Program areas at Roots of Reform Judaism
Publication program-distribution of the union prayer book-sinai edition, revised (2012)-a contemporary language version of Reform liturgy, used by congregations around the country and the hebrew union college, the new union haggadah (2014) new revision of the historic passover liturgy co-published by the central conference of american rabbis, and the rise and growth of Reform Judaism (2015), published by the jewish publication society, bhadrat kodesh published by scrj and har-el synagogue of jerusalem. Publication and distribution of the Reform advocate journal of articles, essays on Reform Judaism. The organization has undertaken the publication of 10 monographs for spiritual & religious uses throughout the year since 2018. Completed are: a time to begin, a time to comfort, a time to forgive, a time to grow, a time to learn, a time to mourn, a time to reflect, a time to rejoice, a time to rest, and a time to share. These will support underserved individuals and communities with resources supporting progressive american Reform beliefs and practices. Additionally, the organization produces a semi-annual journal, the Reform advocate, with contributions from scholars, rabbis and cantors, and lay writers.
Partnership at hebrew union college -amongst the most important connections the organization has created is the partnership with the hebrew union college-jewish institute of religion, the four-campus seminary of the Reform jewish movement. The organization provides programmatic resources for these campuses: cincinnati, los angeles, and jerusalem. The organization provides scholarships, internships, and educational materials steeped in the tradition and principles of their Reform heritage, for students in the rabbinic, cantonal, and educational programs. More than 100 students and a dozen faculty members are participants in the various facets of these programs.
National outreach- through the presentation of in organizations sermons, scholarly lectures and educational programs at synagogues and seminaries around the world, worship services (including online) and presentations at international, national, and regional gatherings of the Reform movement and at Reform synagogues around the country. The organization's objectives are to educate the broader Reform jewish community on the vision and work of the organization and to reach out to presently non-affiliated individuals through resources to support their spiritual and religious needs. These programs and activities reached more than 5,000 individuals annually.
Social media programthe organization outreach efforts uses social media to widen the community awareness of our programs, goals and vision to teach about the relevance, beauty and contemporary value of classical Reform Judaism tenets in the 21st century through publications, website, blogs, facebook, textual resources and music. We create valuable resources for individual seekers, and congregations with weekly blog posts, facebook entries and both historic and contemporaryeducational content derived from scholarly papers and articles by the organzations supporters, students and rabbis, as well as links to like-minded organizations. Our goal is to upgrade these social media sites as needed to support the needs of our individual supporters, synagogues and the Reform jewish community.