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Communications

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This collection of communications presents diverse perspectives on contemporary challenges facing Conservative Judaism in the late 1960s. The methodology consists of letters to the editor responding to previously published articles on Jewish liturgical innovation, Jewish-Black relations in academia, and halakhic authority. The first communication critiques Rabbi Ario S. Hyams' dismissal of rock music in Jewish worship, arguing that contemporary youth culture and electronic media necessitate liturgical adaptation beyond traditional forms. The author contends that folk-rock lyrics may contain more relevant spiritual content than conventional prayer books. Two subsequent letters address Moshe Ettenberg's essay on Jewish students and Black educational demands, presenting conflicting views on Jewish minority status, university admission policies, and the legitimacy of expanded Black enrollment. One respondent challenges the characterization of Jews as a "weak, exposed minority" while another supports merit-based admissions through expanded community college programs. The final communication discusses the feasibility of creating a Conservative Shulhan Arukh, arguing instead for enhanced rabbinic authority in halakhic decision-making. The authors conclude that individual rabbis should exercise greater autonomy in religious rulings rather than relying on centralized legal codes, drawing parallels between rabbinic authority and medical practice in determining appropriate responses to contemporary Jewish life.

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    Published 1969

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