for Purim pages 10-11 36/628 Feburary 2006/Adar 5766 A publication of Inside:

Inside THE ORTHODOX, REFORM, AND RECONSTRUCTIONIST movements have all been Conservative challenged by the pressures to accommodate change over the last decades. Now, as the Jew- ish Theological Seminary of America searches for a new chancellor (Ismar Schorsch, who has Letters ...... 1 served for 21 years, steps down this summer), the Conservative movement has an opportunity Rela Mintz Geffen to rethink its ideological underpinnings and structural architecture, to address a shifting Jewish Walking the Walk . . . 5 demography across North America, and to strengthen its presence as an international move- Steven M. Cohen ment. This issue of Sh’ma opens with “letters” to the incoming chancellor that speak about Change in a Very the movement’s future — pitfalls and responsibilities; current and past lay leaders provide Conservative analysis and concrete proposals; and rabbis offer their “out-of-the-box” visions for the move- Movement ...... 6 ment — including among others JTS-trained Shoshana Boyd Gelfand’s essay on transforming Jacob B. Ukeles the Conservative movement into a model of trans-denominational Judaism. Reinventing ...... 7 David Nelson, Harry Nelson From Susan E. Hodge From Jeffrey E. Schwarz Letters Between the To the new Chancellor: Dear Chancellor: Generations ...... 8 I fi nd my home in the Conservative As you move into your new offi ces at Jane Kanarek movement, which offers intellectual hon- 3080 Broadway and assume your position Commandedness and esty, egalitarian practices, and the oppor- as head of the Jewish Theological Semi- Moral Authority . . . 12 tunity to lead a committed, observant Jew- nary and de facto leader of the Conserva- Joseph G. Rosenstein ish life. But the movement also has — as tive movement, we are facing the great- Liturgy ...... 13 I see it — three problem areas that I hope est challenges in our history. Partially a Judy Yudof you’ll address: product of broader societal trends being Refl ecting ...... 14 Contempt for Conservative Jews played out in 21st-century America, par- Jerome Epstein It is a half-joking, half-bitter catchword tially a refl ection of denominational de- Defi ning a velopments in Judaism, but unquestion- Conservative Jew . . 14 among some of us, that the Conserva- tive movement has contempt for Con- ably, to some degree of the movement’s Einat Ramon Jews. The movement has too own making, these challenges beg two Dialectics, Humility, servative and Strength ...... 15 continued on page 3 continued on page 2 Ken Koltun-Fromm o Book Review ...... 16 FromFrom MMartinartin WWerbererber FromFrom RRebeccaebecca RRussouss Gordon Tucker Dear Chancellor: To the Chancellor: New Visions ...... 17 Motzei , several years ago, a It is Thursday night, and our voices Aaron Brusso, Sharon close friend called in a panic. Rabbi Joel sing so loudly they are heard outside. The Brous, Judith Hauptman, Roth, the preeminent Conservative hal- Beit is packed. Teenage campers Shoshana Boyd Gelfand akhic expert who was for many years sit together with staff members, crowded Visions ...... 18 head of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Law around a long table covered with scat- Wesley Gardenswartz Committee, had just concluded a Shab- tered song sheets and food. A camper’s NiSh’ma ...... 19 members baton at her in Pennsylvania d’var Torah ends, and two Sam Wyman they wrote, imme- and had thrown a bombshell. Rabbi Roth begin to teach a niggun Sh’ma Ethics ...... 20 said that Conservative Jews are bound diately followed by an outburst of singing by halakhah. Everyone was in an uproar. and dancing from the oldest campers in No one in that synagogue had ever heard the back. at Camp that said before, and she wanted to know This is the scene of mishmar if what Rabbi Roth had said was true. I Ramah in Wisconsin, a weekly gather- deeply disappointed my friend who had ing where we prepare spiritually for the To subscribe: continued on page 4 continued on page 4 877-568-SHMA www.shma.com PostPost youryour thoughtsthoughts oonn wwww.shma.com/jts-shma.ww.shma.com/jts-shma. Susan E. Hodge, from page 1 ing disabilities, ADHD, social problems, etc. many self-perpetuating bureaucracies that • Broader social concerns — do you really are out of touch with us and don’t respect or want every Jewish child in America to be even welcome us, the ordinary Jews living raised in the segregated environment of our lives. a Jewish school? More disturbing, do you Upcoming A personal example: our daughter attended want every non-Jewish child in America Columbia University in New York as an un- be raised without coming into contact from Sh'ma dergraduate and got involved with Koach, with Jews? Is this the way for us to be a March: the Conservative college group. Periodically, light unto the nations? And what about Stretching she and her friends trekked up Broadway small communities that cannot suppport Pluralism to attend Shabbat services at the Seminary. a day school. Should Conservative Jews Sometimes one or more of them would even live only in urban settings? April: arrange ahead of time to lead davening or to I hope that you will convey to Conservative Holocaust leyn Torah. How many times did these young leaders that the movement must not abandon Education people — who are our future — invited to children who don’t attend day schools. I hope May: someone’s home for Shabbat dinner or lunch? you’ll continue to develop and improve after- Never. Now try to imagine a similar situation noon Hebrew schools along with day schools in Israel involving college students and any Orthodox and that you’ll encourage other Conservative institution: I think we can safely predict that leaders to respect the choices that families June: these hypothetical students would be inun- make. Innovation and dated with Shabbes invitations. Moral Failure vis-à-vis Gay Jews Imagination Of course this is just one small example, Finally, it’s time for the Conservative move- and some Conservative institutions do serve ment to stop discriminating against gay Jews us well. But there are also too many instances in any aspect of communal Jewish life. (Please like the one above. “The tone is set at the top.” note I am not addressing the more complex is- You, as Chancellor, can set that tone, both by sue of religious gay marriage.) The movement personal example and via policy, to counter justifi es this discrimination because of what these negative attitudes and to encourage all gay Jews do (or don’t do) in bed. But it doesn’t Conservative institutions to respect and wel- use that reasoning for other Jews. Let me pose come their lay members. the question this way: if Judith and Ruth, or Overemphasis on Day Schools Daniel and Avi, are living together — creat- It is wonderful that in many parts of the ing a Jewish home, participating in a Jewish country, Conservative Jews have viable day community, pursuing Jewish learning, and school options, either for community day possibly raising Jewish children — what busi- schools or for Schechter schools that are spe- ness is it of anyone else’s what they do in bed? cifi cally associated with our movement. It is Nobody has the chutzpah to ask that question less wonderful that, increasingly, Conserva- of me and my husband — not in any Jewish tive leaders are writing off children and fami- context, whether it is receiving an aliyah in our lies that do not choose day school. Last time I local shul or studying for the rabbinate at JTS. looked, the Torah commanded us, v’shinan’tam This has nothing to do with looking over our l’vanecha, “and teach your children,” not, “and “right” or “left” shoulders, nothing to do with send them to a Solomon Schechter day school.” what other movements decide. Rather, I see it Yet to many Conservative leaders, the third as a straightforward moral issue, and I hope minimum requirement to be considered a that as Chancellor you will provide moral committed Conservative Jew, after observing leadership in this area. and being shomer Shabbat, isis toto sendsend Sincerely, one’s children to Schechter. In our real lives, Dr. Susan E. Hodge however, parents may choose other schools Professor, Columbia University for valid reasons: Congregation Beth Sholom, Teaneck, New Jersey • Financial limitations — do you really The Sh’ma Forum on Sustainable want to say that only families of means Innovation & Jewish Life can be “good Jews”? March 23rd in NYC February 2006 • Personal issues — the Schechter schools For more information, contact Adar 5766 are not always equipped to handle learn- [email protected] To subscribe: 877-568-SHMA www.shma.com 3