Why is it customary to visit loved ones' graves before or during the High Holidays?
Jewish tradition gives structure to many aspects of mourning as a way to create order at a time when mourners may feel unmoored.
My new son-in-law has expressed interest in Judaism; where can we find a community that will welcome him and help him learn about Judaism?
Reform Jews are committed to the principle of inclusion.
What might I expect when making a shiva call? What should I bring?
Shiva is a time when we reminisce, remember, recapture memories of a loved one. As such, what we usually do during a condolence call is to listen to those memories that the mourner wishes to share or to talk about other subjects initiated by the mourner that may have nothing to do with his or her loss.
How Do Reform Jews Understand Tishah B’Av?
What is the Reform position on clergy officiating at the wedding of a Jew to a person brought up in a different faith?
I’m Jewish and my partner is not. We’d like to have a Jewish wedding and plan to raise a Jewish family. Will a Reform rabbi or cantor officiate at our wedding?
Do Reform Jews Believe in the Messiah?
In the Jewish prayer book, the siddur, there are references to an “end of days”: the Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, the dead who were righteous will be resurrected, and a figure known as the Messiah, or in Hebrew the Moshiach, will restore Israel to new-found glory.
Is the Child of an Interfaith Couple Considered Jewish?
Historically, since the Rabbinic period (post 70 CE), Jewish status was passed down by the mother.