The Movement for Reform Judaism

The new initiative emerged from the recommendations of in-depth research into the 18-35 age group carried out by the Reform Movement last year. The ‘Getting in Touch’ report discovered that this was not, in fact, a ‘lost generation’, that being Jewish continues to be extremely important to young people, but that their Jewish involvement centres more around their own informal networks of friends and family, as opposed to within institutions. Whilst they are often not drawn to synagogues, Reform rabbis have been and can be role models at certain points in their lives. They want high-quality Jewish experiences, but these cannot be ‘one size fits all’, and their involvement is likely to be fluid rather than long term.

In response to these findings, subject to final approval from its Council in March 2007, the Reform Movement will move ahead with plans to employ new staff and launch a new website. New staff will include a quality Jewish educator or rabbi, whose work will focus on building and strengthening informal networks of young Jews; as well as an editor for a new website dedicated to this age group.

The funding will also be used to improve the Reform Movement’s current website and communications, ensuring that greater numbers of members and potential members can find a way into the Movement; as well as tailoring newsletters and other forms of communication to their needs and their interests.

Project Consultant, Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand explained: “the explosion of technology, especially the internet, means that more and more people are looking to connect via the web. Within our community, people want to find information, but they also want a space to express themselves Jewishly, and to discuss Jewish issues and ideas with others. Our website is used by people across the UK and even by people in other countries who are looking to connect into a ‘virtual community’ and the Reform Movement can provide that.”

These new initiatives form key parts of the Reform Movement’s 2020 Vision: its strategy for the next 15 years addressing the major challenges facing Anglo-Jewry today.

The extra funding available – £120,000 to be spent in 2007, rising to £170,000 in 2008 - is largely thanks to a successful Annual Dinner held in October which raised £160,000 as well as the new Patrons’ Scheme which has been launched to invite Reform members to become Patrons of the Movement, thus guaranteeing their donations over three years.

Reform Movement Head, Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield said: “We are in a very strong position going into 2007. And something momentous is happening. We’ve reached the tipping point. The point at which what you’ve dreamt of and worked for, for years, begins to happen. The point at which the pace of change quickens, dramatically. RSGB has developed into the Reform Movement and a loose association of synagogues has become a real Movement which challenges, inspires and excites its members, particularly its members in the 18-35 age group.”

For further details, please contact:
Andrea Newman, Movement for Reform Judaism Public Relations Officer

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