tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post4983483199134822030..comments2024-03-20T06:29:27.167-04:00Comments on The Rabbi with a Blog (Rabbi Jason Miller): Kaddish for Conservative JudaismRabbi Jason Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07805550465729805847noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-64365210438572047592018-03-29T17:00:55.684-04:002018-03-29T17:00:55.684-04:00Tanakh
First book of Samuel has fifty mistakes.
...Tanakh<br /><br />First book of Samuel has fifty mistakes. <br /><br />Second book of Samuel has seventy mistakes.<br /><br />First book of Kings has eighty mistakes.<br /><br />Second book of Kings has one hundred mistakes.<br /><br />Tanakh has three hundred mistakes in four books.<br /><br />Book of Ezra has thirty mistakes.<br /><br />Deuteronomy has sixty mistakes.<br /><br />Tanakh has three hundred ninety mistakes in six books.冠報https://www.blogger.com/profile/08025000529414474797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-16512408406449793222009-06-18T12:47:44.585-04:002009-06-18T12:47:44.585-04:00Rabbi Miller,
I'm just a member of a Con...Rabbi Miller,<br /> I'm just a member of a Conservative synagogue in Pittsburgh PA. Congregation Beth Shalom. I read the Shefa network posts often because it seems that the Shefa network is the primary online site where I can find the most updated information on what is happening in Conservative Judaism. <br /> I am trying to ask any Conservative rabbi that cares if they would be willing to use their pull to get the Conservative Jewish journal that is published quartely to be available for free to Conservative synagogue members. I think that this journal would be helpful to committed Conservative Jews and help them understand the thoughts of major Conservative Jewish rabbis today. I think from the Shefa posts we see that lots of people simply don't know what is on the minds of Conservative Jewish rabbis. The Conservative Jewish journal does a good job of this but unfortunately it is only available by paid subscription. <br /> I think we are at a time when the money the RA gets from the subscriptions of this journal will not outweigh the probable benefits of getting this journal out to Conservative Jewish laity for free. I am hoping you can use your influence as a Conservative rabbi to write on Ravnet and state to people in power of Conservative Jewish life that we need the Conservative Jewish journal to be available for the Conservative lay Jews who are still sticking with trying to make our institutions better despite all the recent negativitiy we have had to read and see with our own eyes. I thank you for reading this and hope you can help with this issue. <br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br /><br />Jonathan Loring<br />member Congregation Beth Shalom<br />Pittsburgh PA.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12697084090755880292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-55926325221522657212009-06-16T21:12:41.338-04:002009-06-16T21:12:41.338-04:00Words of Wisdom from Wiseman, you wrote: "USC...Words of Wisdom from Wiseman, you wrote: "USCJ is like a well situated solid old house."<br /><br />I'm not sure I would agree with that statement. I was speaking with one of Metro Detroit's major Jewish philanthropists and community leaders the other day. He compared the Conservative Movement (meaning USCJ) to General Motors. When they started losing market share, they refused to admit it or change the way they marketed their product. <br /><br />This is where we are now. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Conservative Judaism, the project. What is wrong is the corporation (United Synagogue).<br /><br />Bonim seems to be blowing the whistle on this operation because the members of that group are tired of watching their congregations send funds to USCJ each year -- funds that could go to more useful areas of the congregation's operation.<br /><br />HaYom is basically a group of large-shul rabbis who believe they can manage USCJ better than the current staff.<br /><br />If both of these groups can get Rabbi Steve Wernick's ear, then there might be some real change ahead -- especially if Wernick at USCJ is quick to make the necessary alliances with Eisen at JTS, the key players in L.A. at AJU and Schoenfeld at the Rabbinical Assembly.Rabbi Jason Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07805550465729805847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-46518357662364460332009-06-14T15:01:04.127-04:002009-06-14T15:01:04.127-04:00In my opinion, Hayom and Bonim have a different ph...In my opinion, Hayom and Bonim have a different philosphy as to how to work out our problems with USCJ.<br /><br /> To me,USCJ is like a well situated solid old house. Bonim would like to tear it down and rebuild it from scratch, while Hayom believe in the foundation,<br />and looks for the interior to be brought up to modern CJ reality.Words of Wisdom from Wisemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08310968252773895517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-46316837865445165592009-06-11T11:34:48.463-04:002009-06-11T11:34:48.463-04:00Nothing wrong with the koolaid at Ramah. It was st...Nothing wrong with the koolaid at Ramah. It was strong and should have helped strengthen the future of Conservative Judaism, so let's not write these people off. I agree that the problem today is in formal affiliation and upholding the integrity of Conservative Judaism. <br /><br />The problem is that affiliation:<br />Affiliation should be between congregations and not an affiliation to a top-down, top-heavy organization. USCJ needs reinvention to become a light and lightly taxing service organization of its member congregations - light enough to simply provide connections for collaboration (and international youth programs) among a diverse and localized coalition of congregations, indy minyamin and everyone adhering to the philosophy and authentic ritual of Conservative Judaism, including most of those who drank the koolaid at Ramah. <br /><br />USCJ is not something to support as and end to itself. Without transparency, I can't comment on what USCJ does. However, if USCJ were a service entity for the localities, perhaps its grant and fundraising development would be earmarked to provide financial help to new and struggling congregations instead of where it goes now. <br /><br />Integrity:<br /><br />Conservative Judaism should not be sold top-down. Its historic strength in membership came from <br />a generation that understood why they were not reform and why they were not orthodox, with diverse expressions in each community under an uniting (not defining) umbrella organization. If there is a need for "branding" at all, there needs to be a good understanding of the product (authentic, dynamic Judaism) and target audience (future generations). <br /><br />All the best.<br /><br />PaulPaul Levinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-63329235337592562362009-06-11T00:06:38.269-04:002009-06-11T00:06:38.269-04:00I want to comment on this part of your statement: ...I want to comment on this part of your statement: "The real complaint about the Conservative Movement is not really with the movement. It certainly isn't with Conservative Judaism as a way of practicing the Jewish faith either."<br />Here are a two complaints. First from two separate articles I have read, one in the New York Jewish Week and one from CJ the magazine, some Conservative rabbis are invoking mara d'atra to override halachic positions taken by the CJLS. In the Jewish Week article the Conservative rabbi has allowed Jews of patrilineal decent to be members of his shul for the past 5 years. In the CJ article the rabbi agrees with the rejected takanah of Rabbi Tucker to perform gay marriages. When Conservative rabbis don't stand up for Conservative Jewish law then why should a regular am haaretz like myself care about Conservative Jewish law either? If Conservative rabbis don't like Conservative Jewish law they should do the intellectually honest actions and resign their pulpits and/or join another movement. Or they should fight within the movement to get laws they want to enact passed by the CJLS. We are seeing individual activist rabbis who have their own agendas and causing even more schisms between synagogues in our movement.<br />My next complaint deals with the Hechsher Tzedek and it has to do with my observation that we do not practice what we preach about the Hechsher Tzedek. How many Conservative Jewish institutions provide affordable good health care, good pay, good leave policies and all the other benefits that the Hechser Tzedek demands of kosher food companies for employees of our own Conservative Jewish institutions? While Rabbis and Cantors have the RA and the CA to help negotiate contracts, shouldn't day school and pre school teachers, janitors and other support staff within Conservative Jewish institutions have national support as well? Who defends their rights to good working conditions and fair compensation within the Conservative movement?<br />Perhaps some other time I will write about the lack of adult ed classes pass the basic levels of Jewish literacy in Conservative synagogues I have been a part of. And perhaps I will write more about even when those classes happen and we discuss a law still on the books within the parameters of Conservative Judaism but basically no one in the congregation follows, that law is just frowned upon by the Conservative rabbi leading the class as he seems to be more concerned with keeping the culture of the community intact instead of publicly making a good example of those ready to take on more mitzvot. <br />I know nothing about the works of USCJ. I am just a regular Conservative synagogue member who has lots of seats available to me within the rows of empty pews every Shabbat.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12697084090755880292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-50545058549858898712009-06-10T20:04:00.613-04:002009-06-10T20:04:00.613-04:00Ira,
Thank you for your comments. With all due re...Ira,<br /><br />Thank you for your comments. With all due respect, I don't believe the two inaccuracies in my post you have alluded to are actually articulated in my post at all.<br /><br />In fact, with regard to your first comment, I believe I've gone out of my way to "make the distinction between Conservative Judaism (an ideology) and the Conservative Movement (an institutional denomination)." No where did I state that either Bonim or HaYom is looking to change the tenets of Conservative Judaism. The fault here lies with USCJ qua agency, not with CJ as an ideology or denomination of modern Judaism.<br /><br />Regarding your second point, we are in full agreement. While I am not privy to the USCJ President's Listserv in the same way you are not privy to Ravnet, I have been made aware of the <i>ta'am</i> of the discussions the congregational presidents are having on that forum.<br /><br />I believe that the lay leadership in the movement's congregations are very much on the same page as the movement's rabbis. USCJ has been run inefficiently over the past decades, making itself the butt of several jokes among my colleagues. The charges levied on USCJ (substantial dues with little return, excessive overhead, solely NY/NJ focused, poor technology, 1970s operation in the 21st century, lack of PR, etc.) have been discussed for years. It is only now when times are tough and synagogues are looking at their financials through a microscope that they've formed a collective voice.<br /><br />I hope that HaYom and Bonim will be effective change agents, but I also believe it's not worth the time or effort pointing fingers at USCJ headquarters trying to figure out who is to blame. Rather, we should support Rabbi Steve Wernick and the team he assembles. His success will be based on how much change he brings to the job. If he goes about it the right way, he will begin by forming the partnerships that were never formed by his predecessor (with the other arms of the movement).Rabbi Jason Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07805550465729805847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-63592086645609341172009-06-10T18:33:39.469-04:002009-06-10T18:33:39.469-04:00In addition to your suggestions, the RA and USCJ b...In addition to your suggestions, the RA and USCJ both need to be responsive to ethical concerns brought to their attention by congregants.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13910128377041819029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-55425675631536179522009-06-10T15:56:55.631-04:002009-06-10T15:56:55.631-04:00I want to point out two inaccuracies in your post....I want to point out two inaccuracies in your post.<br /><br />1.) Neither Bonim or HaYom are looking to change the tenets of Conservative Judaism. We are looking to change USCJ and their lack of appropriate and useful support for us, their members, who pay them to provide that support. <br /><br />2.) Those who are threatening to leave if things don't change are not threatening to leave Conservative Judaism. We are threatening to leave USCJ and save the substantial amount of dues that we pay them for very little in return. I'm sure that we will all remain Conservative synagogues in practice.<br /><br />Based on posts to USCJ's President's List Serv over the past 3 years, it is quite apparent that there are many more synagogues that will leave USCJ than are currently listed as members of Bonim. If USCJ doesn't turn itself into an organization whose members feel that they are getting their money's worth, there will be a mass exodus, far larger than just the membership of Bonim.<br /><br />USCJ has ignored its responsiblities to its members for far too long. The only things of value that we all agree are worth paying dues for are USY and clergy searches. But there are other youth groups and there are other organizations to help find clergy, which is an infrequent need. <br /><br />If you were privvy to the President's List Serv, you would have a much better understanding of the lack of support, the lack of transparency and the heavy handed and callous manner in which USCJ has dealt with its members. <br /><br />Our membership has been declining for over 20 years. The demand for Conservative synagogues has declined and as our numbers shrink it directly affects our income and our ability to provide services for our congregants and, therefore, is directly related to the health of our individual synagogues. USCJ has done nothing but watch the declining numbers and taken no action to reverse the trend.<br /><br />USCJ needs to market the Conservative "brand" in such a way as to make it look attractive so that more Jews will start seeking out our shuls. It needs to create a public relations campaign and it needs to make itself visible to the predominantly unaffiliated Jewish population of this country. <br /><br />If McDonald's can successfully market an inferior product and still be number one in their segment, there is no reason that USCJ can't market a superior product to attract new "customers" to the movement. But so far, they have ignored this as an opportunity.<br /><br />Ira FinkThe Pew Potatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13722520888202148532noreply@blogger.com