values of the reconstructionist movement
Reconstructionist Judaism is a progressive contemporary approach
to Jewish life. Visit the Reconstructionist
Federation's website for specific questions about interfaith
mariages, GLBT inclusion, women's roles, kashrut, Halakah/Jewish
Law, conversion, sacred texts, etc.
tikkun olam
Our diverse communities emphasize acts of social justice alongside
prayer and study as an essential part of their spiritual practice.
Reconstructionist Judaism affirms that religion can and must be
a powerful force for promoting communal discussion about ethics
and values. The Torah tradition itself is a deep and wide resource
for this project. Yet we know that generations of Jews have sharpened
and distilled the ethical insights of Judaism as a result of the
encounter with other cultures and traditions, and so it is our time.
Tikkun olam at Congregation Ner Shalom
- programs our congregation is involved in to better our community
and our world.
spirituality
 Reconstructionists
hold diverse ideas about God, but we share an emphasis on Godliness
-- those hopes, beliefs, and values within us that impel us to work
for a better world, that give us strength and solace in times of
need, that challenge us to grow, and that deepen our joy in moments
of celebration.
gender-neutral language
Reconstructionist prayerbooks speak of God beyond the gender concepts
of male or female, and beyond the traditional metaphors of "king
of the universe." God is addressed as, among other things,
"the Healer," "The Teacher," "The Comforter,"
and "The Presence." We are engaged in the spiritual adventure
of discovering the many attributes of God.
tradition
We are deeply respectful of traditional Jewish observances, but
also open to new interpretations and forms of religious expression.
Reconstructionists find joy, wisdom and identity in Jewish teachings.
But we do not feel compelled to follow traditions that are no longer
meaningful or appropriate. As Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan, the founder
of Reconstructionsism, taught, tradition has "a vote, but not
a veto." Reconstructionism retains a warmly traditional (and
fully egalitarian) approach to Jewish religious practice
For more information about the Reconstructionist movement, please
visit the Jewish Reconstructionist
Federation's website and it's West
Coast page, and the websites of our sister Reconstructionist
havurot and congregations.
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