Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Temple Emanu-El

"In Reform Judaism there is no one doctrine. It is up to the individual to make this decision to what he or she believes. Individual choice is the hallmark of Reform Judaism," Rabbi Martin Lawson told me.

The roots of Reform Judaism are traced to the Enlightenment in the 1800s. As Jews were given access to public schools, the Torah was viewed under modern interpretation and criticism. Traditional clothing, circumcision, keeping kosher, and other Jewish laws no longer governed how Reform Judaism expressed its beliefs.

"There is a movement to bring many of these traditional elements back into the service. The old style of Reform was trying to assimilate and become part of the American community and not be too Jewish. Today, there is a reexamination of these old traditional patterns," said Rabbi Lawson. "At our services, you will find many people wearing a tallit or kepah."

At the Shabbat service I attended, two-thirds of the men chose to wear a kepah, also called a yarmulke. Yarmulkes are provided for visitors at the entrance to the sanctuary. The kepah or yarmulke is a skullcap worn on the head during religious prayers and services. Orthodox Jewish males wear a yarmulke at all times. A tallit, also pronounced tallis, is a rectangular-shaped prayer shawl worn for prayers.

Sponsored
Sponsored

"We are not wearing them for the same reason as an Orthodox Jew would, but we are reinvesting them with new meaning," explained Lawson. "Wearing these items is about people finding meaning on their own. People look back and examine the ancient texts and try to bring new meaning to these rituals."

I asked Rabbi Lawson about the differences between Reform and Orthodox Judaism. "One of the differences with Orthodox Jews is the status of women," Lawson replied. "Men and women sit together in a Reform congregation. In an Orthodox congregation, they are separated. The separation boils down to women menstruating. In the Orthodox tradition, a woman is unclean during that time when she has her period. You don't want to walk around and ask every woman, 'Do you have your period today?' So they make a blanket thing of isolating women from men. Also, there is the sexual connotation. Women are considered provocateurs of men.

"Reform Judaism says that women and men are equal. We have women rabbis, women cantors, and women educators. The same thing would apply to gays and lesbians or bisexual people. We don't accept the biblical teaching about homosexuality. Our congregation was the first in San Diego to march in the Pride Parade, and we've done it every year since."

Rabbi Lawson summarized the differences between Orthodox and Reform Jews saying, "Orthodox Judaism is based on Jewish law and adhering to that. Reform Jews believe those teachings are a guidance not a governance to how we live. They guide us, and we make decisions based on them. So we don't just throw them out."

The evening was dark as I arrived for the 6 p.m. Friday service. Inside the sanctuary, pillars wrapped in golden metal support the peaked ceiling. An altar stands in the center of the sanctuary. It is from this altar that the Torah is read. A large stained-glass window illuminated by light depicts a scroll covered with Hebrew writing.

I counted just over 80 people, which was close to capacity for the intimate sanctuary. The congregation, primarily an older group, wore suits and dressy attire.

The Shabbat service followed the Gates of Prayer, a gender-sensitive book written for Reform Judaism. The service was conducted in Hebrew, but English was included in the readings when Lawson spoke to the worshippers. Rabbi Lawson led the a cappella singing in Hebrew. Through the evening, various men and women stepped forward to read portions from the Gates of Prayer and from the Torah. Often, the congregation would stand and sing, read a response or a prayer.

Rabbi Lawson shared historical stories, quotes, and poems from a variety of sources. These sources included scholars, poets, Jewish mystics, Kabbalists and other rabbis. The teachings were informational, providing insight into the meaning of words and language used throughout the service. The service ended with the Kiddush, when the congregation moved to the back of the room to partake of wine and bread.

As always, I asked Rabbi Lawson, "What happens to a person after they die?"

"There is a wide range of what people believe about life after death. These vary from 'When you are dead, you're dead'; some believe the soul lives on; others even believe in a bodily resurrection. I believe in some kind of existence after death. I don't think it is physical. You are reunited with God, the source of life. There is no hell or heaven in Jewish thought. You do have to stand for judgment. I taught an entire semester's course on this issue, so I can't really answer it. It would take me hours to explain it.

"Our focus in Judaism is not on life after death. The focus is on here and now. To quote a prophet, it is 'To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with God.' "

Place

Temple Emanu-El

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego




Denomination: Union for Reform Judaism

Address: 6299 Capri Drive, San Diego,

619-286-2555

Founded locally: 1964

Senior pastor: Rabbi Martin S. Lawson

Congregation size: 1400

Staff size: 15

Sunday school enrollment: 165

Annual budget: would not discuss

Weekly giving: would not discuss

Singles program: no

Dress: dressy

Diversity: white

Worship: Friday varies (6 or 7 p.m.); Saturday, 10:30 a.m.

Length of reviewed service: 1 hour

Website: templeemanuelsd.org

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Why Paul Mitchell the School San Diego is the Top Choice for Future Beauty Pros

Next Article

Jacobs Music Center Grand Opening

The concert did what it was designed to do

"In Reform Judaism there is no one doctrine. It is up to the individual to make this decision to what he or she believes. Individual choice is the hallmark of Reform Judaism," Rabbi Martin Lawson told me.

The roots of Reform Judaism are traced to the Enlightenment in the 1800s. As Jews were given access to public schools, the Torah was viewed under modern interpretation and criticism. Traditional clothing, circumcision, keeping kosher, and other Jewish laws no longer governed how Reform Judaism expressed its beliefs.

"There is a movement to bring many of these traditional elements back into the service. The old style of Reform was trying to assimilate and become part of the American community and not be too Jewish. Today, there is a reexamination of these old traditional patterns," said Rabbi Lawson. "At our services, you will find many people wearing a tallit or kepah."

At the Shabbat service I attended, two-thirds of the men chose to wear a kepah, also called a yarmulke. Yarmulkes are provided for visitors at the entrance to the sanctuary. The kepah or yarmulke is a skullcap worn on the head during religious prayers and services. Orthodox Jewish males wear a yarmulke at all times. A tallit, also pronounced tallis, is a rectangular-shaped prayer shawl worn for prayers.

Sponsored
Sponsored

"We are not wearing them for the same reason as an Orthodox Jew would, but we are reinvesting them with new meaning," explained Lawson. "Wearing these items is about people finding meaning on their own. People look back and examine the ancient texts and try to bring new meaning to these rituals."

I asked Rabbi Lawson about the differences between Reform and Orthodox Judaism. "One of the differences with Orthodox Jews is the status of women," Lawson replied. "Men and women sit together in a Reform congregation. In an Orthodox congregation, they are separated. The separation boils down to women menstruating. In the Orthodox tradition, a woman is unclean during that time when she has her period. You don't want to walk around and ask every woman, 'Do you have your period today?' So they make a blanket thing of isolating women from men. Also, there is the sexual connotation. Women are considered provocateurs of men.

"Reform Judaism says that women and men are equal. We have women rabbis, women cantors, and women educators. The same thing would apply to gays and lesbians or bisexual people. We don't accept the biblical teaching about homosexuality. Our congregation was the first in San Diego to march in the Pride Parade, and we've done it every year since."

Rabbi Lawson summarized the differences between Orthodox and Reform Jews saying, "Orthodox Judaism is based on Jewish law and adhering to that. Reform Jews believe those teachings are a guidance not a governance to how we live. They guide us, and we make decisions based on them. So we don't just throw them out."

The evening was dark as I arrived for the 6 p.m. Friday service. Inside the sanctuary, pillars wrapped in golden metal support the peaked ceiling. An altar stands in the center of the sanctuary. It is from this altar that the Torah is read. A large stained-glass window illuminated by light depicts a scroll covered with Hebrew writing.

I counted just over 80 people, which was close to capacity for the intimate sanctuary. The congregation, primarily an older group, wore suits and dressy attire.

The Shabbat service followed the Gates of Prayer, a gender-sensitive book written for Reform Judaism. The service was conducted in Hebrew, but English was included in the readings when Lawson spoke to the worshippers. Rabbi Lawson led the a cappella singing in Hebrew. Through the evening, various men and women stepped forward to read portions from the Gates of Prayer and from the Torah. Often, the congregation would stand and sing, read a response or a prayer.

Rabbi Lawson shared historical stories, quotes, and poems from a variety of sources. These sources included scholars, poets, Jewish mystics, Kabbalists and other rabbis. The teachings were informational, providing insight into the meaning of words and language used throughout the service. The service ended with the Kiddush, when the congregation moved to the back of the room to partake of wine and bread.

As always, I asked Rabbi Lawson, "What happens to a person after they die?"

"There is a wide range of what people believe about life after death. These vary from 'When you are dead, you're dead'; some believe the soul lives on; others even believe in a bodily resurrection. I believe in some kind of existence after death. I don't think it is physical. You are reunited with God, the source of life. There is no hell or heaven in Jewish thought. You do have to stand for judgment. I taught an entire semester's course on this issue, so I can't really answer it. It would take me hours to explain it.

"Our focus in Judaism is not on life after death. The focus is on here and now. To quote a prophet, it is 'To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with God.' "

Place

Temple Emanu-El

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego




Denomination: Union for Reform Judaism

Address: 6299 Capri Drive, San Diego,

619-286-2555

Founded locally: 1964

Senior pastor: Rabbi Martin S. Lawson

Congregation size: 1400

Staff size: 15

Sunday school enrollment: 165

Annual budget: would not discuss

Weekly giving: would not discuss

Singles program: no

Dress: dressy

Diversity: white

Worship: Friday varies (6 or 7 p.m.); Saturday, 10:30 a.m.

Length of reviewed service: 1 hour

Website: templeemanuelsd.org

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Vista imagines car-free downtown

Following Encinitas and Pacific Beach
Next Article

Happy accidents on the Bob Ross soundtrack

Jason Lee and Dave Klein craft new sounds for a classic show
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader