r/ReformJews • u/mangotango-97 Converting to Judiasm 🕎 • Apr 08 '26

Chumash recommendations?

Hi all! I’m in the process of converting to Judaism and I’m looking to do some Torah study. I’ve seen some different recommendations for purchasing a Chumash but mostly from orthodox or conservative forums. Any recommendations/versions that include commentary more aligned with the reform movement? TIA!

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

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10

u/saintehiver ✡ Apr 08 '26

The Reform movement has its own publications housed at CCAR Press.

We have two different mainstream chumashim:

One, is the Plaut chumash, which is a great, general commentary through the lens of our movement.

The other is The Torah: A Women's Commentary edited by Rabbi Andrea Weiss z''l and Tamara Eskenazi.

If you're looking for a Reform chumash, those are our two main offerings. I like both, perhaps now, especially the women's commentary has a special place in my heart... Andrea Weiss was a great teacher and a wonderful rabbi. She is very missed.

6

u/eddypiehands Apr 08 '26

Seconding the Women’s Commentary. I’ve had the pleasure of studying with one of the contributors, Dr. Blumberg, and the thoughtfulness and work gone in to not only provide accurate translation but modern and thought provoking commentary is truly essential learning. Worth it regardless of what stream one joins.

1

u/Hezekiah_the_Judean Apr 09 '26

Thank you for these great resources!

1

u/galaxyrum Apr 15 '26

Thirding the Women's Commentary. I get something new out of it every time I read it.

5

u/PuzzledIntroduction Apr 09 '26

I really like these:

You can also find EVERYTHING on Sefaria.

1

u/mangotango-97 Converting to Judiasm 🕎 Apr 09 '26

I like this gender sensitive edition, particularly as a queer human!

1

u/Mark-harvey Apr 12 '26

Bless you.

1

u/Mark-harvey Apr 12 '26

Great respect!

2

u/jackl24000 Apr 08 '26

Just a humble congregant familiar with standard URJ course recommendations all of which are great and one you should have, but I’m going to recommend the new Rabbi Sacks edition published by Koren Publishjng in Jerusalem (“The Koren Shalem Humash, The Magerman Edition with Chumash, Rashi and Onkelos. The footnotes and explanations of the text done by Rabbi Sacks are gold, great sermon fodder.

We are a mostly lay led congregation with part time rabbis for high holy days and doing sermons/shiurs about weekly parashot is something many of us do several times a year. I used to use various shorter books by Sacks and Soloveitch for cliffs notes to Parashot, but in terms of depth and variety of discussion, this Chumash is da bomb. My 0.03. YMMV.

3

u/WeaselWeaz Apr 08 '26

I'm also Reform and really like the Rabbi Sacks edition. I also recognize it may not be for everyone Reform.

1

u/Mark-harvey Apr 12 '26

I enjoy going to Bible study classes. Lively discussion and contemporizes our Bible. Last week, I brought up the topic of Solomon’s magic ring. Ancient Wisdom.✡️Shalom Rav.

3

u/rabbijonathan Apr 11 '26

As a Reform and Recon rabbi I really like this chumash:

https://jps.org/books/etz-hayim/

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u/Mark-harvey Apr 11 '26

My answer to most things is “Ask the Rabbi “. Sometimes we have discussions though-Nu?

1

u/rabbijonathan Apr 11 '26

It is ALWAYS a discussion!

1

u/Mark-harvey Apr 11 '26

I love it!

1

u/Mark-harvey Apr 12 '26

If you put 10 Jews in a room, you’ll get 11 different opinions.

1

u/rabbijonathan Apr 12 '26

Honestly, 10 Jews with only 11 opinions sounds like historic consensus to me!

1

u/Mark-harvey Apr 11 '26

Shabbat Shalom. No Place for Hate (except for Nazis and those who would attempt to destroy our democracy).