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Roots of Reform Judaism Inc

EIN 26-1670104 · Boston, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceGood77 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO THE PRESERVATION AND CREATIVE NURTURING OF HISTORIC IDEALS OF CLASSICAL REFORM JUDAISM WITH ITS PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL VALUES, INTELLECTUAL FOUNDATIONS AND DISTINCTIVE WORSHIP TRADITIONS.

Income
$285,970
Spending
$419,698
Spent on programs
61%
Reserves
23.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
4
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$118,706, rabbinic director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 23.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 47% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    61% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $160,945 spent. PUBLICATION PROGRAM-DISTRIBUTION OF THE UNION PRAYER BOOK-SINAI EDITION, REVISED (2012)-A CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE VERSION OF REFORM LITURGY, USED BY CONGREGATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE HEBREW UNION COLLEGE, THE NEW UNION HAGGADAH (2014) NEW REVISION OF THE HISTORIC PASSOVER LITURGY CO-PUBLISHED BY THE CENTRAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS, AND THE RISE AND GROWTH OF REFORM JUDAISM (2015), PUBLISHED BY THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY, BHADRAT KODESH PUBLISHED BY SCRJ AND HAR-EL SYNAGOGUE OF JERUSALEM. PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE REFORM ADVOCATE JOURNAL OF ARTICLES, ESSAYS ON REFORM JUDAISM.THE ORGANIZATION HAS UNDERTAKEN THE PUBLICATION OF MONOGRAPHS FOR SPIRITUAL & RELIGIOUS USES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. COMPLETED ARE SERVICES FOR SABBATH EVE, REFLECTIONS AND MEDITATIONS AT A TIME OF MOURNING, YOM KIPPUR PRAYERS AND READINGS, AND SABBATH READINGS FOR HOME AND FAMILY AS WELL AS OTHERS. THESE WILL SUPPORT UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES WITH RESOURCES SUPPORTING CLASSICAL REFORM BELIEFS AND PRACTICES.
  2. $69,438 spent. NATIONAL OUTREACH- THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF IN ORGANIZATIONS SERMONS, SCHOLARLY LECTURES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT SYNAGOGUES AND SEMINARIES AROUND THE WORLD, WORSHIP SERVICES AND PRESENTATIONS AT INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, AND REGIONAL GATHERINGS OF THE REFORM MOVEMENT AND AT REFORM SYNAGOGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE ORGANIZATION'S OBJECTIVES ARE TO EDUCATE THE BROADER REFORM JEWISH COMMUNITY ON THE VISION AND WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION AND TO REACH OUT TO PRESENTLY NON-AFFILIATED INDIVIDUALS THROUGH RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS NEEDS. THESE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES REACHED MORE THAN 5,000 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY.
  3. $7,299 spent. PARTNERSHIP AT HEBREW UNION COLLEGE -AMONGST THE MOST IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS THE ORGANIZATION HAS CREATED IS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HEBREW UNION COLLEGE-JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION, THE FOUR-CAMPUS SEMINARY OF THE REFORM JEWISH MOVEMENT. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES FINANCIAL AND PROGRAMMATIC RESOURCES FOR ALL THESE CAMPUSES: CINCINNATI, LOS ANGELES, JERUSALEM, AND NEW YORK. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS STEEPED IN THE TRADITION AND PRINCIPLES OF THEIR REFORM HERITAGE, FOR STUDENTS IN THE RABBINIC, CANTONAL, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. MORE THAN 100 STUDENTS AND A DOZEN FACULTY MEMBERS ARE PARTICIPANTS IN THE VARIOUS FACETS OF THESE PROGRAMS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 2008.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.