The article “Conservative shuls move to secede from the USCJ” (CJN, April 3) was filled with inaccuracies and unanswered questions.

Although some congregations are debating their continued affiliation with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), it is inaccurate and misleading to say they are moving to secede. It is not true that a number of Conservative congregations in Toronto and Montreal have voted to leave the USCJ over issues of egalitarianism and gay clergy. As of this writing, only the board of Adath Israel Congregation in Toronto has decided to disaffiliate. Two other area congregations, Shaar Shalom Synagogue and Beit Rayim Synagogue, have voted to continue their affiliation. The remaining Toronto congregations, either their boards or their membership, are considering their affiliation. No Montreal congregations have voted or plan to vote to leave the USCJ.

It is important to understand why the issue of affiliation is being addressed now, and to do that, it is important to know something about the USCJ, the association that represents more than 700 Conservative synagogues in North America. The USCJ offers a wide range of services in the areas of formal and informal education, youth activities, leadership development, social action, and public policy, and it also has a home in Israel, the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center.

It is the congregational organization within the Conservative movement, which includes the Rabbinical Assembly, the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, the Cantors Assembly, the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, the Camp Ramah system, the Jewish Educators Assembly, the North American Association of Synagogue Executives, Mercaz-Canada, Mercaz-USA and the Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism.

The UCSJ’s primary source of financial support is synagogue dues. (That is true as well for the Union for Reform Judaism and other such organizations. Reform temples’ dues generally are more than double those paid by UCSJ affiliates.) Each USCJ region retains a portion of the dues paid by its congregations, and the remainder is used to support the central organization.

In September 2006, a group of representatives from local Conservative affiliates began a series of deliberations, hoping to retain a larger portion of the dues locally. In May 2007, they began a series of negotiations with the USCJ’s leadership, eventually facilitated by the dean of the University of Windsor’s law school, and, after some unfortunate misunderstanding as to terms, they ultimately reached an agreement that addressed all the issues. None of the parties was entirely happy with it, but all signed off.

The UCSJ’s understanding was that the negotiators, who all accepted the agreement, would promote it within their congregations. It was what they said they would do, but it appears that, while some did recommend ratification to their respective congregations, at least some actually recommended that their congregations reject it.  

There is also much irony in the comments from the rabbis quoted in the story.  Rabbi Steven Saltzman is paraphrased as having said that “Canadians are much more traditional than communities across the border, and the egalitarian movement in the United States includes women being part of the services, the ordination of gay and lesbian rabbis, and patrilineal descent.”

The Conservative movement does not promote patrilineal descent. Rabbi Saltzman should have known that. The CJN should have known that, too.

Furthermore, there is no one Canadian approach to observance. In fact, most Canadian Conservative congregations are egalitarian – there are egalitarian synagogues in Halifax, Ottawa, London, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria, among other places, including the Toronto area itself. There also are non-egalitarian synagogues in the United States. Canadian Conservative Jews are not different from their counterparts in the United States.

Moreover, what does the USCJ have to do with patrilineal descent, egalitarianism, gay marriage, or any other issues of practice? The Conservative movement’s halachic direction is determined by the Rabbinical Assembly. The USCJ is a service organization. It does not dictate halachah. It does, however, stand proudly for religious pluralism. Within the boundaries of acceptable halachah, each congregation follows its rabbi’s rulings. Each congregation finds its own level of observance. The movement is extremely inclusive. Only the most marginal of our congregations fall outside our broad boundaries.

Toronto-area synagogues must choose whether they wish to remain part of the mainstream Conservative movement, directly affiliated with its institutions, or if they wish to isolate themselves.

The USCJ’s leaders are deeply saddened by Adath Israel’s departure from the Conservative movement. We sincerely hope that the remainder of the Toronto congregations will ratify the agreement that their representatives negotiated. We hope and expect to continue to work together, helping our congregations grow and prosper.

Paul Kochberg is president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Canadian region.