ABOUT THIS BOOK

The responsa literature, in which rabbis answer questions about halachah (Jewish law), is a vast treasury reaching back nearly fifteen centuries; Reform rabbis have been writing responsa since the 1800s. In Reading Reform Responsa, Rabbi Mark Washofsky, PhD, presents a deep dive into this literature, boldly arguing that Reform Judaism is indeed a movement fundamentally based on halachah. By inviting and guiding readers to understand Reform responsa with a critical eye, he shows that our movement has always been informed by Jewish law as well as Reform history. A teacher and mentor of generations of students at Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Washofsky gives us a peek inside his classroom, making Reform responsa---and their history, framing, and context---engaging and accessible for all.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Rabbi Mark Washofsky, PhD, is an emeritus professor of Jewish Law and Practice at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, where he received his rabbinical ordination (1980) and his PhD (1987), and where he taught Talmud and Jewish legal literature from 1985 to 2021. He served as chair of the Responsa Committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis from 1996 to 2017. He is currently the chair of the Solomon B. Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah. His publications include Jewish Living: A Guide to Contemporary Reform Practice, Reform Responsa for the Twenty-First Century, Reading Reform Responsa: Jewish Tradition, Reform Rabbis, and Today's Issues, and numerous articles on the development of halachah, the application of legal and literary theory to Jewish legal writing, and Jewish bioethics.

REVIEWS

Rabbi Washofsky gifts us with a series of informed and sensitive discussions of how Reform Jews should think about and act on specific moral and ritual issues. In doing so, he graphically demonstrates that Reform Judaism's emphasis on personal autonomy is complemented by its insistence that Jewish tradition must play a role in individuals' choices if these decisions are to be not just one's own opinion, but also a recognizably Jewish one.
--Rabbi Elliot Dorff, PhD, Past Chair, Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, Rabbinical Assembly

Rabbi Mark Washofsky offers us a fascinating entry into and analysis of the Reform Movement's engagement with Jewish law, practice, and values. Where responsa analyze the issues and concerns implicit in a question of immediate practicality posed to a Jewish legal authority, Washofsky analyzes the body of over 1,300 Reform responsa promulgated since the early nineteenth century, pointing out the intellectual and ethical approaches employed, as well as the traditional, philosophical, and scientific resources marshalled to arrive at a persuasive answer. A wonderful read in its own right, this book provides an insider's look at modern liberal Jewish religious thought in action.
--Rabbi Amy Scheinerman, author of The Talmud of Relationships

Drawing on his deep mastery of classical halachic literature, Reform religious culture, and modern secular legal theory, Mark Washofsky offers insightful and compelling analyses of some of the Reform Movement's most important responsa. Washofsky's special ability to combine rigorous scholarship with his characteristic dry humor, engaging storytelling, and accessible writing style makes Reading Reform Responsa an essential study companion for anyone---clergy, academics, and laypeople alike---who is interested in learning or teaching Reform Judaism's rich tradition of halachic discourse. By inviting the reader to be not just an observer but also a participant in the reasoning and argumentation of responsa, Washofsky teaches us what it means to think halachically in a uniquely Reform way.
--Rabbi A. Brian Stoller, Senior Rabbi, Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, NY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword
Rabbi Joan S. Friedman, PhD
Preface xi
Introduction
Chapter 1: Embracing Reforms:
Torah Reading on Friday
Chapter 2: Principles in Conflict:
Orthodox Minyan in a Reform Synagogue
Chapter 3: Reforming Reforms, Embracing Tradition:
When a Parent Requests Cremation
Chapter 4: Honoring Memory and Halachah:
A Defective “Holocaust” Torah Scroll
Chapter 5: The Changing Reform “Mood”:
Three Responsa on Shabbat
Chapter 6: Nationalism, Zionism, and Reform:
Flags on the Bimah
Chapter 7: Jewish Faith and Secular Culture:
St. Valentine’s Day and Other “Secular” Holidays
Chapter 8: Modern Values, Jewish Tradition:
Privacy and the Disclosure of Personal Medical Information
Chapter 9: The Halachah of Social Justice:
The Synagogue and Organized Labor
Chapter 10: Politics and Reform Halachah:
Hunger Strike: On the Force-Feeding of Prisoners
Conclusions
Notes
Appendix: Full Text of Responsa
Glossary
Reform Responsa Publications
About the Author