Reform
Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill#The Yorkshire Associati ...
rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
, and President Emeritus of the
Union for Reform Judaism
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) until 2003, founded in 1873 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America. The other two arms established ...
(URJ), the congregational arm of the Reform movement in North America, which represents an estimated 1.5 million Reform Jews in more than 900 synagogues across the United States and Canada. He was the unchallenged head of American Judaism's largest denomination from 1996 to 2012.Forward 50, 2007: Eric Yoffie ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', November 10, 2006 Following his retirement in 2012, he has been a lecturer and writer; his writings appear regularly in ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'', ''
The Jerusalem Post
''The Jerusalem Post'' is a broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, founded in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''The Palestine Post''. In 1950, it changed its name to ''The Jerusalem Post''. In 2004, the paper w ...
'', and ''
Haaretz
''Haaretz'' ( , originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , ) is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel, and is now published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner f ...
''.
Family and career
Rabbi Yoffie was raised in
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
, where his family belonged to historic Temple Emanuel, and he was involved in the Reform Movement's Youth organization, the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY). He first held the position of president in the Northeast Region of NFTY before moving on to be the organization's Vice President in 1965–1966.
After high school Yoffie spent his first year at
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
, and graduated from
Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, pro ...
Hebrew Union College
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
in New York in 1974. He served congregations in Lynbrook, NY, and
Durham, NC
Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County and Wake County. With a population of 283,506 in the 2020 Census, Durham is the 4th-mos ...
, before joining the URJ as director of the Midwest Council in 1980. In 1983 he was named Executive Director of the
Association of Reform Zionists of America
The Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) is the Zionist organization of the Reform movement in the United States. It was founded in 1978.
History
ARZA was founded in 1978 after a resolution at the 1977 UAHC 54th General Assembly bien ...
(ARZA). In 1992 he became vice president of the URJ and director of the Commission on Social Action. In addition, he served as executive editor of the ''
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous searc ...
'' magazine. On July 1, 1996, he succeeded Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler as president of the Union for Reform Judaism. In 1999 ''
The Jewish Daily Forward
''The Forward'' ( yi, פֿאָרווערטס, Forverts), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, '' ...
'' named Yoffie the number one Jewish leader in America.
In 2009 ''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'' named him # 8 on its list of "50 Influential Rabbis."
He is married to Amy Jacobson Yoffie. The couple has two children, and reside in
Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States, located southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States census, the town's population was 30,316,Rabbi Rick Jacobs, who had served as the senior rabbi at Westchester Reform Temple in
Scarsdale, NY
Scarsdale is a town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several village ...
.
Views on Jewish life
Rabbi Yoffie has been a proponent of increased traditionalism within Reform Judaism, encouraging a greater focus on Jewish text study and prayer. Dr.
Jonathan Sarna
Jonathan D. Sarna (born 10 January 1955) is the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and director othe Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University ...
, the dean of American Jewish historians, noted that Yoffie devoted time as President of the URJ to bringing "old ideas" to Reform Judaism, "urging its rank and file to focus on enriching their spiritual lives and expanding their knowledge of Judaism." During his tenure, he announced two major worship initiatives. The first, in 1999, was designed to help congregations become "houses in which we pray with joy." The second, eight years later, fostered Shabbat observance among individual Reform Jews while encouraging congregations to rethink their Shabbat morning worship. Rabbi Yoffie was also a proponent of lifelong Jewish study and helped synagogues to develop programs that increased Jewish literacy among adults. In 2005, he introduced the
Sacred Choices
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
curriculum to teach sexual ethics to teens in Reform camps and congregations.
In his recent writings, Yoffie has argued against understandings of Judaism that are primarily secular or cultural, referring to such Jews as "self-delusional," and suggesting that such understandings mistake a part for the whole and that a religiously-grounded Judaism is essential to assure the Jewish future.
Views on interfaith relations
Rabbi Yoffie has been a pioneer in
interfaith relations
Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...
and launched Movement-wide dialogue programs with both Christians and Muslims. In 2005, he was the first Jew to address the Churchwide Assembly of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant Lutheran church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. , it has approxim ...
. Later that year, he harshly criticized some positions of the Religious Right, but in 2006 he accepted the invitation of the Rev.
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Laymon Falwell Sr. (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) was an American Baptist pastor, televangelism, televangelist, and conservatism in the United States, conservative activist. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, ...
to address the students and faculty of
Liberty University
Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Liberty i ...
; as the first Rabbi to appear at a university-wide convocation, he talked frankly of areas of agreement and disagreement between Evangelical Christians and Jews. Yoffie first spoke on shared values of family and morality before defending
church-state separation
The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular stat ...
and
gay marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
, which elicited boos from the students.
On August 21, 2007, Rabbi Yoffie was the first leader of a major Jewish organization to speak at the convention of the
Islamic Society of North America
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is a nonprofit organization based in Plainfield, Indiana. It provides a number of programs and services to the Muslim community and broader society. ISNA holds an annual convention which is generally re ...
. In his remarks he spoke of "a huge and profound ignorance of Islam" by Jews and Christians in North America. He stated that "the time has come to listen to our Muslim neighbors speak, from their heart and in their own words, about the spiritual power of Islam and their love for their religion." He also asked Muslims for more understanding of Judaism: “The dialogue will not be one way, of course. You will teach us about Islam and we will teach you about Judaism. We will help you to overcome stereotyping of Muslims, and you will help us to overcome stereotyping of Jews.” Rabbi Yoffie later was a supporter of the Park51 Community Center, and he has been a strong advocate for the rights of Muslim Americans.
In contrast to these above interfaith efforts, Yoffie strongly disagrees with
atheism
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no d ...
, claiming that it lacks "humility, imagination, and curiosity."
Views on social justice
As President of the URJ, Rabbi Yoffie spoke to a wide variety of social justice issues. He opposed the death penalty, supported LBGT rights, and was a prominent spokesperson for
gun control
Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians.
Most countries have a restrictive firearm guiding policy, with on ...
. He was the only religious leader to appear at the
Million Mom March
The Million Mom March was a rally held on Mother's Day, May 14, 2000 in the Washington, D.C. National Mall by the Million Mom March organization to call for stricter gun control. The march reportedly drew an estimated attendance of 500,000 to 75 ...
in Washington, D.C., declaring that "the indiscriminate distribution of guns is an offense against God and humanity." Rabbi Yoffie went on to state that "our gun-flooded society has turned weapons into idols, and the worship of idols must be recognized for what it is—blasphemy. And the only appropriate religious response to blasphemy is sustained moral outrage."
Views on relations with Israel
Rabbi Yoffie has devoted much of his public life to working on behalf of the Jewish state and to promoting close ties between Israel and
American Jews
American Jews or Jewish Americans are American citizens who are Jewish, whether by religion, ethnicity, culture, or nationality. Today the Jewish community in the United States consists primarily of Ashkenazi Jews, who descend from diaspora J ...
. During his years as URJ President, he met frequently with Israel's elected officials to present the concerns of the Reform movement and North American Jewry. He has been a prominent advocate of religious freedom and religious pluralism in Israel, arguing that the cause of Judaism can only be advanced by education and persuasion and not by coercion. In an incident that drew international headlines, Rabbi Yoffie in June 2006 declined to meet with Israeli President
Moshe Katsav
Moshe Katsav ( he, מֹשֶׁה קַצָּב; born 5 December 1945) is an Israeli former politician who was the List of Presidents of Israel, eighth President of Israel from 2000 to 2007. He was also a leading Likud member of the Israeli Knesset ...
after the President refused to address Rabbi Yoffie with the title "Rabbi". The
Chief Rabbinate of Israel
The Chief Rabbinate of Israel ( he, הָרַבָּנוּת הָרָאשִׁית לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, ''Ha-Rabbanut Ha-Rashit Li-Yisra'el'') is recognized by law as the supreme Rabbinic Judaism, rabbinic authority for Judaism in Israel. The ...
does not recognize rabbinic ordinations from non-
Orthodox
Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to:
Religion
* Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...
institutions, In 2014, Rabbi Yoffie challenged the Presidential candidate,
Reuven Rivlin
Reuven "Ruvi" Rivlin ( he, רְאוּבֵן "רוּבִי" רִיבְלִין ; born 9 September 1939) is an Israeli politician and lawyer who served as the tenth president of Israel between 2014 and 2021. He is a member of the Likud party. Riv ...
, by asking if he would address Reform rabbis by the title "rabbi." While Rivlin did not respond directly to this issue while a candidate, a source close to him responded that he "has always received Rabbi Yoffie respectfully and will continue to have a wonderful relationship with Diaspora Jews."
Contemporary spirituality
In his recent writings, in the
Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
and elsewhere, Rabbi Yoffie has addressed broad questions of belief and spirituality in American life. In particular, he has applied a progressive religious point of view to issues of sin, atheism, and community, as well as contemporary matters such as immigration, health care, and economic justice. In "What it Means to be a Liberal Person of Faith" and in other widely read articles, he has suggested that progressive religion has a vital role to play during a time of "
culture war
A culture war is a cultural conflict between social groups and the struggle for dominance of their values, beliefs, and practices. It commonly refers to topics on which there is general societal disagreement and polarization in societal value ...