What is Masorti?
Masorti is traditional Judaism
practised in a spirit of open minded enquiry and tolerance. Masorti
Judaism accepts the binding force of Jewish law, and understands
that it has developed throughout history.
This section is designed to help you understand
the traditional, Masorti, approach to Judaism. Whether you are
considering joining a Masorti synagogue or simply seeking more
information, we hope that you will find it helpful.
It answers general practical questions about
belonging to a Masorti Synagogue, and the services and facilities
that they offer. More specific information about particular
synagogues can be found under each individual synagogue section.
What is The
Assembly of Masorti Synagogues?
The Assembly of Masorti Synagogues is the umbrella body that
serves all Masorti communities in Britain. We act as a central
co-ordinating body, with responsibility for promoting Masorti
ideology and for assisting the development of our communities. To
achieve these aims we run many activities.
The Masorti Academy, is our adult educational
arm. We run courses, seminars, evening classes, residential weekends
and lectures, on a number of levels and on a variety of topics. We
aim to make adult education available and relevant to all our
members, even those who have no time to attend classes. The Masorti
Academy prospectus, with its wide range of options is available from
the Masorti office.
NOAM, is our
vibrant youth movement. You will find a description of NOAM's
activities in the section headed "What can Masorti do for my
children?" See the NOAM section here on the Web site. You can also
receive further information on NOAM by telephoning Tel: 020 8349
6650 or
by e-mail noam@masorti.org.uk
Gesher, is the Masorti teenage centre. When our
children reach secondary school age, they can leave the Cheder that
they attended at their local Masorti synagogue and attend Gesher
instead. Gesher is geared to making Jewish education stimulating and
relevant for teenagers and with its growing roll, is one of the most
vibrant teenage centres in London. See the Gesher section here on
the Web site
What sort
of services do Masorti synagogues have?
Masorti synagogues are traditional. We follow the standard
prayer book (usually Singer's or similar) and we read the Torah
according to the annual cycle. In general you will notice very
little difference between a service in a Masorti synagogue and that
in any other traditional synagogue.
Some of our synagogues have a rabbi, chazzan
and choir, in others the service is taken by members of the
congregation.
Masorti recognises that Jewish Law permits a
number of practices which are not carried out in many orthodox
synagogues, and in some synagogues women are called to the reading
of the Torah, there is no mehitza and there is mixed seating. We
also recognise that many of our congregants, whilst accepting that
these practices are in accordance with Talmudic and later rulings,
nevertheless feel more comfortable in more traditional services. For
this reason, the question of seating and women's active
participation in services varies from one synagogue to another,
depending upon the custom of the local community.
Where is my nearest
Masorti synagogue?
Please refer to our
Directory of Masorti
Synagogues
section of the website on our home page for all the Masorti
communities in Britain.
Why should I join a
Masorti synagogue?
The question of why people join any given synagogue is not
simple. My years of involvement in Jewish communal life have taught
me that people join synagogues for many reasons - and each have
different expectations from their synagogue. It would therefore be
very difficult to say for any given individual why they would choose
to affiliate themselves. I will start by explaining why I have
chosen to affiliate myself to a Masorti synagogue, and go on to see
if it has any value for others.
I am a religious person. For a religious person
everyday "secular" life seems "flat". By this I mean that I am
sensitive to the "big" questions of life - Why are we here? Does
life have a meaning? Where is justice? Although I don't claim to
have "the" answer to any of these questions - for a religious person
the world suggests that there is more to life than meets the eye -
there is an extra dimension. Religious living is an attempt to
enrich our lives, to sanctify our lives, through living with an
awareness of the presence of the Almighty. It is a search for
meaning.
I am a religious Jew because I find the Jewish
tradition to be a particularly satisfying framework for conducting a
religious life. I choose to be a Masorti Jew because of personal
integrity. I can only believe in something that to the best of my
knowledge is true. Although they are not infallible, analytical
research and critical analysis - the "scientific method" - are the
best means we have to reach the truth. Orthodoxy asks me to ignore
reason, to deny too many facts. I choose to be Masorti because it is
where I can be a traditional, observant Jew with integrity.
I come to the synagogue expecting it to be a
place where I can both question and grow. I hope to be able to
observe and experience Jewish tradition, find comradeship with
like-minded people, and learn from others who share similar
concerns. However, not everyone who joins a synagogue is religious.
Most of us consider ourselves to be people who are searching, rather
than people who have found the answers. We may join a Masorti
community because we find it a good place to conduct that search. It
is a community where personal search is encouraged; where one can
question without being look down at, where one is accepted wherever
they may be. We may be attracted by the way that others in the
community are observant, even if we are not observant ourselves.
Even if one does not see oneself as being religious in any sense -
it is frequently a subconscious search for a sense of meaning or
belonging that brings one through the doors of the synagogue for the
first time.
There are other reasons that people would join
a Masorti synagogue. People can have a strong sense of Jewish
identity without being observant. They come in order to feel they
belong to the community, or out of nostalgia for a full Jewish
communal life they remember as a child. One may choose a Masorti
synagogue because one feels comfortable with the blend of
traditional and modern values it offers. One can participate in a
traditional setting without compromising other beliefs.
Finally, most people join synagogues because of
the community itself. A community has to be a place where one is
made to feel at home. Familiarity, friendship and non-threatening
space are perhaps the most valuable things that any community can
offer.
Why join a Masorti congregation?
Masorti Judaism teaches about the relevancy of a traditional
Jewish lifestyle for modern people. It affirms the value of our
tradition, but also the fact that choices in the sphere of religion
are something which mature educated people make themselves.
The movement is a place where traditional
Jewish practice is encouraged, but not forced down your throat. You
will be accepted as you are - and allowed to grow at your own pace.
You will have opportunities to learn. You will be allowed to
question. You will have every opportunity to live a full traditional
lifestyle if that is what you seek. You will also be allowed to just
sit back and enjoy a traditional service, or the friendship and the
warmth of a welcoming community if that is where you are now.
If any of this is what you're looking for -
welcome home!
How do I join?
Contact your local synagogue or the one which you feel is most
suited to your needs. You may also wish to contact the office of the
Assembly of Masorti Synagogues on Tel: +44 (0)20 8349 6650 or e-mail
mg@masorti.org.uk for any further information before
deciding.
What does it
cost?
Each Masorti synagogue is independent and sets its own
membership fees. Your chosen synagogue will send you information on
its membership categories and rates. Generally membership fees for
Masorti synagogues are comparable with those of other synagogues.
Can I
join a burial scheme?
Yes. All our synagogues operate burial schemes.
What can Masorti do
for my children?
Masorti synagogues are keenly aware of the need to make Jewish
life exciting, interesting and appealing to young people. We hear
from many school teachers that pupils from Masorti homes tend to be
more conscious of, and articulate about, their Jewish identity than
those from other backgrounds. We believe that this is because of our
critical and questing approach to Judaism, which is reflected in the
programmes that we run for children and youth.
We run a number of vibrant activities for
children and young people of all ages. We have a nursery school,
with others being planned, and toddler services frequently take
place on Shabbat mornings in some of our synagogues.
All our synagogues have Cheder classes for
children of primary school age. Some have classes up to Bar/Bat
Mitzvah. When they reach the age of eleven they graduate to our
teenage centre, Gesher, where they can stay until the age of
sixteen. We hold regular children's' services and youth services in
our synagogues.
How does Masorti
keep teenagers involved?
Our youth group
NOAM is a dynamic
and hugely popular activity that runs clubs, camps and activity
programmes for all those over the age of seven years. Younger NOAM
youth typically spend a couple of hours each week at clubs, attend
one or more weekend residential programme each year and go away to
camp for a fortnight in the summer. The older groups can also attend
NOAM's residential conference in the winter holidays and at the age
of sixteen are eligible to enrol for Meltam, which is NOAM's youth
leadership training scheme, accredited by Oxford University.
We are now developing programmes for Masorti
students and young singles.
Can I
transfer my existing burial scheme membership?
Yes. You can simply stop paying your present contributions and
enrol in a Masorti scheme. Depending upon your age, you may have to
pay a small premium, however this can be done at any time and if
your personal circumstances require it, you may be eligible for a
Masorti subsidy towards this. Please note that there is much fuss
made about burial scheme transfer. It really is a very simple
process and in any event the cost of burial is much lower than many
people imagine.
Can I or my children get married in a Masorti synagogue?
Yes. All our synagogues hold marriage licences and our weddings
are carried out in accordance with Jewish Law. A small number of
British rabbis may tell you that "in order to avoid problems later"
you should marry under their auspices. This practice has been
condemned by the Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue for whom the
majority of these rabbis work. The Masorti office will happily
discuss this issue with you in greater detail if you are concerned.
Does Masorti carry out
conversions?
Yes. All conversions are carried out in full accordance with
Jewish Law. This means that potential converts have to be sincere in
their wish to embrace Judaism and have to complete a programme of
education. The conversion is completed by immersion in the Mikvah
(ritual pool), by appearance before a
Beth Din (rabbinical court), and in the case of a male, by
circumcision. Masorti recognises all conversions which have been
carried out in accordance with Jewish Law.
I am not very familiar with the synagogue service or Jewish
religious practice. Will I feel out of place?
We try to make everyone welcome. You will find Masorti
congregations helpful and supportive. The Masorti Academy, which is
our educational arm, runs a number of courses that explain how to
live a Jewish life, how to observe the rituals and festivals, and
how to follow the synagogue service. A number of our synagogues also
hold explanatory services in which those who are unfamiliar with the
synagogue can learn.
I try to live an observant Jewish life.
Will I
feel out of place?
No. A large number of our members are shomrei Shabbat and keep
fully kosher homes. Masorti is a way of approaching Judaism, not
avoiding it. Whilst encouraging ourselves to increase our commitment
to Jewish practice and values, we also recognise that many people
wish to express their Jewish identity by emphasising the social,
communal and charitable values of our faith more strongly than its
ritual aspects.
What else can I read
about Masorti?
In addition to the journals published by Masorti Publications,
you will find that the books of
Rabbi Dr Louis Jacobs
are an essential guide to Masorti
Judaism. God, Torah and Israel, the synthesis of Rabbi Jacobs'
theology, is available from the
Masorti
office.
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