The Reform Movement is coming together to advance our understanding of t’shuvah, particularly in the context of our ethics accountability work, with video resources and a discussion guide that will enhance your congregational, communal, or individual experiences during the High Holiday season of reflection and repentance.
On Repentance and Repair: A Reform Movement Program features an interview between Rabbi Jill Maderer, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Shalom (Philadelphia, PA) and author Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg. The interview is introduced by Rabbi Mary Zamore, Executive Director of the Women’s Rabbinic Network and is followed by a musical interlude with cantors of the American Conference of Cantors, and reflections from Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Dr. Andrew Rehfeld, President of the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion.
In addition to the recording of the full program, the recorded interview between Rabbi Maderer and Rabbi Ruttenberg is available as a 32-minute video and as a collection of five shorter segments. A discussion guide accompanies the videos.
The interview draws on the ideas Rabbi Ruttenberg raises in her book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World (Beacon Press, 2022).
These resources may be used in a variety of settings, such as a Selichot study session, Yom Kippur afternoon study, board meetings, adult education programs, or book discussions.
Download the Materials
DISCUSSION GUIDE
On Repentance and Repair: A Reform Movement Program Study and Discussion Guide (PDF)
VIDEOS
On Repentance and Repair: A Reform Movement Program (47:35)
Introduction by Rabbi Mary Zamore (5:33)
Full Interview with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg and Rabbi Jill Maderer (31:36)
What is T’shuvah? (8:14)
Institutional T’shuvah (5:48)
Confession and Starting to Change (3:19)
Amends, Apology, and Making Different Choices (8:22)
Forgiveness (5:02)
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (she/her) is an award-winning author and writer who serves as Scholar in Residence at the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW). She was named by Newsweek as a "rabbi to watch," as a "faith leader to watch" by the Center for American Progress. Her newest book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World has been hailed by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley as "A must read for anyone navigating the work of justice and healing." and by the author Rebecca Solnit as "brilliant." Her seven other books include Nurture the Wow: Finding Spirituality in the Frustration, Boredom, Tears, Poop, Desperation, Wonder, and Radical Amazement of Parenting; Surprised By God: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Religion; The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism; Yentl’s Revenge: The Next Wave of Jewish Feminism, and, with Rabbi Elliot Dorff, three books on Jewish ethics.
Rabbi Jill Maderer
Jill L. Maderer (she/her) is the Senior Rabbi at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. She has served Rodeph Shalom since her ordination from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 2001.
Rabbi Maderer currently serves on the Board of the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia, the Executive Board and is a past president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia. She has served as a chairperson of the Center City Kehillah, a member of the Religious Leaders Council (multi-faith) of Greater Philadelphia, as a Mussar Institute instructor training Reform rabbis in Mussar leadership, and she has served on the Central Conference of American Rabbis' Task Force for Experience of Women in the Rabbinate.
Rabbi Mary Zamore
Rabbi Mary L. Zamore (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Women’s Rabbinic Network, a partner organization of the Reform Movement. For over 40 years, WRN has worked to narrow the wage gap, advocate for paid family and medical leave, create safer Jewish communities, and promote equity for all, while supporting Reform women rabbis. At WRN, Rabbi Zamore co-leads the Reform Pay Equity Initiative and founded WRN’s Clergy: Safe Employees and Employers program, seeding respectful and harassment-free Jewish communities.
Rabbi Zamore has been named a T’ruah Rabbinic Human Rights Hero, 2022. She is in the current cohort of JWI's Jewish Communal Women's Leadership Project, as well as a summer fellow with the Association for Public Religion and Intellectual Life at Auburn Seminary, NYC, studying in the Oppressions and Repair Colloquium. She is the editor of The Sacred Exchange: Creating a Jewish Money Ethic (CCAR Press, 2019) and The Sacred Table: Creating a Jewish Food Ethic (CCAR Press, 2011), designated a finalist by the National Jewish Book Awards.
Ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1997, Rabbi proudly served congregations in Central New Jersey for 18 years before joining WRN.
