The future
The danger for any new movement is that it too ossifies and becomes another orthodoxy. However, Reform Judaism has tried to remain true to its reforming principles by being open to new developments. It considers same-faith marriages preferable, but has striven to make mixed-faith couples still feel welcome. Jewish status is still determined by the matrilineal line, but new procedures have been introduced recently to accept children of Jewish fathers and non-Jewish mothers.

Reform Judaism is also currently revising its prayer book so as to adopt inclusive language and eradicate exclusively male imagery. For instance, instead of "all men shall praise you our King, O God of our fathers", it will say "all people shall praise you our Ruler, O God of our ancestors".

Leading the way
It is a measure of the success of Reform Judaism that some of its innovations have been adopted by Orthodox synagogues, such as a special coming-of-age ceremony for girls or holding a communal Passover meal for those without family.

Equally influential has been its development of the synagogue as a community centre rather than just a house of prayer. Few today are complete without a friendship club, keep-fit group and bridge circle.

It also provided a model for the Church of England. The first woman rabbi predated the entry of women into the priesthood by seventeen years and after a similar struggle for recognition. The general acceptance of women rabbis once they had become a fact of life showed that threats of mass defection did not materialise even though there was on-going discontent in some quarters. Similarly, the acceptance of gay rabbis - although small in number - indicates that the majority of congregants judge a person by their integrity rather than their sexuality.

Prominent Reform rabbis
Some Reform rabbis have had a great impact on national life in recent times. Lionel Blue became a household name through his contributions to Thought for the Day and other BBC programmes. The late Rabbi Hugo Gryn, stalwart of Radio 4's Moral Maze, also belonged to the Reform, and through his mixture of tradition and common-sense he epitomised what the movement as a whole stood for.

The bigger picture
Despite their different approaches, Reform and Orthodoxy still have more in common than that which separates them. Other smaller Jewish groups exist too - Liberals and Masorti - mixing tradition and change in varying ways. Reform sees itself as neither superior nor inferior to them, but as an equally authentic expression of Judaism today, with a particular appeal to those deeply committed both to their Jewish heritage and modern life.

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