This Jewish Week editorial indicates that it is. The reason for it's demise:
Then:
The movement always espoused halacha, utilizing Jewish law to guide its religious decisions, even if the members of Conservative synagogues did not always observe all of its mitzvoth, commandments.
And Now:
A few weeks ago, at the United Synagogue biennial convention in Boston, the attack on halacha continued full force. Professor Neil Gillman spoke at length about how Conservative Judaism is not a halachic movement. He claimed that given that most Conservative Jews do not keep halacha strictly, this phrase “halachic movement” is a mere slogan “by rabbis for rabbis to make them feel more authentic.”
In its place, he suggested we embrace our ambiguity, leaving behind halacha and other slogans like “tradition and change,” adopting “tension Judaism.”
Then:
The movement always espoused halacha, utilizing Jewish law to guide its religious decisions, even if the members of Conservative synagogues did not always observe all of its mitzvoth, commandments.
And Now:
A few weeks ago, at the United Synagogue biennial convention in Boston, the attack on halacha continued full force. Professor Neil Gillman spoke at length about how Conservative Judaism is not a halachic movement. He claimed that given that most Conservative Jews do not keep halacha strictly, this phrase “halachic movement” is a mere slogan “by rabbis for rabbis to make them feel more authentic.”
In its place, he suggested we embrace our ambiguity, leaving behind halacha and other slogans like “tradition and change,” adopting “tension Judaism.”
1 comment:
There are a lot of issues but I am not sure that we are witnessing the death knell of Conservative Judaism.
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