New Exec of USCJ

Subject: An Open Letter to the Conservative/Masorti Movement



15 Sivan 5769 - 7 June 2009



L'haverai hanikhbadim:



I am humbled by my selection as the next executive vice president and CEO of
the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. I am looking forward to
beginning my responsibilities in earnest on July 1. As I do so, I invite you
to get in touch with me to share your thoughts and concerns, your hopes and
your dreams on how we can work together to revitalize and grow our movement.




As we all know, this is a time of great complexity for United Synagogue and
Conservative Judaism today. We know the challenges that face us: shifting
demographics and post-denominationalism; intermarriage, assimilation, and
apathy; a competitive marketplace of ideas and allegiances; an increasing
polarization of the right and the left; limited resources exacerbated by an
economy in peril; and varying perspectives on how to address these
challenges both within each organization and at the movement level. Even
though I acknowledge these problems, I remain optimistic. And I am extremely
excited to have this chance to address these challenges because Conservative
Judaism is critically important to the North American and world Jewish
communities, and because great challenges present great opportunities. Our
collective task is to inspire the movement we all love to greater heights
and effectiveness.



Since the synagogue remains the primary locus of Jewish life in North
America, United Synagogue will be a catalyst for the creation, nurturing,
and growth of Conservative synagogues. It also will incubate and nourish
other dynamic Conservative communities, including Koach for college students
and the independent minyanim that the 20- and 30-year-olds who grew up in
our congregations are building. Our role will be to produce, locate, and
deliver the types of services that will enable local leaders, both lay and
professional, to affect North American Jews through Conservative Judaism. We
will pave a path of Jewish growth for people who are looking for spiritually
uplifting experiences and emotional connections to community through our
unique approach to Jewish living and text study, which brings together
tradition and modern scholarship as no other movement does. We will partner
with these local leaders so that our congregations will feel we are serving
them well.



We have heard the criticism that has swelled so pointedly in the last few
months. At its core is many local leaders' profound disappointment because
they feel that we are not serving them well enough. We know that to meet
these challenges we must become a leaner, tighter, more effective, more
responsive, and more transparent organization. We will listen carefully to
these concerns, for we must build those coalitions and partnerships -
individually and throughout the organizations that make up our movement - to
propel us toward a new generation of knowledgeable, more engaged and more
committed Jews. Once the relationships are secure, United Synagogue and our
partners will work together to build stronger synagogues and so strengthen
Conservative Judaism



I am thankful for this opportunity to serve the Jewish people through the
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. There is much to be done and I am
eager to begin, partnering with the staff of United Synagogue and with you.



B'shalom,

Rabbi Steven Wernick