Rock music's integration into Jewish religious services during the late 1960s sparked intense debate over the boundaries between innovation and tradition in sacred spaces. Drawing on contemporary newspaper reports and firsthand observations, Cantor David J. Putterman of Park Avenue Synagogue challenges the compatibility of rock's "harsh beat and raucous sounds" with Jewish worship's fundamental requirements of prayer, serenity, and meditation. Through comparative analysis of specific cases—including a jazz-influenced Bar Mitzvah service at a Congregational United Church where traditional elements were replaced with contemporary arrangements—Putterman contrasts these controversial adaptations with established practices of liturgical innovation. His analysis references Park Avenue Synagogue's 25-year commissioning program, which engaged 64 composers including Leonard Bernstein, Ernest Bloch, and Kurt Weill, as a model for thoughtful musical evolution. While contemporary musical elements can meaningfully enhance Jewish services, they must maintain spiritual and aesthetic integrity rather than pursuing novelty for its own sake. The findings demonstrate that successful liturgical innovation interprets and enhances sacred texts while preserving worship's sanctity, drawing a clear line between authentic religious expression and mere entertainment.