Excerpt from a memorandum issued yesterday by the International President and Executive Vice President of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (the umbrella organization for the Conservative Jewish movement in the United States) to the USCJ Board Of Directors, Congregational Presidents, Rabbis, Cantors, and Executive Directors representing 760 affiliated synagogues and over one-and-a-half-million members:
No matter which path a rabbi and congregation may take, which halakha it chooses to follow, all of our rabbis and congregations share a concern for the dignity of all human beings. No matter what a rabbi and congregation chooses to do about hiring gay and lesbian rabbis or commitment ceremonies, all must show respect and sensitivity to all Jews, no matter what their sexual orientation may be. All Jews must be welcome in all our congregations.
Given the Law Committee’s decision today, Rabbi Epstein, who is United Synagogue’s mara d’atra, has told United Synagogue’s leadership that he sees no reason why we should not revise our hiring policies. Based on this conclusion, we may consider applicants for United Synagogue jobs no matter what their sexual orientation. United Synagogue’s leadership will discuss the issue at its next scheduled meeting.
Having been raised in the Conservative Jewish movement, I take great joy in finally having a strong vote of confidence from my people. The Conservative movement has now joined the more than 1,000 congregations of Reconstructionist and Reform Judaism in the U.S., both of which extended most or all of the same rights and recognition more than a decade ago. B’shalom.
