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28
April 12 s 2007
S
Two Streams from page 26
Judaism. It was invoked repeatedly by
members of the Committee on Jewish
Law and Standards, the movement's
legal authority, which endorsed three
conflicting opinions, or teshuvot, on
homosexuality in December.
Two of those opinions reaffirmed
the movement's traditional opposition
to ordaining gay rabbis. But a third
opinion, endorsed by a majority of
the committee's 25 members, reversed
that position and paved the way for
a change in admissions policy at JTS
and at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic
Studies, the movement's Los Angeles
seminary, which already has admitted
two gay students.
Four members of the law commit-
tee, including former Detroiter Rabbi
Joel Roth, resigned in protest over
the liberal opinion, suggesting that
the strongest challenge to the plural-
ism principle would come from those
opposed to the change.
But in interviews last week, it was
the most vocal supporters of the move
to allow gay rabbis who challenged
the commitment to pluralism, argu-
ing that the concept is overrated and
even detrimental to the health of the
movement.
In contrast, the movement's Israel
branch — which appears unlikely to
follow JTS and the Ziegler School in
admitting gay students — issued a
cautious endorsement of Eisen's state-
ment on pluralism.
"We look forward at the Schechter
Institute to working closely with
Professor Eisen in developing the
common future for the Conservative/
Masorti movement around the world;'
said Rabbi Chanan Alexander.
"I agree with Arnie Eisen and
with other leaders of the movement
who have said that pluralism of a
kind is what should characterize the
Conservative movement:' he added.
"It is because of pluralism that we
were able to engage in this debate. I
think that kind of deliberative discus-
sion, in which views are aired openly,
broadly, I think that's what makes the
Conservative movement great."
The debate over homosexuality has
focused attention on other issues in
which Conservative synagogues have
agreed to disagree, such as women
rabbis and egalitarian worship. But
in what may be a sign that they see
the cultural winds shifting in their
favor, some movement liberals lumped
non-egalitarian congregations and
resistance to gay rabbis together as
positions the movement should no
longer tolerate.
Rabbi Ayelet Cohen, a JTS graduate
and associate rabbi at Congregation
Beth Simchat Torah, a synagogue for
gays and lesbians in New York, said
that welcoming people of all sexual
orientations should be "a value and
not an option."
"I think that we're dealing with a
very long tradition of Jewish text and
scholarship, and in the scope of Jewish
history the movement toward equal-
ity and celebrating Jews of all sexual
orientations and gender identities is
fairly new;' Rabbi Cohen said. "There's
a lot we need to do to start teaching
that as a value, just as there's a lot the
Conservative movement needs to do
to teach egalitarianism as a value."
Not everyone who supports gay rab-
bis agrees with Cohen, however.
Amy Eilberg, who in 1985 became
the first woman ordained as a
Conservative rabbi, said she sympa-
thizes with those who would exclude
congregations that cling to traditional
positions, but said her experience
in interfaith and Middle East peace
efforts have convinced her that it's
necessary to maintain relationships
across ideological differences.
"Part of me is astonished that
anyone in the Conservative move-
ment can question the full equality
of women, even claiming halachic
concerns to bolster that view:' Rabbi
Eilberg said.
"And another part of me knows that
in the human community people dis-
agree fiercely about very central and
primal issues. I've learned not to take
it personally."
Job Meetings Set
Professional Counselor Mildred Pivoz
will continue her series of Networking
Club meetings at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April
17, at Adat Shalom Synagogue in
Farmington Hills
The sessions are designed for indi-
viduals who are actively looking for
jobs or researching the job market.
Participants learn how to write
resumes and receive tips on how to
network. Materials and resource list-
ings are distributed.
Pivoz is a nationally board certified
professional counselor and assistant
manager at the Michigan Works
Southfield Career Center.
The program is open to the com-
munity at no charge. To attend or for
information, call Adat Shalom, (248)
851-5100.