Notes for Religious Studies 369:

Introduction to Judaism

Modern Judaism

Positive-Historical Judaism

Positive-Historical [Conservative] Judaism

Zacharias Frankel

• Breslau Reform Conference 1846: Zacharias Frankel withdrew over issue of Hebrew in liturgy.
  Objected to Reformers' disregard for historical continuity and nationalism. Proposes programme for Positive Historical Judaism.
• Combination of commitment to Jewish Halakhah and rational faith.
  
• Authority of Jewish law rests on its use by Jews over the generations.
  
• Human need for concrete symbols, not just abstract ideas.
  
• Encouraged Wissenschaft, but rejected Biblical criticism. Human origins of Oral Torah (Mishnah).

---

Click here to read Frankel's essay "On Changes in Judaism"

---

Conservative Judaism in America

Distinguishing features:

• Emphasis on religion as a function of peoplehood.
• Belief in organic evolution of law and belief.
• Identification with American liberal values.
• Emphasis on ethical dimensions of halakhah.
• Embraces all aspects of Jewish culture and civilization (including literature and art).
• Consistent support for Jewish nationalist movement, statehood.
• Halakhic pluralism: Committee on Law and Standards gives sanction to minority positions.
  Autonomy of individual synagogues. More lenient rulings become widespread.

Establishment of Jewish Theological Seminary of America:





For the preservation in America of the knowledge and practice of historical Judaism as ordained in the law of Moses expounded by the prophets and sages in Israel in Biblical and Talmudic writings.


1898--
Break with conservative (Eastern European) Orthodoxy.


1902--

Successful establishment of JTS in New York, financed by established Reform Jews.


Why?


Solomon Schechter

Leadership of Solomon Schechter. Faculty included some of the leading Jewish scholars of the world.

Institutional Evolution of Conservative Movement:

• Rabbinical association: Rabbinic Assembly
  
• Synagogue federation--national: United Synagogues of America
  
• Synagogue federation--international: World Union of Synagogues
  
• Youth movement: United Synagogue Youth
  
• Women's organization: Women's League
  
• Men's organization: Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs
  
• Teachers' College
  
• Cantorial School
  
• Cantors' Assembly
  
• Jewish Museum
  
• Jerusalem Campus
  
• Camp Ramah
  
• Solomon Schechter Day Schools
  

Issues related to status of women:

• "Family seating" in synagogue.
• Retroactive annulment of marriages--1968.
• Counting of women in prayer quorum (minyan) and granting them Aliyyot to read Torah--1973.
• Ordination of women as rabbis--1977-79.

---