Jewish Religious Movements - Emergence of Trans- and Post-denominational Judaism

Emergence of Trans- and Post-denominational Judaism

The very idea of Jewish denominationalism is contested by some Jews and Jewish organizations, which consider themselves to be "trans-denominational" or "post-denominational." A variety of new Jewish organizations are emerging that lack such affiliations:

• Jewish day schools, both primary and secondary, lacking affiliation with any one movement;
• The International Federation of Rabbis (IFR), a non-denominational rabbinical organization for rabbis of all movements and backgrounds; and
• The Hebrew College seminary, in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, near Boston.

Organizations such as these believe that the formal divisions that have arisen among the "denominations" in contemporary Jewish history are unnecessarily divisive, as well as religiously and intellectually simplistic. According to Rachel Rosenthal, "the post-denominational Jew refuses to be labeled or categorized in a religion that thrives on stereotypes. He has seen what the institutional branches of Judaism have to offer and believes that a better Judaism can be created." Such Jews might, out of necessity, affiliate with a synagogue associated with a particular movement, but their own personal Jewish ideology is often shaped by a variety of influences from more than one denomination.