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The Washington Times
www.washtimes.com
Jewish leader urges 'compact'
Larry Witham
THE WASHINGTON TIMES Published 2/13/2002
A top leader in Conservative Judaism yesterday proposed a
"compact" for members to live a minimum of religious observance so
their tradition survives for the next generation of Jews.
"Large numbers of Conservative Jews are not yet living
Conservative Judaism," said Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein, for 15 years
executive director of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
"We can no longer look the other way."
To reverse the trend, he urged a "compact of Jewish commitment"
� six practices that are "a limited number of positive commandments"
that may create "a bandwagon effect" of enthusiasm in synagogues.
The "concrete actions" include a 10-word prayer at meals; observing Sabbath and
holy day suppers; lighting candles; a daily practice of one good deed and a short
reading from the Hebrew Bible; giving to charity; and
visiting Israel or helping fund others' trips.
"We must begin our religious renaissance somewhere," Mr. Epstein said.
Without this minimum, he said, Jewish youth get a secular signal from synagogues.
"When the youth who take what we teach seriously mature, they often enter
congregations void of the Jewish values or practices," he sa
id.
The biennial assembly marks the 100th anniversary of the "Conservative movement"
in Judaism, and for the first time held a joint meeting of the associations for
synagogues, rabbis, teachers, cantors and congregation
executives. It ends tomorrow at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Northwest.
In an interview, Mr. Epstein said the speech was a departure from other recent
assembly messages because it focused on a minimum standard, not on broadening Jewish
identity.
"The problem has been that so many people, in any religion, do little, do
nothing," he said. "What I want to do is raise the floor. It is not enough to do
nothing."
He said the compact does not require any new rulings in the Conservative
tradition, which is often called a "middle way" in Judaism. With 760 synagogues and
1,500 rabbis, it is the second-largest in membership of fou
r branches of Judaism.
The Reform branch is largest and dedicated to liberalizing norms for Jewish
religious life, dietary laws, use of English in worship and intermarriage.
In his speech to the 1,500 religious leaders, Mr. Epstein said Conservative
synagogues must find better "strategies" to welcome marriages that include a
non-Jewish spouse so that the children receive some Jewish upbr
inging.
The goal is to "motivate those who intermarry to create a rich Jewish home life,"
he said. "But, at the same time, we must never become 'neutral' or 'accepting' of
intermarriage as the norm." About half of American J
ews now marry non-Jews, according to studies.
In a report Monday, sociologist Steven Cohen of Hebrew University in Jerusalem
told the five associations that younger Jews, like their peers, are less loyal to
denominations and take a "consumerist" approach to reli
gion.
"They will support and buy into communities, agencies and people where they find
purpose and meaning," he said. "If not, they are prepared to walk away."
He cited the high-demand model that helps conservative churches grow in the
United States. "At times of high anxiety about Jewish stability and continuity, our
tendency is to demand less," he said. "In fact, [that] s
trategy is counterproductive."
The "compact" comes at a time in America when just 14 percent of American Jews
say religious observance is "most important" in Jewish identity, accoording to the
American Jewish Committee's annual survey.
Copyright � 2001 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
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