15 Kislev, 5767
Dec. 6, 2007

Shalom Chevreh,

In the immediate wake of the CJLS decision just now, I had a thought.  When I shared remarks at JTS yesterday as part of the day of learning during the CJLS conversation, I mentioned an article that appeared in the Jewish Week last March, which asked "Whose Conservative Movement?"  There was a picture of Rabbi Joel Roth, and a picture of me, reflecting one area of advocacy as if it were everything.

I shared yesterday at the Seminary that I felt the question was mistaken.  The Conservative Movement is Rabbi Joel Roth's, and he helped it become mine.  Yes, the process was/is complicated, and moments of transition bring our fears and worry to the fore.  But imagining that an evolutionary process would have a child evict a parent from the parent's home is absurd.  I admire all the members of the CJLS for the work they all did, regardless of how they voted. 

I hope that those of us who struggled for change, and those who struggled against it, see every Rabbi on the CJLS as their teacher - because if we don't, then the family we care so much about will lose out.  And yes, we have crazy uncles and aunts, and yes annual holiday meals can be raucus, but imagine the family snapshot - a moment in time where we stood together with love and commitment to each other - it's a myth worth living, I feel.  I so deeply hope that this is how we'll see, represent, teach about this moment.

It is a triumph to create a strong home - I believe that's where we all could devote some serious and salvific energy.

May our Movemental Family remain strong, and may we all experience a reunion soon and in our days,
Menachem