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Conservative Judaism

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Title: Conservative Judaism


1
Conservative Judaism
  • Presented to REL 306
  • Dr. Laurence Boxer
  • April, 2004

2
Prior to 18th Century (Enlightenment)
  • ... Jewish practice was largely what, today, we
    would call insular and Orthodox.
  • Christianity was (almost) universally hostile,
    regarding Jews as Christ-killers scapegoats.
    Contempt for Jews was practically required for
    advancement in Catholic Church Martin Luther was
    a vicious Jew-hater.

3
Enlightenment changes
  • Opening of America, American French revolutions
    brought liberal ideas to Western Europe
  • Opportunity to live among Christian neighbors as
    2nd-class citizens (huge improvement) presented
    challenge of modernity to Jews
  • Rights to secular education, entry into
    professions, greater commerce with Christians
    often required to be less Jewish in return

4
Moses Mendelsohn (1728-86)
  • Scholar of Torah, Talmud, secular philosophy
    translated Torah into German, with commentary
    author, educator, man of letters
  • Attracted attention of Berlins Christian
    intellectuals, particularly playwright Lessing.
    Promoted breakdown of social, intellectual
    barriers between Christians and Jews.
  • Promoted freedom of conscience (as opposed to
    community enforcement of religious law) a
    pillar of Reform philosophy.
  • Freedom of conscience led many to freedom from
    observance adherence many, including most of
    Mendelsohns grandchildren (one was composer
    Felix) converted to Christianity to advance
    economically and socially.
  • Mendelsohns followers pioneered Reform Judaism,
    which gained greatest popularity in Western
    Europe and America

5
German Reform in the 1800s
  • As the movement grew, tension emerged between its
    radical, conservative leaders.
  • Degree of usage of Hebrew in prayers was a
    divisive issue. Radicals called for greater use
    of vernacular Frankel led conservatives for
    Hebrew at 1845 Frankfort conference in appeal to
    historical continuity, educational motivation,
    worldwide unifying factor.
  • Whether to observe kashrut (laws of kosher food)
    was another divisive issue. Proponents feel
    kashrut is important element of Jewish
    self-identification opponents regard as
    unnecessary barrier to interaction with non-Jews.
  • 1854 Frankel founds Jewish Theological Seminary
    of Breslau

Rabbi Zecharia Frankel, leader of conservative
reformers, 1840s
6
American Reform, 1800s
  • Growing American Jewish population had large
    Reform component mirrored controversies of Eur.
    Reform
  • Trefa Banquet July, 1883 - Celebration of 1st
    class of graduates of Hebrew Union College
    Reform rabbinical seminary in Cincinnati
  • Multiple violations of kashrut accented split
    between radicals, conservatives

http//www.americanjewisharchives.org/trefa1.htm
  • 1885 Pittsburgh meeting radical reformers
    prevailed with statement of principles,
    alienating traditionalists
  • 1886 traditionalists founded Jewish Theological
    Seminary of America in New York.

7
Leaders of the American Seminary
ALEXANDER KOHUT (1842-1894) ordained at the
Breslau Seminary, came to the United States in
1885 and served in New York both as a
congregational rabbi and as a member of the New
York Seminary's faculty. became the ideological
champion of the Conservative reaction to American
Reform. Almost single-handedly, he was
responsible for transmitting the Frankel-Breslau
approach to Judaism from Europe to the United
States. Gillman
SABATO MORAIS (1823-1897), Italian born and
trained, came to America in 1851 and served as
rabbi of Congregation Mikve Israel in
Philadelphia until his death. Morais
championed the Conservative reaction to American
Reform. prior to the Pittsburgh Conference he
had been a voice for moderation within the
coalition of Reformers. After the publication of
the Pittsburgh Platform, however, Morais turned
his attention to the new Seminary. He served as
President of the Seminary until his death .
Gillman
8
Changes in American Jewish Population, 1880s
  • By 1880s, Jewish immigrants to America were
    coming mostly from Eastern Europe, escaping
    antiSemitism of czarist empire.
  • Many were too traditional for Reform, but were
    open to modern approach of the budding
    Conservative movement, as opposed to the
    Orthodoxy they knew in Europe.

9
Solomon Schechter (1847-1915)
  • Born in Romania educated in Vienna scholar in
    Cambridge London head of Jewish Theological
    Seminary 1902-1915
  • Sought middle way between Eastern European
    Orthodoxy, which he felt denied modernity,
    American radical Reform, which he felt denied
    tradition
  • Stressed unity (Catholic Israel), tradition
    with modernity, scholarship
  • Stature appeals for unity exercised moderating
    influence on Reform leadership
  • Founded United Synagogue of America (now, United
    Synagogue of Conservative Judaism), 1912

10
Simplified spectrum of movements tradition
Least traditional
Most traditional
  • Reform
  • Reconstructionist
  • Secular/Humanist
  • Unaffiliated

Conservative
  • Orthodox, including
  • Chassidim
  • Modern Orthodox
  • others

Teaches Halakha is binding, but more willing than
Orthodox to modify Halakha for modernity
Teaches Halakha is binding less organized for
more reluctant to modify Halakha than
Conservative tend not to recognize Conservatism
as Halakha-observing
Tend to regard Halakha, traditional Jewish law,
non-binding
11
Example What Cheese is Kosher? Different
halakhic approaches
  • Ex. 2319 you shall not boil a kid in its
    mothers milk
  • Num. 3220-22 If you do this then you shall be
    clear before the Lord and before Israel thus,
    not enough to do right (be clear before the Lord
    ) must also appear to do right (be clear before
    Israel)
  • Avot 11 make a fence around the Torah.
  • Thus, a basic prohibition of kashrut (laws of
    kosher food) do not mix meat with dairy
    products.
  • Klein Cheese is made from curdled milk.
    the curdling agent was rennet extracted from
    a calfs stomach making cheese a forbidden
    mixture of dairy and meat.
  • According to some ancient authorities,
    rennet does not affect the kashrut of cheese
    because rennet no longer has the status of food.
    Further, in modern practice rennet is treated
    with chemicals, making it a new substance.
    Thus, all cheeses subject to the Pure Food and
    Drug Act should be considered kosher.
  • Orthodoxy tends not to use the latter rule,
    preferring a stricter process-by-process
    supervision of manufacturing for kosher
    certification

12
The Sacred Cluster
  • Schorsch describes the following as the core
    values of Conservative Judaism
  • The Centrality of Modern Israel
  • Hebrew The Irreplaceable Language of Jewish
    Expression
  • Devotion to the Ideal of Klal Yisrael (Community
    of Israel)
  • The Defining Role of Torah in the Reshaping of
    Judaism
  • The Study of Torah
  • The Governance of Jewish Life by Halakha (Jewish
    law)
  • Belief in G-d

13
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (see
Gillman)
  • Legislature/Supreme Court of Conservative Judaism
  • Currently made up of 25 voting rabbis
    (distinguished scholars in rabbinic literature)
    5 non-voting laity
  • On a given issue, may publish multiple, possibly
    conflicting opinions a minority opinion with
    sufficient committee support (6 or more votes) is
    published along with majority/plurality opinion.
    An opinion with 80 support of the committee,
    plus majority of plenum of Rabbinical Assembly,
    is a Standard.
  • Congregational rabbis are expected to adhere to
    Standards. Where there is no Standard, a
    congregational rabbi may choose whichever CJLS
    position he/she finds most appropriate.

14
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards example
of proceedings
  • Ex. 353 prohibits kindling fire on Sabbath.
    Does this mean its prohibited to turn on an
    electric switch, or to drive, during Sabbath?
  • When CJLS first studied these questions, position
    papers on both sides were written.
  • Hence, some regard these as prohibited, some
    dont. See Klein for discussion.

15
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
contemporary example
  • How does/should Jewish law deal with
    homosexuality? Does modern understanding of
    biology call for different approach? Should civil
    unions or gay marriages be allowed? Sanctified?
  • Biblical verses
  • Lev. 1822 Do not lie with a man as one lies
    with a woman it is an abhorrence ?????
    (to-evah).
  • Lev. 2013 If a man lies with a man as one lies
    with a woman, the two of them have done an
    abhorrent thing they shall be put to death
    their bloodguilt is upon them.
  • Traditional prohibition of lesbianism is not
    Biblical, but is derived in Biblical commentary
    as a parallel prohibition.

16
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
homosexuality
  • See Roth Dorff

R. Roth We Cant Legitimate Homosexuality
Halachically
R. Dorff Medical and Moral Reasons to Change
the Law
  • Whats forbidden is homosexual intercourse not
    fantasies or attractions
  • Same word ????? (to-evah) abhorrence or
    abomination in Lev. 1822 is applied to eating
    non-kosher meat (Deut. 143) or using dishonest
    weights and measures (Deut. 2516).
  • Gay conduct is not a worse violation of Halakha
    than is Sabbath desecration
  • Gay intimacy is not like vast majority of
    heterosexual sex - insertion of male organ into
    female organ - so its not clear what Lev. 1822
    prohibits.
  • US law vs. Halakha US law is secular must
    avoid claim to divine origin Halakha claims
    divine origins, hence may regulate private matters

17
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
homosexuality 2
  • R. Roth R. Dorff
  • A prohibition only makes sense if the person
    addressed can do it. we are finding choice
    does not really exist. You can say to gays and
    lesbians, do not have sex ever. I think that is
    both cruel and un-Jewish, because Jewish
    tradition did not tell us to completely suppress
    our sexual urges.
  • Halakhic ideal for gays celebacy
  • Realizes thats unrealistic for many. Next best
    alternative monogamous relationship. This is
    better than promiscuity, but falls short of
    Halakhic ideal.
  • I plead recognize that an inability to
    legitimate homosexuality makes no negative claim
    about the humanity, sanctity, worth, and
    dignity of homosexuals.
  • I would affirm Leviticus but understand it
    from context to refer to cultic sex as well
    as to promiscuous and oppressive sex. But
    consensual, monogamous sex by adults I would want
    to sanctify in some sort of commitment ceremony.

18
Sources
  • Bentwich, Norman Solomon Schechter A Biography,
    Jewish Publication Society of America,
    Philadelphia, 1938
  • Eban, Abba My People The Story of the Jews,
    Behrman House, NY, 1968
  • Gillman, Neil Conservative Judaism The New
    Century, Behrman House, 1996
  • Grayzel, Solomon A History of the Jews, Jewish
    Publication Society of America, Philadelphia,
    1947
  • Jewish Theological Seminary of America
    http//www.jtsa.edu/
  • Klein, Isaac A Guide to Jewish Religious
    Practice, Ktav Publishing, 1979
  • Roth, Joel and Dorff, Elliot Point-Counterpoint
    , United Synagogue Review, Spring 2004
  • Schorsch, Ismar The Sacred Cluster The Core
    Values of Conservative Judaism,
    http//www.jtsa.edu/about/cj/sacredcluster.shtml
  • United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
    http//uscj.org/index1.html
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