The Challenge of "REFORM"
with Cantor Andrew Bernard

On a routine basis, members of our professional staff gently remind people that we at Temple Beth El are Reform Jews, not “reformed.” What might seem like a small — even trivial — variation does, in fact, make an enormous difference. Something
that has been reformed has been altered, updated or reworked into something new, different and stationary. Changes have taken place [past tense] in the thing that was old, the metamorphosis is complete, and the new creation is again stable and unyielding.

The word “reform” implies a dynamic, ever-changing state. To “re-form” something suggests that the state of things is constantly reexamined, challenged and updated. We define the present position as a point along a never-ending path, knowing that tomorrow may well bring something new.

Change is inherently uncomfortable. It is tempting for even the most sincere reformers to create something new and then allow that new thing to enter a state of stasis. Change is tolerable, after all, as long as the end result becomes fixed. To feel secure amid change is the challenge that being a Reform Jewish congregation presents — and no other area presents more challenges than liturgy.

Liturgy is supposed to be a stable anchor in the midst of an unpredictable world. One reason people complain about changes in liturgy is that after a week of trying to cope with all the curves that life can throw at us, it seems that Shabbat should be the one thing that we can always count on. From that standpoint, “flexible liturgy” is an oxymoron.

Yet liturgy is also a reflection of our philosophy and theology. Liberal Judaism is a dynamic religious outlook that is always responding to an ever-changing world. As we continue to engage life from our religious viewpoint, the liturgy must respond.

It has been over 30 years since the publication of our last Reform prayerbook. The changes in our philosophy are already reflected in our worship. Gates of Prayer acknowledges the deeds of the Patriarchs, but we add the Matriarchs as well. The prayerbook refers to God with masculine pronouns, but we substitute “God’s” or “Your” for “His” — often resulting in awkward prose. You’ve heard the rabbis add contemporary readings and the cantors introduce songs to new texts, all in an attempt to keep our worship engaging and meaningful.

In a few months, a new Reform prayerbook called Mishkan T’fila is due to be published. Eight years in the making, it more accurately reflects the current state of our philosophy and theology, and incorporates material that has either become standard over the past 30 years or has been newly-created by some of the most ingenious minds of our day. It promotes greater congregational participation, allows for the creation of local traditions, and helps us reframe both traditional prayer and contemporary thought in a context meaningful to today’s Reform Jew.

We are currently using a prototype of the new prayerbook in our Saturday morning Congregational Shabbat services. Next fall, a variety of opportunities to learn about and familiarize yourself with the new prayerbook will precede its introduction into regular worship.

The word mishkan is the name of the portable Sanctuary that we built and carried with us on our forty-year journey through the desert, as described in the book of Exodus. The word t’fila means prayer. We are confident that this new prayerbook, Mishkan T’fila, will live up to its name and create a sanctuary of prayer for our congregation for decades to come.

There are opportunities for you to purchase copies of the prayerbook for yourself and for the congregation. For information on buying a copy of Mishkan T’fila, see the form in this issue of the Voice.