Ismar Schorsch, the former Chancellor of the JTS and the ostensible head of the Conservative movement regretted the decision to allow driving to the synagogue on the sabbath. He correctly noted that it eroded the notion of a sabbath community. Once driving was allowed, even if it was just to the synagogue, then the slippery slope took over and Conservative Jews view driving to the park, or to the mall or to a tennis lesson or whatever as acceptable. I don’t really know too many Conservative Jews who spend the sabbath in the company of friends and family with all outside things turned off. It dosn’t really seem like most of them really have a day of rest.

But I won’t try to impose my orthodox standards on others. It may still be a good idea for the Conservative movement to frown on driving on the sabbath. If they did, I doubt the Conservative movement would die and people would stop going to shul. I know lots of people who drive to Orthodox shuls. Similarly, Conservative Jews who drive to services would continue to do so for the most part – just as most don’t follow nida.

I just can’t help but feel that a return to sabbath basics, even if it’s only in theory, would be a good thing. So while most Conservative Jews would continue to drive, maybe they’ll limit it to shul. Maybe they’ll be inspired to at least reconsider the notion of the sabbath as a day of rest -one that you cherish and prepare for. Sabbath is actually really cool – sometimes almost zen like in that you discipline yourself to prepare for it and then once it starts, you do not allow anything, save for life and death situations of course, to interferein your celebration of the day of rest.

I’m not going to get into halachic discussions. I rely on 100s of years of established halachic principles that define internal combustion as involving combustion. You want to believe differently, that’s your right. But I honestly believe that a small little return to the fundamentals of the sabbath would be a good thing for any Jew, regardless of their stream.

For the record too, Othodox Jews who number less than Conservative Jews and who aren’t on average as wealthy, manage to get by just fine despite the prohibition on driving. Perhaps they find their worship meaningful enough to justify the inconvenience, or perhaps they find the greater sense of community and meaning inherent in their distinct practice valuable enough too. I don’t know. But I’m pretty certain Conservative Judaism would survive and even thrive if they re-emphasized the importance of the sabbath and a sabbath community.

Like I wrote, we used to drive, so I’m not throwing stones at anyone I see driving on Shabbat these days. I’d rather lead with the carrot than the death penalty on this issue. I believe this link offers a concise summary of the Conservative movement’s stance on this issue, which doesn’t exactly condoning this behavior:

bShalom,

-Nathan

I have to agree that one can have a great community by living close to its center, which would presumably be the synagogue. The problem is that it’s often not possible for people to do this. The synagogue I currently attend (Conservative) would die without people being able to drive. That would be a shame because although it is a small congregation, it is a vibrant one. Families are active, children are present in large numbers and the rabbi is well liked. We all come from different neighborhoods so that if you stopped people from driving (on average most of us drive 15-20 minutes each way), you could not re-create this congregation. In fact, the result of such a prohibition would probably lead to a new congregation built close to the home of one or more of the wealthier members of the synagogue because they can afford to support it. Perhaps some families might be able to afford to move to that neighborhood, but the majority won’t or will not want to leave their current homes. I guess one may build another, smaller congregation among less affluent members, but there isn’t a critical mass of Jews in any single neighborhood where we live that would allow for this to happen. Heck, some people have to drive for 5-10 minutes just to get out of their suburb, how would they walk this distance with kids or grandparents? That’s not 5 or 10 minutes to get to shul, that’s just to get out of the suburb to main streets or freeways.

No, the result of a driving prohibition would lead most of these people to leave Conservative shuls for whatever gives them the option to still practice their Judaism without giving up homes and neighborhoods. It’s a question of practicality.

Of course, it’s also a question of whether one agrees that driving is what the talmud means with its prohibition on lighting fire. It would be nice if some of the Conservative rabbis out there would stop buying into the pressure coming at them from some Orthodox circles where they are told that their movement is unkosher.

The Conservative movement was formed after they picked their jaws up off the floor when our Reform friends at Hebrew Union College celebrated their first graduation by serving clams on the half-shell as the first course of the infamous “Treifa Banquet”, followed by shrimp, kosher meat, and ice cream for dessert (it must have been a “Kodak moment” for sure). And with all due respect to themiddle, by no means do all members of the Conservative movement drive or condone driving on Shabbat. More than one Conservative rabbi has lamented the decision to give “permission” to drive directly to and from shul on Shabbat; encouraging the membership to disperse is the opposite of what builds true community. Our family started out driving, and Barukh haShem we later moved closer to our shul to permit walking. The glamor of being Shomer Shabbat is less clear to my children when we’re tramping through snow and ice in the winter or being drenched in a downpour (for the sake of the Jewish people, will some rabbi please allow the use of umbrellas on Shabbat – it is NOT erecting a tent, for gosh sakes…)

Many women wear tallitoth, and there has certainly been healthy debate regarding that issue across the movements. I think it’s great if women want to perform the mitsvoth associated with tallitoth, I just think they should use tallitoth that are clearly designed for women so as to not “borrow” from men’s clothing (and self-perception). My wife and daughters don’t wear them, but the women in my shul that do have lovely ones that they treat with respect.

As for flowing, shiny robes, Jews have traded back and forth various dressing styles (and music) from our non-Jewish neighbors as long as we can trace back. That chic men-in-black look worn by our chassidic friends is directly borrowed from Polish noble outfits. I recently davened at a Sephardic shul from the Western tradition at which the rabbis put on robes and tall hats rather similar to those I’ve seen on Xtian priests. So what? Those guys were cool enough to pull it off, and they knew it

May we have many more.

As we’ve discussed, the “success” of the Orthodox is built on the presence of other Jews, both in and outside of Israel. Don’t forget they only represent about 10-15% of the Jewish world. My hope is that all groups survive and interact in better ways than today.

All people have to be creative every minute, and I find that the Orthodox are MORE creative, PRECISELY because they are subject to more strictures.

I was aware that Conservative Judaism was founded as a reaction to what were perceived as the excesses of Reform. Reform which went very far. Look at the picture above. Is that a talit around her neck? When did our wise ones wear flowing, shiny robes?

Reality always has the last word and the non-orthodox vs orthodox discussions will be over in the foreseeable future for lack of non-orthodox people in existence to carry them on.

How many C or R Jews can say, “I am C, or R, and so were my grandparents.” Not many.

There is no arguing with success even if with tics and some limping, and failure, complete failure, to transmit down the generations in a reliable way. Yes, non-orthodox Judaism has a two- hundred year history. But can’t you see its day in the sun is winding down? Do you think it has a two-hundred year future?

Me, I like to make my own home made movies with my lady friend.

P.S. A certain blogger enjoys the porn star type names.

Even if I don’t attend shule at all on Shabbos, I still have this type of glow.

It is something surreal, supernatural for me.

But I can understand others not feeling this way about the whole thing. Cuz I find that once I get ‘off’ of going to shule (I find it incredibly boring, and worse very uninspiring and unenjoyable), then after a while I tend to travel a bit, Not work, but again something beneign, like going to the beach (enjoying the day and HaShems’ magnificient natural creations).

But it;s not Shabbos, I am aware.

I wonder if others r conflicted in that way.

Good comeback Shy Guy, but I just googled them and learned that they were given a chance to rectify their error by being reborn as Pinchas (Rav Kook), so what I learn out from that is that G-d is forgiving if you yearn to be close to Him, even if it’s not necessarily in the prescribed manner.

What you obviously didn’t learn is that G-d says what he means and means what he says. While G-d may be compassionate, divine death in such an unusual manner is not exactlty a party event.

Worse, Gilgul Neshamot, the return of a Neshama back to this world, is for the Neshama one of the worst punishments it can experience.

Crime does not pay.