JTA (the Jewish Telegraphic Agency--a press agency for the Jewish community) released an article on JTS Chancellor-Elect Arnold Eisen's talk to the RA.
Also, the NY Times had an article about religion on the campus. Since this was the subject of a breakout session I led on Monday, it came a few days too late. Still, it is useful and interesting.
I hope to add to the post after I have time to catch up,
Rabbi Bruce
Showing posts with label Arnold Eisen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arnold Eisen. Show all posts
5/03/2007
5/02/2007
Thoughts from Cambridge--My Days at The RA Convention
Since Sunday afternoon, I have been at the annual convention of the Rabbinical Assembly (the international organizations of Conservative rabbis). We have been meeting in Cambridge.
Some of the highlights include staying with my friend Rabbi Allan Lehmann (currently the Rabbinic Director/Chaplain of Brandeis Hillel but soon to be a Dean at the Hebrew College Rabbinical School) and the amazing teachers we have been able to learn from (Chancellor-Elect Arnold Eisen of JTS/Stanford, Rabbi David Golinkin of Schechter Institute and Avivah Zornberg of Jerusalem, leaders in the field of leadership, and many others).
It is wonderful to catch up with colleagues who are old friends and meet new ones (who I often know only from internet conversations).
More reflections may follow,
Rabbi Bruce
Some of the highlights include staying with my friend Rabbi Allan Lehmann (currently the Rabbinic Director/Chaplain of Brandeis Hillel but soon to be a Dean at the Hebrew College Rabbinical School) and the amazing teachers we have been able to learn from (Chancellor-Elect Arnold Eisen of JTS/Stanford, Rabbi David Golinkin of Schechter Institute and Avivah Zornberg of Jerusalem, leaders in the field of leadership, and many others).
It is wonderful to catch up with colleagues who are old friends and meet new ones (who I often know only from internet conversations).
More reflections may follow,
Rabbi Bruce
2/02/2007
A few Items
A few quick items before Shabbat.
This summer I had the pleasure of getting to know Rabbi Danny Nevins when we roomed together on the RA Rabbinic Solidarity Mission to Israel. This week he was appointed the new dean of the JTS Rabbinical School (from which we were both ordained).
Mazal tov to Danny and JTS Chancellor-Elect Arnold Eisen for appointing a shining light of the Conservative Movement to this important post. Rabbi Nevins is one of the authors of the passing liberal tshuvah (rabbinic legal paper) on homosexuality that passed the CJLS this December. I encourage everyone to not pigeon-hole Danny into a one-dimensional person. He is a dynamic pulpit rabbi, teacher, and scholar.
Outgoing Dean William Leabeau is a personal mentor and a rabbi's-rabbi. I wish him luck as he starts to wind down his career at JTS (where he is also Vice-Chancellor for Rabbinic Developement).
Speaking of Prof Eisen, he is one of the contributors to On Faith, a blog on faith issues with a great list of contributors. It looks interesting.
This week is Shabbat Shirah--when we read the Song of the Sea. May the beautiful Song of the Sea inspire each of us to sing our own Jewish song, taking ownership of each of our unique Jewish destinies.
Shabbat Shirah Sameach,
A joyous song-filled Shabbat to all,
Rabbi Bruce
This summer I had the pleasure of getting to know Rabbi Danny Nevins when we roomed together on the RA Rabbinic Solidarity Mission to Israel. This week he was appointed the new dean of the JTS Rabbinical School (from which we were both ordained).
Mazal tov to Danny and JTS Chancellor-Elect Arnold Eisen for appointing a shining light of the Conservative Movement to this important post. Rabbi Nevins is one of the authors of the passing liberal tshuvah (rabbinic legal paper) on homosexuality that passed the CJLS this December. I encourage everyone to not pigeon-hole Danny into a one-dimensional person. He is a dynamic pulpit rabbi, teacher, and scholar.
Outgoing Dean William Leabeau is a personal mentor and a rabbi's-rabbi. I wish him luck as he starts to wind down his career at JTS (where he is also Vice-Chancellor for Rabbinic Developement).
Speaking of Prof Eisen, he is one of the contributors to On Faith, a blog on faith issues with a great list of contributors. It looks interesting.
This week is Shabbat Shirah--when we read the Song of the Sea. May the beautiful Song of the Sea inspire each of us to sing our own Jewish song, taking ownership of each of our unique Jewish destinies.
Shabbat Shirah Sameach,
A joyous song-filled Shabbat to all,
Rabbi Bruce
11/27/2006
Halakhah & Homosexuality: Legal Change in the Conservative Movement
Over the last few months, the Conservative Movements body for deciding Jewish law (known as the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly) has been considering a number of Tshuvot (legal papers) on the status of Homosexuals in Jewish law. This committee is often abbreviated as CJLS and is sometimes referred to as the "Law Committee" (from an earlier name).
The Jewish Theological Seminary--the institution from which I was ordained a rabbi and received an MA in Jewish studies--has created a web page to deal with the issue. It includes opportunity to offer feedback to the JTS Chancellor-Elect.
Institutions that ordain Rabbis and Cantors may use the result of the CJLS deliberations to allow admission of openly gay and lesbian students in their Rabbinical and Cantorial schools (as far as I know, all such institutions are required by law to not discriminate in all other program s such as Undergraduate and Graduate programs). Each institution has its own processes in place for dealing with any outcome. Additional full disclosure: I am a member of the Rabbinical Assembly and a member of Keshet Rabbis (Gay-Friendly Conservative/Masorti Rabbis and Cantors) so I should be considered partisan in this effort.
I applaud Chancellor-Elect Eisen and JTS for the informative introduction to the issues and their frank description of the process they will take. In my personal (1993 - present) and historical knowledge of the institition, the institution (usually known for its tight administration and top-down style) is proceeding in an almost unprecedented, open manner. In the end, its faculty, administration, and lay leaders will make any decisions, but explaining the process and asking for input is a big step for JTS.
Smith/Amherst students/alumni: please send me copies of any feedback you give. Also, I am willing to write a group letter to Chancellor-Elect Eisen with any members of our community.
Shalom,
RB
The Jewish Theological Seminary--the institution from which I was ordained a rabbi and received an MA in Jewish studies--has created a web page to deal with the issue. It includes opportunity to offer feedback to the JTS Chancellor-Elect.
Institutions that ordain Rabbis and Cantors may use the result of the CJLS deliberations to allow admission of openly gay and lesbian students in their Rabbinical and Cantorial schools (as far as I know, all such institutions are required by law to not discriminate in all other program s such as Undergraduate and Graduate programs). Each institution has its own processes in place for dealing with any outcome. Additional full disclosure: I am a member of the Rabbinical Assembly and a member of Keshet Rabbis (Gay-Friendly Conservative/Masorti Rabbis and Cantors) so I should be considered partisan in this effort.
I applaud Chancellor-Elect Eisen and JTS for the informative introduction to the issues and their frank description of the process they will take. In my personal (1993 - present) and historical knowledge of the institition, the institution (usually known for its tight administration and top-down style) is proceeding in an almost unprecedented, open manner. In the end, its faculty, administration, and lay leaders will make any decisions, but explaining the process and asking for input is a big step for JTS.
Smith/Amherst students/alumni: please send me copies of any feedback you give. Also, I am willing to write a group letter to Chancellor-Elect Eisen with any members of our community.
Shalom,
RB
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