Dr. Hammerman

I've just returned from the Rabbinical Assembly convention at JTS, culminating in the convocation yesterday where I was privileged to receive my honorary doctorate. My thanks to Eileen Rosner and Steve Lander for giving up a good chunk of their day to make the trip, along with my family, representing the congregation. The ceremony was quite moving, as I shared with over 50 colleagues the chance to celebrate the contributions that have been made over the past quarter century in service of the Jewish people. The accomplishments reflect a breadth and depth that is staggering, but for everyone the common denominator was touching individual lives. Tens of thousands of lives, one life at a time, moment by moment, year by year.

It's an awe-inspiring profession. As daunting as it is to look forward, it is equally humbling and gratifying to reflect back on what has been accomplished.

But no matter what happens, As far as I'm concerned, at my house I'm still the not the real Dr. Hammerman in my home. An honorary degree is nice - nicer than I thought it would be. But "rabbi" is title enough for me.

Below are some photos from the day. The one at the bottom features me with three colleagues from my home synagogue of Kehillath Israel in Brookline, Mass., all of whom were honored at the Convocation. KI has been a prime breeding ground for Conservative rabbis and educators - well over 30 over the past half century. Must have been something in those delicious knishes they served at the kiddush each week!

The Future of Conservative Jewry

In this comprehensive interview with JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen, "The Future of Conservative Jewry," we can see, in detail, the Chancellor's vision and agenda. It is well worth reading the entire interview, but here is a basic outline:


Conservative Jewry faces three major challenges. These concern its message, its quality control, and its structure. The definition of the message has become a priority in part because of the blurring of the boundaries with other movements.

Quality control is a prime issue because Conservative Judaism depends on "franchises." It relies on local organizations - synagogues, camps, day and congregational schools, youth groups, men's clubs, and sisterhoods - to provide a quality product.

Conservative Judaism has structural problems because it only has a loose umbrella body, the Leadership Council of Conservative Judaism. Up to twenty different organizations are represented there and in such a framework it is hard to function in a unified manner. A major restructuring of the movement is underway.

Ten elements define Conservative Judaism's worldview: learning, community, klal Yisrael (Jewish peoplehood), Zionism, Hebrew, changing the world, mitzvah (commandment), time, space, and God. A major project to make Conservative Jews more aware of the role of mitzvot has been undertaken at the initiative of the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Indeed a major restucturing IS underway in the movement; the USCJ has been streamlined considerably and, at JTS, the cantorial school just lost it's director. See more on that in these articles:

JTS Revamps Cantorial School (Jewish Week)
JTS sheds cantorial dean's post (JTA)
JTS Downsizes Its Cantorial Program: A Bad Sign (First Things)

JTS Announces $5.5 Million Budget Gap

In this article by JTA, The Jewish Theological Seminary announced that it still has a $5.5 million budget gap even after a round of cuts. In a letter to the seminary community Monday, Chancellor Arnold Eisen detailed the cuts, describing them as "challenging and painful," and noted that more steps must be taken.