Does Progressive Judaism have a view on matters like Abortion, Euthenasia and Genetic Engineering?

1. I am a bit confused.  Does Progressive Judaism have a communal view on abortion, euthanasia and genetic engineering? 
2. Rabbi Jonathan responds: The Progressive Jewish approach gives permission for people to believe and act as they think God wants them to - to make EDUCATED choices for themselves.  There is no particular position on these complex matters (or any other non-ethical ones) though we would tend to the liberal end).  So on abortion, many of my colleagues would be entirely permissive - women's right etc.  On this I disagree.  Of course it is a matter of a life, so it becomes 'ethical' - but when is a life a life?  And when is it a viable life?  Tradition says that if the foetus is threatening the life of the mother, it can be killed to save her life (it is considered as a 'rodef' or persuer).  But once it's head has emerged, it is a full human being and cannot then be killed as it has full 'human rights'.  On the other hand, reflecting pragmatic realities of times past, a baby who dies in its first month does not have a full burial as it has not yet proved itself to be 'viable'.  I look elsewhere for guidance: Noting that there is a clear division in the US between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice, I find the Torah's instruction 'Choose Life'  (Deut 30:19) to be useful - it is the mother's choice - but the choice should be for life (whether that means the mother's quality of life or the possibilities for the baby). I see this as a 'middle way of moderation'.  On euthenasia, the tradition is very nuanced.  Traditionalists would claim that only God gives life and only God can take it.  I reject the idea that God takes life. God does not kill us,  Instead I feel God gives us all finite life, and when we die, God is waiting to 'receive us back'.  Even in ancient times there are stories of letting people die when it is time, and not extending their lives unnaturally (eg by making loud noises or putting salt on their tongue).  Today, medical practices have the ability to keep people alive long after they may have had enough and wish to die.  And so I have been supporting the Assisted Dying legislation which has now come into law in Victoria and last month in Western Australia.  On Genetic Engineering, the basic approach would be to develop any medical approach which helps healing and quality of life, as long as it is proven not to be harmful.  In some ways it is a high tech extension of plant and animal husbandry.  Of course it needs rigorous safeguards and I beleiev that these are generally in place in Western research and academia.  China, Russia etc are different questions! 

Working in Shabbat - Building a 'fence' round the Torah

1. On page 248 of A Judaism for the Twenty-First Century (6th Edition), discussion on activities that are prohibited on Shabbat were so interesting how some were devised from 'what if' (ie a guitar may no be played, because what if a string breaks and it needs to be repaired...).  Would you say this 'what if' mindset is a characteristic of a Jew?  
2. Rabbi Jonathan responds: Yes, it is called 'building a fence round the Torah' - so the tradition says chicken is not meat (as it doesn't give milk), but what if you THOUGHT you were eating chicken but it turned out to be veal?! So the Rabbis banned chicken, but did it as a rabbinic ban, not a Torah ban, as they knew it was only a safeguard. 

Is circumcision necessary for Progressive Jews and conversions?

1. Why does Progressive Judaism insist on circumcision, and particularly for adult conversions?
2. Rabbi Jonathan responds: Originally, the leaders of 'Liberale' in Germany felt it was not necessary - what has foreskin got to do with God? But the weight of Jewish tradition insisted, and 'what would teh orthodox say' is a powerful concern about legitimacy, so it was never abolished.  However I would say we do not always insist on it so strictly.  I suspect that in some parts (eg US) it probably goes by the way in some cases, and even in Australia, if someone put a cogent case, I'd be swayed by it (though the decision would be made by the Bet Din - Jewish Court of three people).  Also we will waive it for good medical reasons (and that includes psychological).  Finally, I would argue that if we treat girls and boys the same, and a girl and woman can be a perfectly good Jew without any physical alteration, then why can't a man?  But at the end of the day, we are balancing emotion, feeling, logic and tradition. Circumcision is biblically introduced (starting with Abraham) and described as 'a sign of the Covenant between God and 'man'). It's a tough one! 

Is the Purim Story (Scroll Of Esther) True History?

What makes you so confident that the Purim story of Esther is fictional?  It  seems it would be comparable to so many other extreme stories in the Bible? (This has always been my favourite story!) 

Rabbi Jonathan responds:

There is no evidence that the Jews of Persia were attacked, or that there was a Jewish Queen.  The story was a well-known Persian one, but recast with Esther and Mordechai as the heroes.  These names were not Jewish ones, but are allusions to the main persian Gods, Ishtar and Marduk.  I think the message is that these were great heroes, but NOT GODS.  Only the invisible God is God (and so invisible that it is only alluded to: 'help will come from another quarter' and not even mentioned in the story - one of teh reasons we dress up and disguise our identities).    But though it is not TRUE, there are KEY TRUTHS: In every generation, those will arise who hate and try to kill Jews for no good reason!  This truth makes it quite an adult festival even though everyone thinks it is for kids

I have some Jewish background - can my children have B'Mitzvahs?

Thanks for your question.

Let me first emphasise that we try to be very open and welcoming to all, and especially to welcome back and support those with Jewish background etc.

You ahve told me that you had a Jewish father but no Jewish upbringing.

Our rules are in most ways more liberal and open than the orthodox part of the community.  Unlike them, we welcome and consider someone Jewish if they have only one Jewish parent - whether father OR mother - HOWEVER there is an important caveat - IF they have had a Jewish upbringing (and consider themselves solely Jewish) and that upbringing has been marked by 'Timely acts of Jewish life' - which would be things like circumcision, observing lighting Shabbat candles and Friday night dinner (sometimes), attending Passover Seders, celebrating the New Year and Day of Atonement, attending religion school, and having a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

At this point I should explain that we go out of our way to treat both (and all) genders as equal. We have started using the term 'Beyt Mitzvah', 'House of Commandments' in place or Bar (son) or bat (daughter) Mitzvah because we recognise that some kids are gender fluid or have gender dysphoria and we do not want to add to the pressure to be something they don't presently feel fopr themselves.  However in one regard we have realised that we need to be (and usually are) slightly more lenient - otherwise we end up being 'more orthodox than the orthodox', which is not a situation we are comfortable with!  So if a woman has a Jewish mother - EVEN if she has had NO Jewish upbringing - but would be counted as Jewish by the orthodox, then in practice we will often also welcome her (though we would encourage and assist her to do some top-up studies to make her feel more knowldgeable and better equipped to take on her Jewish identity).   

Sadly, in your case with a Jewish father but no Jewish upbringing, we really can't yet count you as Jewish.  However we would recognise you had a Jewish father and wished to take on your Jewish identity, and would outline some reading and studies so that, in due course, you could go before the Bet Din (a Jewish 'court' - three friendly progressive Rabbis who are again there to support and welcome you back!).

In the meantime, however, your children are not Jewish and therefore we cannot offer them a 'Bayt Mitzvah'.  I am so sorry, and aware that this may sound harsh.

If all of you are really keen (and I of course believe that progressive Judaism is a wonderful framework for a modern, meaningful, spiritual life), then what I would propose is that we work out a program which you can all journey on together.  You would do the bulk of the work - reading, some coursework - the course is done at your own speed and takes a minimum of a year but as long as you wish - and you would interpret and relay it to the kids at their levels, discuss together, start doing some celebrations - and teach yourselves to read hebrew (I have an easy and fun self-learning book). This would include the children participating in Religion School.

At an appropriate stage, you would then go to the Bet Din together and all have your Jewish status confirmed - and then we get to start on the BMs (Bar, Bat and Beyt Mitzvah is simply the Jewish way to say 'teenage').  Once they have turned 13, children can be counted as part of the adult community and may lead the service and read from Torah. The first time they do this - which might be 14, 15 or older - we celebrate their involvement wity teh BM celebrations. 

After Religion School, the children would join the BM class to prepare the prayers of the service and some verses from the week's Torah portion. 

I fully realise that is a major commitment and undertaking for families.  But it is also a wonderful opportunity to kearn and bond and share something valuable for the rest of your lives, and there are not so many things you can truly say that about.

Let me know your thoughts, once you've discussed it, and if you want to proceed, I'll be absolutely delighted to assist!  

L'shalom

Rabbi Jonathan

My great grandmother was a jew. Under Jewish law this makes my grandfather (her son) a Jew as well. Under Reform Judaism, are my father and myself considered jewish (patrilineal descent) despite not being raised as Jews?

Dear Marlene,

Thank you so much for your enquiry 'Am I a Jew?'

We would be delighted to assist and you would be most welcome to come along and meet us at one of our synagogues, though you haven't mentioned where you are currently based.  We would love to assist you to recover your Jewish connections and discover a Jewish identity. 

You have rightly pointed out that there are differences in approach between orthodox and progressive (Reform is a part of the progressive umbrella of the World Union for Progressive Judaism of which we are a part).

The orthodox count a person as Jewish if they are born to a Jewish mother.  By this logic, your grandfather was indeed a Jew. However, neither you nor your father have Jewish mothers nor were raised as Jews, and consequently would not be considered Jews.

The progressive approach is a more egalitarian one, drawing not only on natural justice but also on the fact that for the first half of the Jewish story (Biblical Judaism), the line went through the fathers (Abraham Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Menasseh etc, whilst in the second half (Rabbinic Judaism) it has gone through the mother (who, despite whatever may have happened in the previous 9 months, is always present at the birth!).

Therefore we say the line passes through either mother OR father - provided that the child is raised as a Jew and has 'timely acts of Jewish observance', which would include religious education, bar/bat mitzvah, celebrating shabbat, regular attendance at festivals such as New Year, Passover Seder, Chanukah lighting. (However, if both parents are Jewish, then you are Jewish even without the upbringing and timely acts, since 'what else could you be?')

So sadly, by our definition, since your grandfather was not raised as a Jew by your great grandmother, he would not be counted, though unless he was actively raised as something else, we would look for indications that would allow us to be lenient and accepting.

However, even if we accepted your great grandfather (and if the orthodox would, it would seem harsh and overly rigid for us not so do so), your father would not be considered Jewish since, as you say, he was not raised as a Jew, and for you yourself, the same conclusion would apply.  Sadly, you neither had a Jewish parent or a Jewish upbringing.

Having said all that, I reiterate that we would be happy to assist - we run regular Introduction to Judaism courses which you can access on line at your own speed, and we believe strongly that if you are looking for a meaningful, spiritual framework for your life, this is what our approach to Judaism offers, with a strong emphasis on community, justice and 'healing the world' to enable you to rejoin the community and formalise your Jewish status within the progressive Jewish world (though sadly it would not be recognised by the orthodox, over which we have no control!).         

I do hope this is helpful.  Please contact me if you'd like to know how to proceed.

L'shalom

Rabbi Jonathan