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Introduction	To many, this would seem an oxymoron. After all, the term "Baal Teshuvah," meaning "master of return," is generally used in orthodox circles to refer to a Jew who has come round to orthodox practice. And certainly, this is not me. After 15 years away from the Judaism I grew up with, I bought a Reform Chumash and read the Torah through. My own personal theology is derived from one very simple premise: Torah is a descriptive, not a prescriptive document. God does not threaten, but warns. God does not seek blind obedience, but hopes rather for engaged participation. God instructs us in how to be kind to ourselves, to each other, to the earth and to Him, because he wants us to be happy. Human nature being what it is, things sometimes get ugly, and sometimes booty needs kicking in order to create space in which kindness can prevail. But ultimately, harmony in the universe is the end towards which Torah tells us to strive. It is the process of discovery this theology within myself, and then discovering that the Reform movement shares it and acts on it that has made me a Reform Baal Teshuvah.

Introduction

To many, this would seem an oxymoron. After all, the term "Baal Teshuvah," meaning "master of return," is generally used in orthodox circles to refer to a Jew who has come round to orthodox practice. And certainly, this is not me. After 15 years away from the Judaism I grew up with, I bought a Reform Chumash and read the Torah through. My own personal theology is derived from one very simple premise: Torah is a descriptive, not a prescriptive document. God does not threaten, but warns. God does not seek blind obedience, but hopes rather for engaged participation. God instructs us in how to be kind to ourselves, to each other, to the earth and to Him, because he wants us to be happy. Human nature being what it is, things sometimes get ugly, and sometimes booty needs kicking in order to create space in which kindness can prevail. But ultimately, harmony in the universe is the end towards which Torah tells us to strive. It is the process of discovery this theology within myself, and then discovering that the Reform movement shares it and acts on it that has made me a Reform Baal Teshuvah.