| II.
History
Reconstructionist Judaism, originally an offshoot of the Conservative
movement, is grounded in the thought of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, who
defined Judaism as "an evolving, religious civilization."
Kaplan defined the Torah "as the people's search for God," and
defined God as a force or presence throughout the universe which acts
through us, rather than upon us. He emphasized that Jewish prayers and
rituals are "reconstructed" in an evolving historical and
social context. Reconstructionists were at the forefront of
incorporating egalitarian and democratic practices into all aspects of
synagogue life.
National organizations: Jewish Reconstructionist Federation;
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College; Reconstructionist Rabbinical
Association.
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