Casting my lot with the Conservative Movement
Been here, blogged this, but, in the final analysis, it's the freedom-of-movement argument that's going to keep me Conservative.
This past Yamim Noraim (High Holidays), we saw congregants who hadn't been in synagogue for months due to mobility limitations. How did they finally get to shul? By car service.
It's all very well and good to say that those with mobility challenges can invest in a Sabbath scooter (see linked post), but some of our congregants can't afford even a plain electric wheelchair. Are those who are challenged both physically and financially supposed to stay home every Shabbat (Sabbath) and Yom Tov (holiday) for the rest of their lives?
And what happens when the last shul in our neighborhood finally gives up the ghost and closes its doors forever? Again, are the folks who can't afford to move--and I'm sorry to say that that includes us--supposed to davven (pray) at home every Shabbat and Yom Tov for the rest of our lives? No more of any ritual and/or prayer that can't be done/said without a minyan: no Torah reading (except from a printed Chumash), no Bar'chu, K'dushah, or Kaddish? And what about the synagogue Kiddush, an opportunity to socialize with other Jews on Shabbat and Yom Tov without preparing a four-course meal for guests, which some of our congregants are no longer healthy enough, while others are no longer wealthy enough, to do?
Nope, not happening. When the last shul in our neighborhood closes its doors, I'll be back to schlepping to shul by subway on Shabbat.
This past Yamim Noraim (High Holidays), we saw congregants who hadn't been in synagogue for months due to mobility limitations. How did they finally get to shul? By car service.
It's all very well and good to say that those with mobility challenges can invest in a Sabbath scooter (see linked post), but some of our congregants can't afford even a plain electric wheelchair. Are those who are challenged both physically and financially supposed to stay home every Shabbat (Sabbath) and Yom Tov (holiday) for the rest of their lives?
And what happens when the last shul in our neighborhood finally gives up the ghost and closes its doors forever? Again, are the folks who can't afford to move--and I'm sorry to say that that includes us--supposed to davven (pray) at home every Shabbat and Yom Tov for the rest of our lives? No more of any ritual and/or prayer that can't be done/said without a minyan: no Torah reading (except from a printed Chumash), no Bar'chu, K'dushah, or Kaddish? And what about the synagogue Kiddush, an opportunity to socialize with other Jews on Shabbat and Yom Tov without preparing a four-course meal for guests, which some of our congregants are no longer healthy enough, while others are no longer wealthy enough, to do?
Nope, not happening. When the last shul in our neighborhood closes its doors, I'll be back to schlepping to shul by subway on Shabbat.
posted by Shira Salamone at 12:51 PM
17 Comments:
The Conservative Driving T'shuva only permits driving to the nearest Synagogue, not to wherever you want to go.
Technically speaking, most (many) Conservative Jews are desecrating the Sabbath by Conservative standards with their Shul attendance.
In which case, denominations don't matter. You can be a sinning Orthodox Jew and a sinning Conservative Jew with roughly comparable levels of effort... :)
Okay, so I'm bad--we probably won't end up at the nearest synagogue because just about shul that close to our neighborhood is *also* on the way out, and there's no point in joining yet another dying synagogue. We'll have to travel past several neighborhoods and several shuls to found a viable option, that is, a shul in a Jewish neighborhood.
As to being a sinning Orthodox Jew, maybe I'm wrong, but I can't imagine any Orthodox congregation tolerating having people arrive at the shul's front door on Shabbat in an Access-A-Ride van, as happens every Shabbat at our current synagogue.
Any Orthodox congregation? Virtually any Chabad would happily tolerate it.
A gentleman who walks with two canes drives to our local shteible when he is in town visiting his child (about twice a month.) No one says anything about it. I doubt it would be different if he were a regular member. Admittedly, Boston Chassidut has kiruv elements.
One big difference between an O and a C congregation is such a case is that in most non-Chabad O congregations where people drive, it isn't talked about, at least in public. Everyone knows, and everyone agrees to ignore it.
while it's not widespread, we have several members who drive to our mod orth shul. They're good people, we're happy to have them, and nobody remarks on it.
I wouldn't want it to become widespread because then it changes the flavor of our shul (from a centrist mod orth to a kiruv shul) but I would never comment on someone driving to our shul.
Larry, you're probably right about Chabad--they seem to be happy just to get people through the door.
"One big difference between an O and a C congregation is such a case is that in most non-Chabad O congregations where people drive, it isn't talked about, at least in public. Everyone knows, and everyone agrees to ignore it."
Sounds like the Conservative synagogue in which I grew up. Almost no one lived within walking distance, so almost everyone except the rabbi drove to shul. There was a tacit agreement that we all parked on side streets, though. Pulling up at the front door in a van or car, even if one was mobility-challenged, would have been considered unacceptable behavior.
"I wouldn't want it to become widespread because then it changes the flavor of our shul (from a centrist mod orth to a kiruv shul) . . ."
That would make our own shul a kiruv shul (a synagogue seeking to encourage a return to Ortho Judaism), were it not for the major detail that our shul is Conservative. :)
"I would never comment on someone driving to our shul." Sounds like the rabbi of the remaining viable local Orthodox shul, who once commented that he knows that some folks who attend Shabbat and Yom Tov services at his shul come from quite a distance, but he doesn't ask how they get there.
I'm in a Modern Orthodox community. It's not uncommon for us to be at a meal with 10-14 adults, of which the host/hostess and ourselves are the only ones the walked over. It's also not uncommon to be at a similar sized meal where all the women have their hard covered. All flavors.
But lots of people drive to Orthodox Shuls, you just park in a nearby parking lot instead of at the Shul. It's a bit of fiction, but what can you do.
I think it's actual a small minority amongst Orthodox Jews that are truly Shomer Shabbat. But a majority that are "publicly" Shomer Shabbat, which is technically the line.
At the main Modern Orthodox Shul by us, the handicap accessibility door is on the side and not the main entrance... I'm sure that's intentional. :)
Miami Al is right about what the Conservative Driving T'shuvah says.
But the Conservative minhag largely ignores the t'shuvah.
The rabbi at my conservative knows full well that there is another Conservative shul that I can walk to from my home. He does not object to the fact that I drive to his shul, and has even encouraged it.
Traveling to a Conservative shul on Shabbat does not demand of you that you wrap the traveling in the hypocrisy of letting the fact that you traveled be a "secret all over the block." You can be frank about it, because for most conservative Jews, the minhag is to drive to the shul of your choosing, making use of the creature comforts in their cars (also forbidden by the t'shuvah).
When non shomer Shabbat guests are at my house, they walk to another room to check their phones. Is that hypocritical, or respect for the sanctity of Shabbat in my house.
I consider parking near the Shul but not at the Shul a similar thing... respectful behavior, not hypocrisy.
Reform BT calls it "hypocrisy." Miami Al calls it "respectful behavior." I suppose it's a matter of one's own perspective. Personally, I'm inclined to think that you're *both* right. Driving to shul on Shabbat and then pretending that you walked *is* hypocritical, but it's *also* respectful of the tradition. My understanding of halachah (Jewish religious law) is that one cannot be convicted of certain violations thereof without the testimony of 2 witnesses. Well, if the 2 witnesses aren't willing to testify . . . I think this is also in keeping with the tradition that one should not embarrass a person in public--I assume that that applies to oneself, as well.
When non shomer Shabbat guests are at my house, they walk to another room to check their phones. Is that hypocritical, or respect for the sanctity of Shabbat in my house.
Al, I would turn my phone off before entering your home. If I forgot and it rang at your table, I would have the decency to be properly chagrined.
I consider parking near the Shul but not at the Shul a similar thing... respectful behavior, not hypocrisy.
If it reaches a critical mass, the neighborhood would be put out by the loss of on street parking for themselves. They would resent the shul, at which point it becomes a hillul haShem. Better the shul should own that its members drive on shabbat and provide for it.
Hmm, I never considered the possibility that side-street parking might annoy the neighbors. Good point, Reform BT.
I'm not in NYC. Side street parking shortages are not the norm. In suburban areas, it's usually in retail shopping centers, shopping centers whose lots aren't full until noon anyway, and probably benefit from looking busier on Saturday mornings. :)
So maybe whether the side-street parking creates bad feelings with the neighbors depends on the location of the shul.
I'm not in NYC either, and around here, in MN, it's "שלי שלי ושלך שלך" and businesses tend to tow and boot cars that are in their lots but don't belong to their customers.
Ouch. That must be a real pain in the wallet.
"in MN... businesses tend to tow and boot cars that are in their lots but don't belong to their customers"
So much for that friendly midwesterners thing we always hear about.
It's called Minnesota Nice ;)
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