Judaism
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Link To Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
In May 2000, in our eighth year as a shul, the members of String of
Pearls voted to affiliate with Reconstructionist Judaism by joining the
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, the congregational arm of the
Reconstructionist movement.
The
smallest of the four main branches of Judaism in North America (and the
only one originating in the United States), the Reconstructionist
movement is the country’s fastest growing Jewish denomination, and
presently numbers some 104 congregations across the United States and
Canada.
Organized around the teachings of Rabbi Mordecai M.
Kaplan (1881-1993), one of the most influential thinkers in the history
of Judaism in North America, the Reconstructionist movement views
Judaism as the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people.
The movement recognizes the diversity of Jewish practices and
encourages its member communities to take an active role in
reconstructing Judaism according to contemporary needs and
circumstances.
String of Pearls is the eighth Reconstructionist
congregation in New Jersey, joining sister communities in Belle Mead,
Bridgeton, Chatham, Chester, Hammonton, Maywood, and Montclair.
Reconstructionist
Judaism is egalitarian in both principle and practice, and is firmly
committed to involving women and men on an equal basis in the
leadership of the religious and cultural life of the Jewish community.
The Reconstructionist movement has published innovative and gender
inclusive siddurim and haggadot, and encourages all affiliated
congregations to employ a democratic decision-making process in the
course of ordering their practices and commitments as a congregation.
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COMMUNITY
Unlike traditional temples and synagogues, String of Pearls has a
fairly loose, ad hoc structure. Since we don’t have elected officers or
paid staff, we depend on members to participate in the running and
maintenance of the shul.
Large decisions are made at our annual
business meeting, which takes place in the late winter or early spring.
Smaller decisions are made during the year at regular meetings of the
“helpmeets”—members who have volunteered to be in charge of SOP
activities. In addition to the opportunity to serve as helpmeets,
members take turns “shammesing”— that is, being responsible for the
setup and cleanup of monthly services.
Shuls
Live shuls are constantly changing:
dead shuls don’t have to.
Live shuls have lots of noisy kids;
dead shuls don’t.
Live shuls’ expenses always exceed their income;
dead shuls take in more money than they can spend.
Live shuls focus on people—keeping them growing;
dead shuls focus on the building—on keeping it neat and
clean and quiet.
Live shuls are filled with tithers;
dead shuls are filled with tippers.
Live shuls dream great dreams;
dead shuls rehearse nightmares.
Live shuls don’t have “can’t” in their vocabulary;
dead shuls have nothing but.
String of Pearls is a live shul.
Come and get involved
and experience what it means to be part of community.
Author unknown. Discovered in the newsletter
of Kehillat HaNahar, in New Hope, PA
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