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Letters to the Editor

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This collection of letters to the editor addresses three distinct scholarly debates within Conservative Judaism. The correspondence employs a descriptive analytical approach, examining liturgical practices, scholarly interpretations, and ethical considerations within Jewish religious discourse. The first letter provides historical contextualization of Reisner's proposed Kaddish substitute, demonstrating through comparative liturgical analysis that the Al Ha-kol prayer was more widely utilized in Western European Jewish communities (minhag ashkenaz) than previously documented by Elbogen's scholarship on Eastern European practices (minhag polin). The author presents evidence of responsorial singing traditions and choral arrangements, particularly in English communities, while also introducing the Israeli Masorti Movement's alternative formulation that incorporates traditional Kaddish elements. The second letter offers a methodological correction regarding Golinkin's t'shuvah on Matriarchs in liturgy, clarifying that while the scholar prohibits direct alteration of the Avot blessing, he explicitly permits and encourages inclusion through piyyutim, as demonstrated in contemporary Conservative educational institutions. The third letter addresses academic ethics in scholarly review, critiquing the inappropriate inclusion of personal attacks within book reviews. These exchanges collectively demonstrate the dynamic nature of halakhic interpretation, liturgical innovation, and scholarly discourse within Conservative Jewish intellectual tradition.

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    Published 2013-2014

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