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Towards a Halakhic Guide for the Conserv

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Conservative Judaism urgently needs an updated halakhic guide that reflects its evolving positions on women's ritual participation, medical ethics, intermarriage, and liturgical changes. While Rabbi Isaac Klein's 1979 "Guide to Jewish Religious Practice" served as a foundational text, contemporary congregational practices and concerns have significantly diverged from its framework. Through qualitative analysis of Conservative halakhic decisions, particularly the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) deliberations, alongside examination of practices at Camp Ramah, Jewish Theological Seminary, and diverse congregations, this research demonstrates the necessity for a comprehensive revision. A model chapter on women's roles in Jewish ritual illustrates the proposed approach: presenting multiple acceptable halakhic opinions while affirming the mara d'atra's (local rabbinical authority) role in implementation. The movement's inherently pluralistic nature demands systematic presentation of diverse yet legitimate halakhic positions rather than singular authoritative rulings. Any new guide must delicately balance tradition with change, incorporate critical scholarship and sociological factors, and serve both lay and rabbinic audiences while maintaining halakhic authenticity within a pluralistic framework.

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    Published 1986

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    Mayer Rabinowitz