Cover Story
THE SQUEEZE from page 27
may include two formats for one text —
offering them in Hebrew for those with
a deeper background and in English for
those intimidated by complex topics.
Toward The Future
While many see halachic observance as a
key issue to the future of the movement,
some are focused on structure.
Power rests on the local, congregation-
al level, JTS Provost Jack Wertheimer
said, but "the flip side is the movement
is not a well-coordinated movement."
Unlike the Reform movement, for
example, the Conservative movement's
congregational arm, its rabbinic assem-
bly and other organizations do not coor-
dinate closely.
The result has been that synagogues
have been left to rely on local resources
in their planning, rather than on nation-
2003
28
Clement. We are waiting for people to
come to us."
Rabbi Popky said, "We could do a
better job of outreach in general. There
are congregations in our country who
are unaffiliated with a movement, and
we could be serving them."
And as far as education, Hillel Head
of School Freedman sees it as the key.
"The level of seriousness in education
is definitely going up," he said. And
while the movement may be becoming
smaller, my guess is in the coming years
it will be a more educated, more com-
mitted movement, and from there could
simply grow again." El
Steve Israel of the Texas Jewish Post and
Joe Berkofsky of the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency contributed to this report.
Conservative Philosophy
While the Rabbinical Assembly's
Committee on Jewish Law and
Standards (CJLS) sets strong guidelines
for the Conservative movement, individ-
ual congregations have deci-
sion-making latitude on some
issues.
"The CJLS format
enshrines the principle of plu-
ralism at the heart our move-
ment," said Rabbi Daniel
Nevins of Adat Shalom
Synagogue, a member of the
committee.
"The committee debates
Popky
topics in Jewish law and votes
on each paper. While it is
possible for more than one
position to be ratified, the committee
process refines the arguments to the
point that most responsa [written opin-
ions] reflect the consensus of the com-
mittee."
Pulpit rabbis are then expected to read
and respect the teshuvot (responsa). "But
they are allowed to dissent based on the
needs of their individual community,"
Rabbi Nevins said.
Some rabbis make such decisions indi-
vidually and some with the input of their
congregation.
"While we want to include our mem-
bers as much as possible, we run into a
real problern'if ritual is not a rabbinic
decision," Rabbi Charles Popky of
Congregation Beth Ahm said. "A rabbi's
decision on something he opposes may
be because he personally does not agree,
or because he or she thinks it's the best
thing for the congregation."
While some issues — like counting
women in the minyan — remain dis-
Of the 5.2 million of the world's 13
million Jews living in the United
States, most affiliate with one of the
major movements:
Conservative, Orthodox
and Reform. Others are
part of Humanistic,
Recontructionist and
Renewal Judaism.
According to the "Basic
Judaism" booklet written
by Rabbi Daniel Nevins of
Adat Shalom Synagogue,
Conservative Judaism
forms a middle ground
Nevins
between the Reform and
Orthodox movements,
seeking "to combine the
eternal insights and values
of Judaism with the best
values of a modern demo-
cratic society."
Orthodox Jews believe
God gave Moses the Torah
at Mount Sinai, including
the written Torah (the first
five books of the Bible) and Schechter
the Oral Torah, an interpre-
tation and explanation of
the written Torah.
Reform Judaism follows the belief
that the Torah was written by many
sources and its commandments are
not observed per se, but rather con-
tain recommended Jewish values and
ethics. The movement sees continu-
ous reform as part of the process of
Jewish life, with its members making
personal, individual choices as to
levels of observance.
Traditional Jews, in response to
.
J.
for Judaism. I say that not only to
address the intermarriage problem but
because serious converts become serious
Jews," he said.
Said Rabbi Nevins, "I am very proud
to work with many converts, and I find
them to be a true source of inspiration.
Certainly, we must be careful about
insincere seekers, and must ensure that
our training process is rigor-
ous and meaningful."
The suggestion of forming
new synagogues also was dis-
cussed at the biennial. Said
Rabbi Schorsch, "Our com-
petitors are out there hus-
ding. The Lubavitch and
Reform are all over the place.
We are not founding new
Conservative synagogues par-
ticularly in new areas of set-
Decision-Making Process
.
11/14
al or even global trends, he said.
"The question is whether the
Conservative movement will continue to
be a loose coalition or whether it will
strive to actually be a movement," he
said.
Rabbi Epstein disagrees. The real
problem, as he sees it, is that the move-
ment remains so broad and diverse that
the difficulty lies in deciding
where to put the most
resources.
"Do I spend my time trying
to move people from the 10-
yard line to the 50-yard line,
or from the 50-yard line?"
Rabbi Epstein said.
Rabbi Schorsch also sug-
gested Conservative Jews
should "intensify efforts to
convert prospective candidates Schorsch
cussable by rabbis and their congrega-
tions, others are not.
Among binding standards of practice:
No Conservative rabbi may perform an
interfaith marriage, nor recog-
nize a person as Jewish based
on patrilinear descent, nor
recognize a conversion that
does not include brit milah
(circumcision) for men and
immersion in the mikvah for
both men and women.
"These issues aren't our only
red-lines- eating non-
kosher meat would be moth
er — but these impact on
Jewish identify for generations
to come," Rabbi Nevins said
"There is talk about strengthening the
central authority of the CJLS because
many observers (and members) find it
frustrating that the movement allows
such broad disparities in practice."
But according to Rabbi Popky, "it is
the nature of Judaism. We don't have a
pope who makes one decision that
stands for everyone. Jewish tradition in
other movements also is not monolithic
in their decisions.
"Some issues come from differences,
but ultimately the process is a stren
because we can respond in ways appro-
priate to our individual congregations
and communities. One of the great
things about Judaism is its flexibility —
but there are very clear guidelines. It is
hardly a free-for-all with everybody just
doing what they want.
"Detroit is probably more homoge-
neous in its practice and perspectives
than other cities."
— Shelli Liebman Doi Tynan
Reform Judaism's beliefs, formed the
Conservative movement.
Conservative Jews "agree with the
Orthodox that the com-
mandments are divine in
origin and binding upon
individuals, but also see a
significant human role in
the continued evolution of
Jewish religion and law,"
Rabbi Nevins wrote.
"Modern values such as
democracy, human rights
and the critical under-
standing of history under-
score the ongoing devel-
opment of Jewish life.
Religious authority
emerges from the dynam-
ic tension of the people
and their rabbinic leaders
as they seek to apply
ancient truths to modern
reality."
The Conservative
movement originated in
Germany in the mid-19th
century and centered
around the Jewish
Theological Seminary of Breslau
founded in 1854. The Conservative
movement was organized formally as
the United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism by Dr.
Solomon Schechter in 1913.
Shelli Liebman Dorfinan