WHAT IS THE UTJS RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY?
The UTJ promotes “open-minded observance,” i.e., commitment to Halakhah (Jewish law) combined with intellectual openness and loyalty to Klal Yisrael (the totality of the Jewish people). We affirm that Halakhah encompasses ritual (prayer, kashrut, Shabbat, etc.) as well as ethical obligations, both of which are intended to bring of us closer to God. The authoritative formulation of the UTJ’s religious philosophy is our Declaration of Principles. The unique ideological position of the UTJ contrasts with what is rapidly becoming the norm of Jewish denominational life. Keen observers of Jewish life have noted that, within the Jewish community, the Right is moving farther to the Right and the Left is moving farther to the Left. The UTJ aspires to become the focal point of an emerging center of Jewish religious life.
