Located in the historic heart of the movement’s American center, Temple Sholom has been affiliated Reform since 1873. But despite his longtime relationship with the synagogue and his current role as its part-time rabbi, Kozberg no longer personally identifies with the Reform movement, seeing it as ideologically mismatched with his views.
“I was taught that to be a good Reform Jew, one had to advocate for social justice, which usually translated into supporting Democratic or progressive candidates and issues,” Kozberg told the RJC in the pro-Trump video message in 2020. In a recent essay titled “The Reform Movement Left Me,” he elaborated on his objections, writing that in Reform Judaism, “The age-old, honored rabbinic methodology of discussion and debate to learn and deduce holy behavior is no longer encouraged.”
To JTA, he said, “I’m not really affiliated with the movement anymore. Because its agenda is so political, and there’s not much room for people of my political persuasion. It didn’t used to be that way, but it is now.”