United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
 | |
| Abbreviation | USCJ |
|---|---|
| Formation | 23 February 1913 |
| Founder | Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schechter[1] |
| 13-1659707[2] | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) religious organization[3] |
| Purpose | Religious |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | Coordinates: 40°45′03″N 73°58′16″W / 40.7507488°N 73.9710554°W |
Region served | North America |
| Services | Create, develop, and disseminate educational, religious, and Tikkun olam programming; Create communities of Conservative congregations throughout North America; Promote, nurture, and foster a vibrant Conservative Movement; Advocate for the congregations of the Conservative Movement; Strengthen the connections between North American Conservative Jews, the Jewish People, and the State of Israel.[2] |
Chief Executive Officer | Rabbi Steven Wernick |
International President | Margo Gold |
| Affiliations | Conservative Judaism |
Revenue (2014) | $24,376,641[3] |
| Expenses (2014) | $25,607,313[3] |
| Mission | To strengthen and serve our congregations and their members.[2] |
| Website |
www |
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) is the primary organization of synagogues practicing Conservative Judaism in North America. It closely works with the Rabbinical Assembly, the international body of Conservative rabbis, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.[4]
History
The United Synagogue of America was founded in 1913 by Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schechter on the principle that through cooperation it could both develop and perpetuate Conservative Judaism.[1] The name of the organization was changed to the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in 1991.[5]
Role and description
The USCJ has over 675 congregations as of 2009 (down from 850 in 1985). The USCJ works in the fields of Jewish education, youth activities, congregational standards and action and Israel affairs, and published the magazine United Synagogue Review.
Historically, the Jewish Theological Seminary has taken the leadership role in the Conservative movement (unlike the Reform movement, whose congregational organization has dominated its rabbinical school).
The diminished number of affiliated congregations noted above raised serious concern in the first decade of the century as new congregational forms, often populated by people who were educated in the Conservative movement, have become popular. The Conservative movement is perceived to have lost its uniqueness as its once-path-finding ideology of tradition and change has spread to and become a bedrock assumption of the Reform, Reconstructionist and "Renewal" groups, where services use Hebrew and traditional prayers, (often in updated versions) where study of traditional texts is considered important, where halakha is treated with both respect and flexibility, and where egalitarian gender practices prevail.
The diminished population of USCJ and its congregations is seen by many as a symptom of a weak organizational culture in the USCJ itself. A strategic plan undertaken in the 1990s was squelched when the report challenged many of the USCJ's practices. In 2010, dissension reached the point at which a coalition known as Hayom ("Today") was formed and threatened to break away from USCJ if significant changes were not undertaken. The creation of this coalition was in part a response to a restructuring announced by the new executive director, Rabbi Steven Wernick, without input from the field. A new strategic planning committee was formed, co-opting the Hayom group, and in March 2011 a draft of a new plan was announced and posted on the USCJ website.
Projects
United Synagogue sponsors the following projects:[6]
- United Synagogue Youth (USY), a youth group with chapters across the United States and Canada.
- The Schechter Day School Network, which provides leadership and services to approximately 50 Jewish day schools affiliated with the Conservative movement.
- Project Reconnect, which seeks to reconnect alumni of USY, Atid, Koach, Nativ, the Conservative Yeshiva, Camp Ramah, the Solomon Schechter schools, the Leadership Training Fellowship, and other Conservative movement programs.(defunct in 2013)
During the 1970s and 1980s United Synagogue participated in the Soviet Jewry Movement. [1]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 USCJ History
- 1 2 3 "United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism". Guidestar. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Financial Statements and Auditor's Report" (pdf). United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. June 30, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- ↑ Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University
- ↑ Menken, Yaakov (2005). The Everything Torah Book: All You Need To Understand The Basics Of Jewish Law And The Five Books Of The Old Testament (2nd ed.). Avon, Mass.: Adams Media. p. 177. ISBN 978-1593373252.
- ↑ Young Adult Programs
External links
- Official website
- Guide to the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Soviet Jewry Collection at the American Jewish Historical Society, New York.