CAME REF
The major compromise
made by the Orthodox was
simply to negotiate with the
other branches on an equal
footing, since some Orthodox
elements refuse to recognize
Reform and Conservative
rabbis as authentic. The
chief concession from the Re-
form standpoint has been to
recognize the authenticity of
Halacha as a guideline.
"The one concession I
made was to sit down and
talk [with the others]," said
Rabbi Bernstein, the Ortho-
dox representative. "But
there is no way to solve this
problem without talking
with Reform and Conserva-
tive representatives." He
characterized the discus-
sions as "cordial and posi-
tive," and said that all par-
ties are eager to promote
Jewish unity and avoid fur-
ther disenfranchisement.
Rabbi Bernstein said the
parties are close to an
agreement. He said that he
and Rabbi Freidman, the
Conservative representa-
tive, would be prepared to
finalize the formula "by
Rosh Hashanah," but that
the Reform group is
awaiting approval from the
executive board of the Cen-
tral Conference of American
Rabbis, which could take
several months.
Not unexpectedly, the pro-
posed formula and the dis-
cussions, which came to
light in a recent article in a
Yiddish newspaper in New
York, the Algemeiner Jour-
nal, have been attacked by
some Orthodox rabbis. Rabbi
Aaron Soloveitchik of Chi-
cago, for example, reportedly
said he opposes any joint
commission giving equal
status to Reform and Con-
servative rabbis.
Skeptics note that such
criticism could frighten the
chief rabbinate in Israel and
cause them to pull back, but
others note that the discus-
sions have a certain dynamic
of their own by now and that
whichever faction that backs
out would be blamed for fos-
tering disunity.
If the talks prove success-
ful, the participants hope to
move on to the more signifi-
cant issues of Jewish divorce
and mamzerus, or religious
bastards.
One current sticking point,
just to indicate the delicacy
of these talks, is the use of
the word "rabbinic" in refer-
ring to "the rabbinic repre-
sentatives" involved; some
Orthodox leaders balk at re- ,
ferring to non-Orthodox spir-
itual leaders as rabbis. But
Rabbi Bernstein said he was
hopeful that all of the issues
could be resolved so that the
formula could be finalized as
soon as possible. ❑
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