“We don’t have that missionary zeal,” he said in an interview at the Forward’s offices on September 10, days before the board’s vote. Comparing his movement’s outreach efforts to Orthodox Judaism’s success in that area, Wernick said, “They’re missionaries! We want to get paid. We don’t believe. What do we believe in? That is the problem of progressive Judaism.”
.......“How can we make our prayer experience sacred, an experience spiritually uplifting?” Wernick asked. “My crass comment on this is that you very often walk into a Conservative synagogue and it’s very often, ‘Mumble, mumble, mumble, Hallelujah, page 91.’”
http://www.forward.com/articles/113924/
Another article in the Forward discusses the Conservative movement's efforts to reach new ethical standards to be coupled with traditional kashrut laws.
"In releasing ambitious guidelines to marry new ethical standards with the traditional laws of kashrut, the leaders of the Conservative movement are taking a bold step to align it with a Judaism that cares as much about social justice as it does about ritual practice. But the success of this endeavor depends on whether rank-and-file Conservative Jews will care as much about ritual practice as they do about social justice."
The question is then raised, "But do Conservative Jews care enough about ritual and practice to make a difference? Only about one-quarter of them keep a kosher home." http://www.forward.com/articles/114199/
Judaism is not only about ethics but also about ritual. If we disregard the ritual, then anyone practicing social justice can be a Jew. Thus, Bill and Melinda Gates, can be classified as Jewish. Ditto for the President and his wife. After all, they particpated in handing out food at a soup kitchen. Where G-d figures into the equation is a puzzle to me, but what's the difference? It's all about ethics, isn't it? - Sorry, but I just don't agree.
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