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E Jewish Federation

OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT

SAVE THE DATE!

USY Alters Guidelines

THE DARK SECRET OF
TEEN MENTAL ILLNESS

Conservative youth group changes
language to be more inclusive.

SHEDDING LIGHT ON

MENTAL HEALTH

ROSS SZABO

Author of: Behind Happy Faces:
Talking about Mental Health and Teen Mental Illness

Sunday, March 1,2015

1-3:30 pm

West Bloomfield High School Auditoriu

Pre-registration $5

$10 at the door

Donation to locally benefit teen mental health

More information to follow.

Questions? Contact

Lisa Soble Siegmann

at siegmann@jfmd.org

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T

o increase inclusiveness and
sensitivity to a growing num-
ber of teens who are children
of intermarriages within Conservative
Judaism, the leadership of United
Synagogue Youth (USY) amended
language in its guidelines concerning
interdating for those holding regional
and international board positions.
Jack Lawson of Birmingham reunites with
The action came at last month's
some Camp Ramah New England friends
USY convention in Atlanta.
at the convention in Atlanta.
The change affects the 100 or so
teen officers who serve on USY's
his religion.
national and regional boards, not the thou-
"The old wording of the rule made me
sands who participate in USY programs.
feel shunned, even though in USY I feel
Other expectations for these officers are
accepted in every other way," said Lawson,
keeping kosher, observing the Sabbath and
who attributes his "passionate" Jewish iden-
refraining from interdating.
tity to the experiences he has had in the
The prior guideline wording stated: "It
youth group. Lawson said he understands
is expected that leaders of the organization
the importance of dating within the faith to
will refrain from relationships which can be keep the continuation of the Jewish people.
construed as interdating."
"USY is why I like being Jewish:' Lawson
The new amendment reads: "The (USY)
said. "Now the wording is repaired, and I
officers will strive to model healthy Jewish
feel completely accepted by USY"
dating choices. These include recognizing
David Lerner, MCUSY adviser, said
the importance of dating within the Jewish
the ruling by the youngest leaders in the
community and treating each person with
Conservative movement reflects initiatives
the recognition that they were created
made by adult leadership for affiliated
Betzelem Elohim (in the image of God)"
synagogues to welcome interfaith families.
After some debate, the USY board also
Some four in 10 Conservative Jews who
elected not to adopt a proposal to alter
have married since 2000 have married non-
requirements that teen board members
Jews, according to the 2013 Pew Research
be Sabbath and holiday observant when it
Center survey of U.S. Jewry.
comes to travel, public functions and taking
"The children of the Conservative move-
school exams. They instead added amend-
ment are trying to reconcile the decisions
ments that called for a "zero-tolerance"
of the adults in the Conservative move-
stance on bullying and gossip.
ment:' Lerner said. "It all boils down to the
Teen members of Motor City USY, or
deeper question: Who is a Jew?"
MCUSY, are upset that excessive cover-
Lerner said USY leadership deliberately
made the language "more vague" to be
age of the rulings detracted from other
more inclusive. He said USY encourages
aspects of the convention, such as explor-
Jewish teens to date within Judaism.
ing Atlanta's civil rights history through a
"USY does not promote interdating:'
Jewish lens and working on service projects
with local Atlanta charities. They also said
Lerner said. "The teens took it upon them-
they are pleased with the amended lan-
selves to change the language because they
guage of the guidelines.
saw their USY friends who were children of
The amendment makes a big differ-
interfaith families feeling alienated:'
ence to Jack Lawson, 16, of Birmingham,
Lawson added that Conservative Judaism
MCUSY membership vice president. Raised is a "huge part of his life:' This summer,
by a Jewish mother and a Catholic father,
he hopes to visit Israel for the first time
he was introduced to Judaism at age 6. His
through the organization's summer pil-
dad later converted to Judaism. Sadly, his
grimage trip.
mother passed away a few years ago, but he
"I cannot think of a better way to go:' he
and his father still attend Shabbat services
said.
on a regular basis. He has been involved
with USY since the sixth grade. He said that This story contains some JTA reporting. Read
two community views on the USY decision to
outside of attending synagogue, USY is the
change its guidelines on page 29.
"main platform" on which he can explore

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14 January 15 • 2015

I

Stacy Gittleman
Contributing Writer

JN