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Rabbi Groner Critiques,
Praises Reform Judaism
SUSAN GRANT
Staff Writer
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1991
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s a leader of the Con-
servative movement,
Rabbi Irwin Groner of
Congregation Shaarey
Zedek doesn't always see eye
to eye with the philosophies
of Reform Judaism.
But he believes the Reform
movement has changed
Judaism for the better,
Rabbi Groner told more than
200 Conservative and
Reform Jews during a Jan.
13 speech at Temple Beth El.
As president of the Rab-
binical Assembly, the rab-
binical body of the Conser-
vative movement, Rabbi
Groner isn't used to speak-
ing about Reform Judaism,
especially at a temple. The
speech was part of a two-
week program sponsored by
Temple Beth El's and Con-
gregation Shaarey Zedek's
brotherhoods called "Two
Rabbis, Two Views." On
Sunday, Rabbi Daniel Polish
of Temple Beth El spoke on
Conservative Judaism at
Shaarey Zedek.
Rabbi Polish asked Rabbi
Groner to speak at the tem-
ple shortly after he accepted
an invitation to speak to
Shaarey Zedek's brother-
hood. "I thought is was
important for the Jewish
community, and for our
congregation, to recognize
the unity and commonalty
we have with them and they
have with us and what br-
ings us together," Rabbi
Polish said.
Rabbi Groner agrees the
movements have common
bonds and that Reform
Judaism is responsible for
many of the changes adopted
by Conservative Jews in-
cluding the acceptance of
women participating in ser-
vices, the introduction of
weekly sermons and the em-
phasis of Jewish values
rather than Jewish texts.
When 19th century Ger-
man Jews decided they could
be Jews and still live in the
secular world, they created a
new option for Jews, Rabbi
Groner said. Orthodox
teaching demanded Jews
must separate themselves
from the secular world,
while Jews who wanted to
fully participate in the
secular life felt they had to
become Christians to do so.
With the introduction of
Reform Judaism, "Jews
were able to become full par-
ticipants in the country in
which they lived," Rabbi
Groner said.
The Reform movement
made other contributions to
Judaism such as emphasiz-
ing ethical teaching rather
than rituals and decreeing
that individuals have a right
and obligation to think for
themselves and not base
decisions on the Jewish
community.
After correcting a few ear-
ly mistakes, including a
strain of anti-Zionism, the
Reform movement has since
moved closer to traditional
Rabbi Irwin Groner
Judaism by embracing more
mixed marriages," Rabbi
holidays such as Purim and
Groner said. "We need to
Simchat Torah and return-
find a way to open the lines
ing rituals to the service,
- of communication. Other-
Rabbi Groner said.
wise we will lose children
"But are there any limits
and we lose families. At a
to liberalism and in-
time when we are working to
dividualism?" Rabbi Groner
rescue Soviets, we should
asked. "Individualism and
also be interested in rescu-
liberalism need to have
ing our children and grand-
limits set by a tradition
children."
whose laws are 3,000 years
Rabbi Groner also ques-
old."
tions the wisdom of accep-
He criticized the way
ting gay and lesbian Jews
Reform leaders accept inter-
into the rabbinate as the
faith marriages, especially
Reform leadership did in
the introduction of
1990. While he firmly be-
patrilineal descent instead
lieves discrimination
of the traditional use of ma-
against gays should stop,
trilineal descent to deter-
"gay and lesbian rabbis can
mine who is a Jew.
not be a role model for Jew-
ish families," he said.
"The status of the mother
"We're confusing the issue
is a practice long followed in
of civil rights with the title
Judaism since the 5th cen-
of rabbi which is a mark of
tury B.C.E. With patrilineal
descent we will have a whole
esteem."
While he doesn't think
generation of children who
Conservative and Reform
call themselves Jews who
Jews will ever agree on
will not really be Jews,"
Rabbi Groner said. "The
every issue, Rabbi Groner
believes the Reform move-
motive is praiseworthy, but
ment has enriched Conser-
the end result is not."
vative Judaism. He conclud-
The Conservative move-
ed by vowing that Conser-
ment, taking a lesson from
vative and Reform Jews, es-
Reform Judaism, is trying to
pecially on a rabbinical
find other ways to reach out
level, will continue to talk
to interfaith couples, Rabbi
about the issues facing
Groner said. "We are aware
modern Jews.
of the human dimension of
4
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4
❑
Polish Urges Stronger
Conservative Identity
SUSAN GRANT
Staff Writer
W
hile both the Or-
thodox and Reform
movements have a
strong sense of identifica-
tion, Conservative Judaism
is still searching for its iden-
tity, said Rabbi Polish of
Temple Beth El.
"The question is what does
Conservative Judaism stand
for," said Rabbi Polish,
speaking about the Conser-
vative movement to more
than 200 Conservative and
Reform Jews Jan. 20 at Con-
gregation Shaarey Zedek.
The speech was a two-part
program sponsored by
Shaarey Zedek's and Temple
Beth El's brotherhoods. On
Jan. 13, Rabbi Irwin Groner
spoke about Reform Judaism
at the temple.
"We know what Or-
4