SPECIAL COMMENTARY
Formula For Communal Peace
San Antonio, Tex.
they were elected to the board of fed-
f Aryeh Scheinberg was your
eration, they would be acknowledged
typical Orthodox rabbi, the
as members of the Jewish community.
Jewisl community of San Anto-
No one is saying they're more than
nio would be engulfed right
they are. Nor are they less than they
now in an ugly fight that would leave
are.
everyone a loser, most of all the chil-
Folks say Rabbi Scheinberg's per-
dren. But Rabbi Scheinberg isn't typi-
sonality is the key to the harmonious
cal, and the Jews of south
relations in San Antonio.
Texas are at peace.
"You understand intel-
Last August, the communi-
lectually that as an Ortho-
ty opened its spanking-new
dox rabbi, he might not
campus, bringing the Jewish
recognize us religiously as
federation, family service,
Jews," says Judy Koch. "But
community center and San
personally you would never
Antonio's sole Jewish day
be aware of it, because he
school under one $18-million
treats us with such respect."
roof. "It's an amazing place,"
Part of the credit also
says Pat Tonkin, who became
relates to the quarter-centu-
J.J. GOLDBERG ry friendship between
the day school's headmistress
Special to
in July. "We're all in it togeth-
Rabbi Scheinberg and
the Jewish News
er. "
Rabbi Samuel Stahl of
Tonkin credits much of the
Temple Beth-El, the
good feeling to Rabbi Scheinberg,
Reform congregation. They cooperate
whose Congregation Rodfei Sholom is
on everything from the day school to
about a mile from campus. "He uni-
Israel Independence Day to co-offici-
fies this community," she says.
ating at weddings — although, Rabbi
Tonkin can rattle off a list of Rabbi
Stahl notes, "it has to follow his rules.
Scheinberg's qualities, but the most
He will take the halacha to its furthest
remarkable is probably the fact that he
point, but that's as far as he will go.
- works with her at all. She was convert-
It's the only way we can work togeth-
ed to Judaism by a Reform rabbi 14
er, and I understand."
years ago. By Orthodox standards,
Mutual compromise makes San
she's not Jewish. Yet since she took
Antonio Jewry a rare island of peace.
over the school this summer, Rabbi
A community of 10,000 in a city of
Scheinberg has accorded her every due
one million, it boasts five congrega-
respect.
tions, one each from Reconstructionist
Tonkin isn't Rabbi Scheinberg's
through Lubavitch. The friendship
only fan. Judy Koch, a Reform con-
between Rabbis Scheinberg and Stahl,
vert and administrator of the commu-
the community's acknowledged patri-
nity campus, says Reform converts are
archs, sets the tone for everyone. "It's a
"interwoven as Jews in this communi-
very unusual community," says federa-
ty in our professional and religious
tion director Mark Freedman.
lives, and it's been his leadership that's
Rabbi Scheinberg, a cherubic, beard-
helped make it possible."
ed man of 60, was raised in Brooklyn,
Rabbi Scheinberg says his approach
ordained at a right-wing yeshiva and
to Reform converts isn't all that revo-
came to San Antonio 30 years ago. San
lutionary. He decided several years ago
Antonio Jewry has since doubled in size.
that while they weren't Jews under tra-
His congregation has tripled. Rabbi
ditional rabbinic law, it was hard to
Scheinberg denies he's sacrificed any
deny they'd become members of the
Orthodox principle in seeking peace.
Jewish community in some genuine
As for his congregants, their piety
sense. In effect, he's developed a sort
grows steadily. Most Orthodox syna-
of second category: Jewish in commu-
gogues outside America's biggest cities
nal terms, but not religiously.
have full parking lots every Saturday,
"If a convert wanted to come to my with only a small core fully observant.
shul and be counted in a minyan, or
Rabbi Scheinberg's core is so strong
get married, that would be problemat-
that he moved his shul last year to a
ic," Rabbi Scheinberg says. "But if
suburban enclave he had built,
Shalom Drive, with a sanctuary sur-
J.J. Goldberg is a national columnist
rounded by homes for families want-
and author on Jewish issues. His work
ing to live within walking distance.
includes the book `Jewish Power: Inside
Rabbi Scheinberg is unique. Coop-
the American Jewish Establishment."
eration with Reform Jews has become
He can be reached via e-mail at
such a loaded issue among Orthodox
jjg@compuserve.com
rabbis that merely suggesting Reform
I
converts aren't a threat brings instant
condemnation.
"We're reaching a point in all the
movements where our ideologies have
begun to trump our love of the Jewish
people," says Rabbi Irwin Kula of
CLAL, the National Jewish Center for
Learning and Leadership, which pro-
motes inter-movement dialogue.
"What's happening in San Antonio
seems unique. The question is, how
much is because it's San Antonio, and
how much is because two people
[Rabbis Scheinberg and Stahl] were in
TAPPER'S
IS OPEN ON SUNDAYS
FROM NOON-5 P.M.
Mutual
compromise
makes San
Antonio Jewry a
rare island of
peace.
a relationship that allowed each to
understand the other's basic needs.
That's genuine pluralism."
Rabbi Scheinberg almost met the
limits of his pluralism this summer,
when Pat Tonkin was hired as San
Antonio's day-school principal. Besides
being a Reform convert, she's married
to a non-Jew. She adopted Judaism as
a divorced mother in Houston, drawn
by conviction. During her conversion,
she says, the rabbi somehow "never,
ever said to me" that she was expected
to marry a Jew. Since then she's
acquired much more knowledge. She's
also acquired a husband.
Rabbi Scheinberg says Tonkin's
combination of professional skills, per-
sonal qualities, plus Jewish learning
and commitment, made her the obvi-
ous choice for principal. Still, close to
one-third of the school's 115 students
come from his congregation. How
then to educate against intermarriage,
when their headmistress is herself
intermarried, isn't simple.
Rabbi Scheinberg "could have
taken the easy way out," says Rabbi
Stahl, by simply saying she's not Jew-
ish, so it doesn't matter whom she
marries. But he didn't do that. He
chose to struggle with it."
Rabbi Scheinberg says he's not wor-
ried. "We'll find a solution," he says.
He always has. ❑
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12/10
1999
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