Dear Congregants,
We are writing to share with you some exciting news:
Last night, Temple Beth-El’s Board of Governors voted to permit its clergy to officiate at intermarriages, at Temple Beth-El or elsewhere, if and when the Rabbinical Assembly and the Cantorial Assembly change their current Standards of Practice forbidding their members to officiate at such events, under the following conditions:
1. The couple states that Judaism will be the sole religion practiced in their household.
2. Any children resulting from the union will be raised as Jews (including conversion to Judaism, in relevant circumstances).
3. The ceremony will be officiated by Jewish clergy only.
4. The ceremony will be exclusively a Jewish service.
We made this decision because we believe that the Conservative movement’s rule prohibiting its rabbis from officiating at intermarriages is rooted in antiquated halakhic reasoning, conclusions not corroborated by the empirical evidence, and failed strategy. When a couple affirms their desire to create a Jewish household and raise their children as Jews, we at Temple Beth-El should support that endeavor in every way possible.
This was not a decision made lightly. Rabbi Knopf studied the issue extensively, reviewing the relevant halakhah (Jewish law), history, and social science, conferring with teachers and colleagues, and engaging in countless conversations with members of our congregation and the wider Jewish community. Our Ritual Committee then reviewed the matter for many months before ultimately voting to adopt this position. Finally, the proposed policy change was brought before our Executive Committee and Board of Governors, who also overwhelmingly approved the change.
While our new policy affirms an important principle and underscores our inclusive values, we want to make clear that this change cannot be fully implemented until the Rabbinical Assembly and the Cantors Assembly change their current Standards of Practice.
As a Conservative congregation, we value our clergy’s membership and participation in the RA and the CA and would never put them in a position to be expelled from their respective professional organizations (which has been the consequence for Conservative rabbis and cantors who violate this standard of practice). However, we also believe one of the hallmarks of Conservative Judaism is “tradition and change.” Sometimes, change can be driven by visionary congregations and clergy pioneering a new path. We embrace our new policy in this spirit. We hope that our leadership and example will inspire other Conservative clergy and congregations to act similarly, demonstrating to the wider movement that rank-and-file clergy and congregations are ready for a new direction on this issue.
Our commitment to Conservative Judaism is also rooted in our abiding belief in the Jewish value of pluralism. We consider the diversity of our congregation one of our great strengths, and we fully recognize that not every member will agree with this change. Whether you feel our decision is too progressive or not progressive enough, you are a valued part of our community, and you will always have a cherished place in our big tent. Please feel free to reach out to us if you would like to discuss this, or any matter.
Our mission as a congregation is to help bring Jews closer to Judaism, and to bring Judaism closer to Jews. Jewish wedding ceremonies are significant opportunities to fulfill this calling. We believe we have missed too many of these opportunities for too long, and that the time has come for a new approach. We call upon other Conservative congregations to follow our lead, and for the Rabbinical Assembly and the Cantors Assembly to embrace this change as well. May we all continue to work together to shape a vibrant and enduring Jewish future — for ourselves and for our children.
Warm wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,
Benita Felmus and Rabbi Michael Knopf
