Reconstructionist Judaism

From Safon.org

Reconstructionist Judaism is one of the four main denominations of Rabbinic Judaism. Reconstructionism defines Judaism as “the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people”. In this civilisation, religious services, music, literature, art, cooking, sports and most other cultural expressions are included. In classical Reconstructionist Judaism, Halakhá is not considered to be absolutely binding, but living in accordance with Halakhá is viewed as commendable.

Classical Reconstructionist Judaism differs from Classical Reform Judaism through a greater emphasis on the traditional ritual and from Conservative/Masorti Judaism through a more consistently egalitarian ideology and a theology that tends more towards deism (God as “(the) Cosmic Force”) rather than theism (God as “person”).

Egalitarianism is considered as a basic tenet in Reconstructionist Judaism. Women and men are considered equally fit for all elements of the religious service; both male and female Rabbis are educated and employed, both women and men use talletót (prayer shawls) and, optionally, tefillín (phylacteries — these are less commonly used than talletót amongst Liberal Jews), both men and women are counted in the minyán, and one normally does not have a meḥiṣṣá (a physical barrier between male and female sections of the synagogue).

As part of the egalitarian ideology, it is also common to reject or to tone down the idea of Jews as the uniquely chosen people.

Reconstructionist Judaism has its historical origins in Conservative (Masorti) Judaism. In recent years, Reconstructionism and the neo-Ḥasidic group «Jewish Renewal» have had significant influence on each other in USA and Canada.