UAHC Rejects Application
From Humanistic Synagogue

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y a vote of 115-13 with four

abstentions, the board of
trustees of the Union of
American Hebrew Con-
gregations (UAHC) this week re-
jected a membership application
from an independent Humanis-
tic congregation that makes no
references to God in its liturgy.
Despite the overwhelming con-
sensus denying his temple's ad-
mission into the Reform
movement, Rabbi Robert Barr,
the Detroit native who is the
founder and spiritual leader of
Congregation Beth Adam in
Cincinnati, says he has
other concerns.
"The vote was not
about belief or faith.
It was on the use of
metaphors and de-
claring a mandate for
the conformity of litur-
gy," he said. "It was a
decision the trustees
clearly had to make,
but it's also obvious the
Reform movement
needs to define itself
"If Reform is a com-
mitment to freedom and
liberalism, that is not
the case today."
The vote was taken
Sunday in Washington,
D.C., at the semi-annu-
al meeting of the UAHC
board of trustees. It fol-
lowed four hours of dis-
cussion, debate and
formal presentations by
both sides. The UAHC
is composed of 865 Re-
form synagogues in the
United States and
Canada.
Rabbi Barr, 38, who
celebrated his bar mitz-
vah at Congregation Shaarey
Zedek in Southfield, said the
three-year application process
with the UAHC has brought his
congregation closer together.
Beth Adam has 215 adult mem-
bers, and a committee of congre-
gants writes its liturgy.
"Because we knew we'd have
to be prepared to answer ques-
tions, we were able to examine
our beliefs and gain a greater un-
derstanding of who we are," Rab-
bi Barr said. "I hope we've built
some bridges and made it clear
to everyone that we're not a
threat."
Rabbi Barr said Beth Adam
sought affiliation with the UAHC
to take advantage of its re-
sources, demonstrate its support
for the Reform movement's He-
brew Union College-Jewish In-

is no movement at all. A move-
ment which stands for every-
thing stands for nothing.
"There is no need for a Hu-
manistic congregation to seek ad-
mission to the Reform
movement. Humanistic Judaism
is a vital, active international
movement within Judaism to-
day."
Rabbi Barr is a graduate of
HUC-J Lit's Cincinnati campus.
He was ordained there in 1981,
one year after he founded Beth
Adam.
Before going to Cincinnati,
Rabbi Barr lived in De-
troit and Bloomfield
Hills. He graduated
from Andover High
School and Oakland
University.
"We are not an athe-
istic congregation, but
a Jewish one," Rabbi
Barr told the UAHC
trustees in Washington.
"Our goal is to create a
liturgy that clearly re-
flects our common val-
ues while providing all
members the opportu-
nity to infuse that litur-
gy with their personal
beliefs regarding the
nature of deity.
"Beth Adam does
not seek to stifle its
members in their re-
ligious quest. Rather,
we seek to provide
support and encour-
agement for their re-
ligious growth.
"You are not being
asked if you agree
with our approach,
but rather to choose
Rabbi Robert Barr: Detroit native.
between a vision of Re-
Society for Humanistic Judaism, form Judaism of limits and
but it now refers to itself as "Ju- boundaries or a Reform Judaism
daism with a Humanistic per- that values and celebrates indi-
vidual and congregational au-
spective."
Rabbi Wine, founder of Hu- tonomy. This is the hallmark of
manistic Judaism and the spir- a Reform Judaism that, more
itual leader of the Birmingham than merely tolerating diversity,
Temple, agreed with the UAHC engenders it."
Beth Adam uses a 150-year-
trustees' decision.
"Those Reform leaders who old Czechoslovakian Torah it re-
maintain that Humanistic Ju- ceived on permanent loan in
daism is incompatible with Re- 1984. Torah portions are read on
form are correct," Rabbi Wine Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur,
said. "They are distinct and sep- Shabbat and other holiday ser-
arate movements. Humanistic vices. Bar and bat mitzvah stu-
Judaism is a nontheistic move- dents must read from the Torah
ment; Reform Judaism is a the- and present a research paper to
the congregation.
istic one.
Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler,
"We have never sought to be
part of the Reform movement be- president of UAHC, said he en-
cause we respect the ideological couraged Beth Adam to make its
integrity of that movement. A application "because I felt the de-
movement without parameters bate would generate an impor-

stitute of Religion (HUC-JIR),
and acknowledge that "we need
to be part of something bigger
than ourselves."
"Independence has its limits,"
he said. "We can become isolat-
ed, limited in our perspective, out
of touch with the issues and con-
cerns of the wider Jewish com-
munity. By being part of
something larger, we were hop-
ing to ensure our development
and contribute to the future of
liberal Judaism."
Beth Adam once was affiliat-
ed with Rabbi Sherwin Wine's