Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA) is a professional association and the “collective voice” for rabbis in the Reconstructionist movement of Judaism, a politically and theologically liberal interpretation of the faith. It was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Wyncote, Pennsylvania.

It counts over 300 rabbis as members and serves as a collegial community for them, offering resources as well as personal support. It serves as a charter for the Reconstructionist movement that helps “define Reconstructionist positions on Jewish issues” for the current era. It publishes a Reconstructionist Rabbi’s Manual to set the record on Reconstructionist procedures for marriage and an “egalitarian” version of divorce. It also establishes the Reconstructionist approach to rituals, documents, liturgy, and policies for the moments of Jewish lifecycle. ¹

RRA issues guidelines on the practice of the Jewish religion and specifically rabbinic practice, particularly on how Jewish teaching may be applied to contemporary issues. It also passes resolutions that state the organization’s stance on a particular social issue with either local or international importance. ²

RRA usually takes a left-of-center stance and has voiced its position on issues such as abortion, refugees, climate change, same-sex marriage, the death penalty, conflict in Gaza, homosexuality, gender, gun violence, immigration, nuclear disarmament, transgenderism, and Jewish identity. ³

Background

Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association was founded in 1974. It serves as a professional association for rabbis in the Reconstructionist movement, a politically and theologically liberal interpretation of Judaism conceived by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan in the 1920s. ^{4 5}

It counts over 300 rabbis as members and serves as a collegial community for them, offering resources as well as personal support. It serves as a kind of charter for the Reconstructionist movement that helps “define Reconstructionist positions on Jewish issues” for the current era. The RRA also acts as a mediator between Reconstructionist Judaism and the broader Jewish community through participating in programs and other events. ⁶

Activities

Rabbinical Manual

The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association publishes a Reconstructionist Rabbi’s Manual to establish Reconstructionist procedures for marriage and an “egalitarian” version of divorce. It also establishes the Reconstructionist approach to rituals, documents, liturgy, and policies for the moments of Jewish lifecycle. ⁷

Resolutions

As the “collective voice” of Reconstructionist rabbis, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association takes it upon itself to weigh in on issues pertaining to Judaism as well as to world affairs and uses its platform to promote certain worldviews over others. ⁸

It issues guidelines on the practice of the Jewish religion and specifically rabbinic practice, particularly on how Jewish teaching may be applied to contemporary issues by a rabbi. It claims that its guidelines are decided upon by democratic consensus from its entire body of members, although the drafts for new guidelines are initiated by a task force or committee. They are then voted on at either RRA’s biennial North American Convention or its Virtual Business Meeting. ⁹

RRA passes resolutions that state the organization’s stance on social issues with local or global importance. ¹⁰ RRA usually takes a left-of-center stance and has voiced its position on issues such as abortion, refugees, climate change, same-sex marriage, the death penalty, conflict in Gaza, homosexuality, gender, gun violence, immigration, nuclear disarmament, transgenderism, and Jewish identity. Its resolutions on all these issues and more can be read on its website. ¹¹

RRA issues statements and press releases on previously passed resolutions, guidelines, and teachings, as well as joint statements that represent the consensus of the entire Reconstructionist movement on a particular issue. Such joint statements must be approved by the RRA’s executive director, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College’s president, and the chairperson of the Reconstructionist “Tikkun Olam Commission.” ¹²

Finances

In 2020, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association had a total revenue of $380,027, total expenses of $371,474, and net assets of $180,611. ¹³

Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association allows supporters to make donations to the organization itself, to financially struggling rabbis, and to the programs of Reconstructionist Judaism such as Camp Havaya, Ritualwell, Evolve, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. ^{14 15 16}

RRA has received funding from the Center for Contemporary Judaica, the Patriot Foundation by way of Peter Boari Abrams Little-Gill Lober, and the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanthropists of New York. ¹⁷

Leadership

As of 2023, Rabbi Elyse Wechterman was serving as the chief executive officer of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. She stepped into the role in fall 2015, and has since then created several departments and initiatives within the organization such as the Office of Rabbinic Career Development to help rabbis in their careers regardless of line of work, a new communications effort, and a revived relationship between RRA and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Wechterman was previously the spiritual leader of Congregation Agudas Achim in Attleboro, Massachusetts from 2001 to 2014. ¹⁸

At the time, Rabbi Elliott Skiddell was serving as the interim director of Rabbinic placement and employment. He has previously worked as assistant director of the Galilee Education Foundation in Israel, the regional director for Tzefat, Hatzor, Rosh Pina for the Jewish Agency; assistant Rabbi of Har Zion Temple, Penn Valley, Pennsylvania; Rabbi of Ramat Shalom Synagogue in Plantation, Florida; and Rabbi of Reconstructionist Congregation Beth Emeth. ¹⁹

As of 2023, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association’s executive committee was comprised of president Rabbi James Green, first vice president Rabbi Renee Bauer, second vice president Rabbi Amy Klein, treasurer Rabbi Greg Hersh, secretary Rabbi Megan Doherty, immediate past president Rabbi Elliot Tepperman, and executive director Rabbi Elyse Wechterman. ²⁰

Its board members included Rabbi Boris Dolin, Rabbi Carl Choper, Rabbi Linda Holtzman, Rabbi Karen Landy, Rabbi Adam Lavitt, Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia, Rabbi Lily Solochek, Rabbi Hannah Spiro, Rabbi Darby Leigh, and Rabbi Shira Stutman. ²¹

1. “Mission.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/mission.php.
2. “About Resolutions, Statements, and Guidelines.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/resolutions-statements-guidelines.php
3. “RRA Resolutions.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/resolutions.php.
4. “Mission.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/mission.php.
5. “Reconstructionism as an Approach.” Reconstructing Judaism. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/reconstructionism/.
6. “Mission.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/mission.php.
7. “Mission.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/mission.php.
8. “About Resolutions, Statements, and Guidelines.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/resolutions-statements-guidelines.php.
9. “About Resolutions, Statements, and Guidelines.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/resolutions-statements-guidelines.php
10. “About Resolutions, Statements, and Guidelines.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/resolutions-statements-guidelines.php.
11. “RRA Resolutions.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/resolutions.php.
12. “About Resolutions, Statements, and Guidelines.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/resolutions-statements-guidelines.php.
13. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. 2020. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
14. “RRA Online Donation.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/donation-general.php.
15. “RRA Hesed Fund Donation.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/donation-hesed.php.
16. “Rabbinic Campaign.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/rabbinic-campaign/.
17. “Full-Text Search – Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.” ProPublica. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=reconstructionist+rabbinical+association.
18. “RRA Staff.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/staff.php.
19. “RRA Staff.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/staff.php.
20. “RRA Board.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/board.php.
21. “RRA Board.” Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://therra.org/board.php.