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The Balcony by Ruth Calderon

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Erica Brown
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Past Issues

Coming Up Conservative Judaism "Letters" to the New JTS Chancellor Thinking about the Movement Gordon Tucker Jack Ukeles Jerome Epstein Judy Yudof Jane Kanarek and many more Sponsorship opportunities available

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Inside Conservative Judaism

Jack Ukeles: After an intensive three-year effort, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism has a plan, backed by the former and current movement presidents, to transform itself into a high performance organization, with a core mission to re-energize its North American congregations.
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Letters to an Incoming Chancellor:
From Jeffrey E. Schwarz: As you move into your new offices at 3080 Broadway and assume your position as head of the Jewish Theological Seminary and de facto leader of the Conservative movement, we are facing the greatest challenges in our history. Partially a product of broader societal trends being played out in 21st-century America, partially a reflection of denominational developments in Judaism, but unquestionably, to some degree of the movement’s own making, these challenges beg two fundamental questions about the future of the movement:
• What does the Conservative movement uniquely stand for (if anything)?
• Does the Conservative movement need to exist? 
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From Martin Werber: As the new chancellor, you must enthusiastically promote a Conservative Jewish lifestyle and a Conservative Jewish prism through which to view the world.  The excitement, the exploration and discovery at the seminary must be projected beyond the gates of 3080 Broadway. This needs to be more than intellectual gymnastics; it needs to be a passionate appeal that a lifestyle of fulfilling mitzvot will enhance life and bring a deeper connection to God and to the Jewish community.
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How might Conservative synagogues retain educated observant Jews without losing them to modern Orthodoxy or the Reform movement?

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Quote of the Month

"For those of us within Conservative Judaism, commandedness should entail the recognition that as Jews we live — however imperfectly — within Judaism’s legal world.  But living within that world does not necessitate an abdication of our ethical senses." 

Rabbi Jane Kanarek

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Sh'ma serves as a gathering place for independent dialogue -- rich conversation of differing positions presented in an honest, respectful, and sacred conversation. Our readers, like our authors, are intellectually sharp, seeking, concerned and literate. Sh'ma is a publication of Jewish Family & Life! JFLMedia.com