New to living in Thailand, looking for a reformed or anyway non-orthodox rabbi for a wedding, or at least a non-orthodox synagogue or Jewish group. All I can find online are a few orthodox groups. Does anyone have any Jewish group contacts or connections?

send a pm to bina, im sure she will be able to help you out.

Its going to be a challenge. You are right the more orthodox is what you will generally find here. I am sure Chabad won't help you!

What, pray tell, is a "reformed" Rabbi? Is he a Rabbi who has turned to Catholicism?

What, pray tell, is a "reformed" Rabbi? Is he a Rabbi who has turned to Catholicism?

Yes, the correct term is Reform Rabbi, as in Reform Judaism which is mostly an American thing. Since Catholicism came after Judaism, your joke doesn't even make any sense. If anything a "reformed" rabbi would turn BACK either to more traditional Judaism or perhaps to some kind of multitheistic thingamajig type of early religion.

http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/18-index.html

Edited March 1, 201016 yr by Jingthing

most of the jewish folks that I knew around LA belonged to 'conservative' congregations that observed traditional rituals, holidays, etc. but generally didn't make a display of their religion...I attended bas mitzvah rituals for a couple of nieces at the local temple, hadta wear a yarmulke...the kids hadta attend hebrew school beforehand so's they could read from the Torah...the rabbi was a very respected man...

the 'orthodox' folks were the hassids and the others with the hats and the beards, the women were segregated and hidden with shaved heads and plain clothing...the men liked to party with kletzmer music without women and they lived apart from the general population in LA...

I asked my best friend's mom about 'reform' judaism and she said 'oh, ye don' wanna know...'

most college campuses in the US have a 'Chabad House' and, as far as I know, they don't represent or promote the interests of insular, orthodox judaism...I'm surprised to hear that this is the case in BKK...

to address the OPs query, I would think that a 'conservative' rabbi would be suitable for most rituals, if one can be found...but, I'm not a jew, so what do I know...

do a search in the CM forum, there is a jewish group who meet. Seem like a nice bunch they may have some contacts for you.

What, pray tell, is a "reformed" Rabbi? Is he a Rabbi who has turned to Catholicism?

Yes, the correct term is Reform Rabbi, as in Reform Judaism which is mostly an American thing. Since Catholicism came after Judaism, your joke doesn't even make any sense. If anything a "reformed" rabbi would turn BACK either to more traditional Judaism or perhaps to some kind of multitheistic thingamajig type of early religion.

http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/18-index.html

Argh. The reform movement was brought about during the period of German enlightenment in the early 1800s. Even I know that. Germany was a liberal country that encouraged scientific and philosophical advancement. The reform movement was in response to the suffocating orthodoxy that did not encourage similar intellectual growth. When the Germans emigrated they brought their advanced views to North America.

What, pray tell, is a "reformed" Rabbi? Is he a Rabbi who has turned to Catholicism?

Yes, the correct term is Reform Rabbi, as in Reform Judaism which is mostly an American thing. Since Catholicism came after Judaism, your joke doesn't even make any sense. If anything a "reformed" rabbi would turn BACK either to more traditional Judaism or perhaps to some kind of multitheistic thingamajig type of early religion.

http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/18-index.html

Argh. The reform movement was brought about during the period of German enlightenment in the early 1800s. Even I know that. Germany was a liberal country that encouraged scientific and philosophical advancement. The reform movement was in response to the suffocating orthodoxy that did not encourage similar intellectual growth. When the Germans emigrated they brought their advanced views to North America.

You are correct. The movement started in Germany. Now Germany has almost no Jews; I wonder how that happened ... I didn't pretend to offer a history of it so there was no need for your cheeky Argh. Today the vast majority of reform Jews are in the USA, as I said, so it was correct to say it is mostly an American thing. The movement has had a big struggle to even be recognized as real Judaism in Israel.

most of the jewish folks that I knew around LA belonged to 'conservative' congregations ...

Interesting. The reality is that these days the majority of Jews in both the USA and Israel are secular; in other words for the most part NOT PRACTICING. Liking lox and bagels doesn't count as practicing.

Edited March 2, 201016 yr by Jingthing

try the israeli embassy bulletin board if u can get in to the embassy... they have (had) a bulletin board full of adverts etc but mostly chabad.... my sister is reform btw (women wear tallit and can be rabbis, the girls do 'aliya l'torah'... ) but she wouldnt know of any group in thailand... my guess would be googled the reform communities and then trying to find any that are in thailand...

the 'who or what is a reform/conservative/orthodox jew' discussion isnt relavant here guys...

there's a group of reform kids here on an american exchange plan here, my daughter is a counsellor for them, i could ask around, maybe they have an address ....

from what country/community are the people that want the wedding thing? if u have patience i might be able to ask a reform rabbi that does services here on our kibbutz for thsoe that want the reform style (we dont do religioun here)...if he knows anyone/anywhere that could give a clue...

***but actually, the chabad house might the most useful place to start since they are missionary, they will go for jewish anything, even if its not to their tastes... so they would have contacts with reform jewish communities in thailand since jews help jews when in the galut, even if they arent of the same sect. after all, chabad deal with all the crazy travellers and all the 'spiritual needs' of the entire jewish community in exotic countries.

thats what i would do anyhow....

bina

israel

Soi Sainumthip 2, Sukhumvit 22 - just before you turn the cnr to get to House By The Pond apartments there is a sinagoge (you can't miss it - its on the left hand side of the road).

On the other side of the road to the sinagoge is a block of flats which is occupied by nearly all Jewish families.

I think these guys are conservative Jews, still, they will be able to give you any info you want regards the Jewish community in Bangkok/Thailand.

One small Sinagogue in Koh Phangan (Haad Rin) too

Yes, the correct term is Reform Rabbi, as in Reform Judaism which is mostly an American thing. Since Catholicism came after Judaism, your joke doesn't even make any sense. If anything a "reformed" rabbi would turn BACK either to more traditional Judaism or perhaps to some kind of multitheistic thingamajig type of early religion.

I think the concept of the joke means not to analyze it too deeply Jing mate. You must be a laugh a minute at an open mic night at a comedy club.

Comedian : So this dodo walks into a pub and says to the barman...

Jingthing : Excuse me. In the interests of accuracy I think you'll find that the dodo, or Raphus cucullatus, became extinct during the 17th century thus being unable to walk into a pub let alone having the necessary mucous membrane across the larynx common to the human race necessary to produce a linguistic form of phonation with which to address the barman.

Comedian : Err....OK. So Jesus walks into.....

Jingthing : On the point of Jesus......

Edited March 2, 201016 yr by mca

One small Sinagogue in Koh Phangan (Haad Rin) too

Its synagogue not sinagogue.