EDITOR'S WATCH

New Guide For Conservative Rabbis
Embraces More Life-Cycle Moments

deviation from the past, but a confir-
hat began as a slight revi-
mation of Jewish theology, which has
sion of the Conservative
always regarded God as beyond gen-
movement's Rabbinical
der," said Rank, spiritual leader of
Assembly manual for rab-
Temple Beth Ahm in Springfield, N.J.
bis 10 years ago, evolved into a massive
Rabbi David Nelson of Congrega-
rewrite that's three times as long as the
tion Beth Shalom in Oak Park thinks
33-year-old version it replaces.
gender neutrality in the new manual
"It became clear that we needed
"is probably a little forced in places.
more," Rabbi Perry Rank, one of the
It's sometimes appropriate, but some-
688-page manual's two editors, told
times 'He' is not, per se, a
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
dirty word."
"The Jewish community had
Still, the 1998 guidebook
changed, had become more
"shows great sensitivity and
open to tradition, was more
compassion in situations of
aware of Israel, and women
life the old manual
were coming into the rab-
ignored," Nelson said.
binate."
For example, it offers
Moreh Derekh, or Rabbis'
healing prayers for surgical
Guide, stresses Torah study
patients and the terminally
and mirrors the return to ritu-
ill, a prayer to "change the
al sweeping the American
RO BERT
name" of a gravely ill person
Jewish landscape. The two-
A. S KLAR
and a prayer to cope with
volume set offers prayers for
Editor
infertility.
several life-cycle stops that,
There's a ritual to mark a
until now, were ignored. It's
miscarriage, including immersion in a
reflective of how Jewish spirituality and
mikvah. There's a grieving and burial
liturgy have changed with the times.
ritual for a stillborn baby, and for a
"Life-cycle events aren't limited to
newborn or premature baby who dies.
birth, marriage and death. There are
There's also a ceremony to help a cou-
lots of intermediate steps in between,"
ple or woman following an abortion.
said Rabbi Aaron Bergman of Congre-
"The process of grief has always had
gation Beth Abraham Hillel Moses in
to be dealt with," Nelson said. "The
West Bloomfield. "As these in-between
old manual just assumes the laws of
steps emerged, rabbis came up with
mourning were known. So rabbis have
their own ritual elements. The new
developed their own prayers over the
guidebook gathers up and shares this
years."
wisdom."
Noting Jewish law forbids mourn-
English translations in Moreh
ing a baby unless it has survived at
Derekh are gender neutral. "It's not a
least 30 days, Nelson said: "I under-

our Orthodox colleagues pick up the
manual, they will see how strict we are
about maintaining a traditional cere-
mony for conversion," Rank said.
Until now, Conservative rabbis typ-
ically had to reach deep into their
hearts, or look to other prayer books,
for ritual suggestions in a variety of
situations. That's because the 1965
manual, Lekutay Tefila, A Gathering of
Prayers, encompassed only a limited
number of basic traditional practices.
Unlike its predecessor, the 1998
guidebook doesn't include a ground-
breaking ritual for new synagogues.
"In the 1960s," Rank explained, "we
were building buildings. In the 1990s,
Rabbi David Nelson looks ahead with
we are building communities.
an eye to the past.
"The focus has changed."
stand the principle of halachah, but if
It certainly has — for the better.
a couple has a baby die after 10 days,
The Rabbinical Assembly represents
they are not going to be any less grief-
1,400 Conservative rabbis worldwide.
stricken."
The United Synagogue of Conserva-
Other prayers in the new manual
tive Judaism represents 760 congrega-
are geared to when a baby is both with
tions in North America. Both are
disabilities, a teenager enters college or
based in New York City.
a person retires.
Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, editor of
For couples about to be married, rab-
Shim magazine in New York City and
bis can choose a blessing that mentions
one of 10 women among the 100
children or one that's rooted in compan-
Rabbinical Assembly rabbis who con-
ionship. Rabbis have three variations of
tributed, told the Forward that Moreh
a ritual to mark adoption of a baby.
Derekh is "not the most current
Moreh Derekh includes three nam-
expression of feminist liturgy."
ing ceremonies for girls and the tradi-
"I want rabbis and congregants to
tional ceremony for brit milah, or ritu-
approach the book with awe and
al circumcision, for boys.
appreciation," she said. But, she
The conversion section includes "a
added, "it's not state of the art.
parental reaffirmation of commit-
Nelson, rabbi at Beth Shalom since
ment" for interfaith couples who seek
GUIDE FOR RABBIS on page 37
to convert a non-Jewish child. "When

"

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
to raise the Pollard issue during the
recently concluded Wye River nego-
tiations. By having done so, he sug-
gests that Netanyahu "almost torpe-
doed" the Israel-Palestinian agree-
. ment. Nothing, however, could be
further from the truth.
To begin with, for his own politi-
cal reasons, President Bill Clinton
wanted and needed the "peace" con-
Dr. Irvin J. Kappy
Co-chair ference to succeed, while the Israeli
prime minister could not afford to
JFS Fall Fix- Up Project
embarrass an ally by ensuring the
conference would fail. And Yassir
Arafat had too much to gain —
"land for peace" — to see the con-
ference fail. So, one may ask, how
did raising the Pollard issue "almost
torpedo" the Wye River Israeli-Pales-
In his Oct. 30 Inside Washington
tinian agreement?
article ("A Pollard Deal?"), James
Besser suggests it was "folly" for
POLLARD ISSUE on page 34

volunteers of all ages responded to the
heartwarming and, at times, heart-
wrenching plight of appreciative .
seniors.
. This volunteer group included
many families, religious school stu-
dents and college fraternity brothers.
My gratitude goes out to a volunteer
community that gave us a Sunday and
genuinely "made a difference"!

Pollard Issue
Not A Folly

Gayle Eubanks of West Bloomfield changes a lightbulb for Ben Goldner of Oak
Park during the Fall Fix- Up Project.

1/6
998

32 Detroit Jewish News

