Last night, Rabbi Steven Wernick was installed as our new executive vice president and CEO. This was the first such installation in 23 years; there were a few people in the room who had been there for the last one but their memories of the event were hazy, so basically it was a new ritual for a new time.
Steve was introduced by Dr. Raymond Goldstein, our outgoing (in both senses of the word) international president, who also chaired the search committee that selected him. His mentor, Rabbi Steven Lindemann of Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill -- basically his professional father -- and Rabbi Eugene Wernick, another mentor and role model and also his actual father -- introduced him, both with emotion and pride, and Rabbi Lindemann draped him with a new United Synagogue tallit and blessed him as parents bless their children with the priestly blessing.
Then Rabbi Wernick, still in the finely woven tallit with the burgandy stripes and his name in silver on the atara, gave his talk (which will be up on our website in an hour or two). Weaving the theme of Chanukah, when the Maccabbees faced despair, saw an opportunity, took risks, and won, saving Judaism for all of us, their descendants, throughout, he talked about the risks we must take to remain relevant. As a firm believer in Conservative Judaism, with its unique ability to fuse tradition, ancient wisdom, and modern understandings of the world and we who live in it, he is working hard to devise new ways to convey that understanding to people less committed to it than he. He has been touring the United States and Canada, listening to synagogue professional and lay leaders, listening to their desires and their discontents, and he is using this information to plan for our future.
His talk earned him an ovation; the energy in the room -- which was packed, with overflow into the hall and people peering in from odd angles, all that were left -- pulsing. Afterward people went on for dessert and dancing, and talking talking talking. All that talking made people thirsty but the bar closed at 11, minutes after the program ended. What's the deal with that, Crowne Plaza Hotel?
Joanne Palmer
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Rabbi Wernick stated, "I am a Conservative Jew because seeking to simultaneously uphold tradition and embrace modernity demands that we focus on honest, open and respectful discussion on almost any issue. And we do." In my experience within Conservative Judaism, too many people don't appear to experience the above quote within Conservative Jewish life and this is a main reason in my opinion why people, especially young people, leave our movement. I hope this will be posted.
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