Becoming an Israeli Reform Jewish Movement: Creating Community, Religious Practice, and Social Involvement.

The Israeli Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism has grown considerably in recent years. Fifty congregations and initiatives now operate throughout the country, offering prayer services, holiday and life-cycle ceremonies, study houses, conversion courses, pre-army programs, and more. Despite its increased presence in Israeli life, the movement is still known among the general public mainly for its struggle to achieve equal status and gain official recognition. In fact, the very term 'Reform Jew' still carries a derogatory connotation in many sectors of society. This article describes the major turning points encountered by the Israeli Reform Movement in its quest for recognition, the arenas in which it operates and parties with which it negotiates, and the ways in which it differs from its counterpart in North America. While the article focuses on a single movement in the Israeli marketplace of religious identities, it seeks to shed light on religion–state relations and changes in the Jewish world more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]