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Saturday, February 3, 2007

Conservative Jewry's Gay Survey Shows The Movement is in Trouble (Updated to Include Full result charts)

About a month ago I posted regarding a survey I was asked to fill out regarding the Conservative movement and its recent ruling on gays in Judaism. (Click here for original post) At the time I argued that the confusing ruling was just another example of the lack of clear direction coming out of Conservative Jewry. That Conservative Jewry tries to be all thing to all people so that it will attract the most families as possible.Less than an united movement Conservative Jewry, is more like a loose confederation of Jews who don't want to be Orthodox or Reform. The problem is-- loose confederations don't last

Today I received a copy of the full results of the survey I took last month and sadly, it confirmed my fears. The results show that the movement (which I am affiliated with) is all over the place in observance and belief. I am talking about issues that go way beyond Gays roles in Judaism, basic Jewish beliefs such as who wrote the Torah?

On the issue of Gay clergy the survey reported overwhelmingly that clergy, Shul presidents and other leaders support having Gay Clergy. According to a press release I received from the incoming Chancellor of JTS this was a decision constant with Conservative Jewry principals.

The remarkably consistent support for gay ordination across the board among Conservative Jews in the United States, whether clergy or other Jewish professionals or lay leaders or students.

The no-less-striking consistency among survey respondents is concerning their commitment to a number of key principles of Conservative Judaism, notably the centrality of halakhah and egalitarianism; the need for a centralized Rabbinical Assembly Law Committee; and opposition to both patrilineal descent and rabbis officiating at mixed marriages.

...I believe that as a movement we Conservative Jews do have a clear profile. It tells us, as well, that the vast majority of those on both sides of the ordination issue recognize the legitimacy of those who disagree with them and their rightful presence in the Conservative Movement.


After reading the full report, I realized that incoming Chancellor, Arnold Eisen may be living in a dream land with his analysis, there are sizable splits in the movement.

Confusing Responses to a Confusing Gay Ruling

  • The survey showed an overwhelming majority of those polled supported gay clergy, just as overwhelmingly they supported Conservative Jewry being a Halakhic based movement (65-67%), how can we reconcile the two?
  • There is that "sticky" quote in the Torah about homosexuality being an abomination. The way that the rabbinical committee got around that is by saying that it is OK to be gay but males could not have "homosexual intercourse." Over 50% of those who answered that question opposed that part of the ruling.
  • Across the board people felt embarrassed by the ruling---almost 70% of clergy almost 60% of other professionals and lay leaders.
  • Except for the clergy over half of those questioned felt the ruling was confusing (a third of the clergy)
  • Significant amounts of the respondents felt that the ruling was outside of acceptable halakich reasoning (35% of Clergy, 28% 0f lay leaders). True these numbers are less than half, but this sizable minority like this can end up splitting the movement.
  • Almost a third of all respondents feel that the “gay ruling" will lead to fewer committed Conservative Jews.
  • Two thirds of the respondents that answered felt that the committee should have circulated their decisions for interested members of the movement prior to releasing their decision.


Other Issues

  • Almost 40% of all respondents (including 36% of all clergy!!!!) believe that the Torah was written by man, not G-d. How can you be a Halakcha-based movement if you don't believe one of the basic tenants of Judaism....that the Torah was written by G-d?
  • 41% of clergy believe that the 35 year-old ruling that it was OK to drive to Shul on Shabbos was a mistake. (I'l l bet they don't change it)
  • Kashrut, only 65% percent of Shul's lay leaders keep Kosher at home, and only 75% of other leaders.
  • Shabbos: Over 60% of Conservative Jewish Clergy Use Lights on Shabbos. I found this very surprising.

To be honest I am surprised and saddened by the results of this survey. Most of the respondents agreed with the decisions about gays overall, but were not happy with the way it was done. They felt that the ruling was confusing and were embarrassed by the way it was announced.

The diversity of belief and observance, especially between Clergy and lay leaders prove that there is no clear direction in the movement. After reading this survey you got to feel that Conservative Jewry is less about a "movement," more about a compromise and not being Orthodox or Reform. What you are left with is polarization and confusion.

I have come to realize that the thing that disturbs me the most is the fact that there was a survey at all. You see, unlike those 36% of Conservative Rabbis, I happen to believe that the Torah was written by G-d. Not only where there more than 600 thousand souls there as witnesses that is one of the main differences between Judaism and other religions, G-d gave us the law directly, not to a prophet or a priest but to US

The Alsheich, in his commentary and explanation on the Song of Songs, brings down a medrash explaining a verse in the Torah that the people saw and heard every word. How can one see a word? As the words came out of Hashem's mouth (and when the people became too terrified and asked after the first two commandments that Moshe continue instead), each word stood in front of each Jew and asked if he/she believed, if he/she understood. When the individual said yes, they kissed him/her.


The other "witness" to the fact that G-d authored the Torah is that ONLY a divinely written document can be as relevant to the lifestyle of today as it was to the lifestyle of three thousand years ago.

When you look at Torah as divinely written, then Halakcha should not instituted via a random survey of clergy and people like me, observant maybe, but with little or no training. But unfortunately that is the Conservative way....be all things to all people---but one day it will be all things to NO people.

Detailed Results

Your Position in Conservative Judaism


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Are members of the Board of Directors of the USCJ

1%

1%

8%

0%


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Hold positions of leadership with respect to JTS

6%

1%

2%

2%

Your Views on the Issues

What are your views on the relevant issues and related matters, recently addressed by the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards?



Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Ordination of gay rabbis

Favor

65%

74%

66%

68%

Oppose

27%

18%

24%

23%

Investiture of gay cantors

Favor

66%

75%

67%

69%

Oppose

26%

16%

23%

20%

Rabbis performing same-sex commitment ceremonies

Favor

63%

76%

68%

70%

Oppose

28%

16%

23%

21%

Rabbis marrying same-sex couples in a Jewish marriage ceremony

Favor

31%

48%

36%

48%

Oppose

52%

33%

46%

36%

Prohibiting “male homosexual intercourse”

Favor

36%

21%

30%

27%

Oppose

44%

55%

45%

51%

Banning homosexual physical intimacy

Favor

13%

7%

12%

10%

Oppose

75%

83%

76%

79%

Advocating “reparative therapy”

Favor

6%

3%

5%

3%

Oppose

83%

89%

84%

87%

Your Initial reactions

In which of the following ways did you react when you heard of the CJLS decisions?


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Relieved

43%

38%

32%

35%

Confused

36%

51%

52%

53%

Marginalized in the Cons. Movement

26%

20%

23%

22%

Proud to be a Conservative Jew

37%

36%

38%

33%

I could not defend the stance of the Conservative movement

36%

34%

36%

36%

Somewhat embarrassed

67%

59%

58%

57%

CJLS decisions did not go far enough in legitimizing gay relationships

39%

49%

35%

43%

Pleased that the Committee had endorsed multiple opposing opinions

38%

34%

34%

34%

The decisions were an interim step towards full equality of gays in the Conservative Jewish community

63%

63%

60%

60%

The decisions were an accommodation to political correctness

41%

43%

49%

44%


Your views on the CJLS Decisions – and Related Issues

Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?



Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

The CJLS will help Conservative Judaism appeal to younger Jews

Agree

49%

51%

50%

50%

Disagree

28%

22%

25%

23%

In the long run, the CJLS decisions will mean fewer committed conservative Jews

Agree

30%

27%

29%

31%

Disagree

52%

51%

50%

48%

My close friends seem to largely support the CJLS decision permitting ordaining gay rabbis

Agree

61%

62%

52%

56%

Disagree

20%

15%

19%

17%

My fellow congregants seem to largely oppose the CJLS decision

Agree

22%

15%

20%

18%

Disagree

49%

46%

44%

37%

The CJLS decisions blur the boundary between Conservative and Reform Judaism

Agree

44%

34%

39%

39%

Disagree

50%

55%

49%

48%

The CJLS decisions widen the gap between Conservatism and Orthodoxy

Agree

84%

81%

85%

80%

Disagree

11%

11%

8%

10%

If my congregation employs gay rabbis and cantors I will join another synagogue

Agree

16%

10%

15%

14%

Disagree

76%

83%

74%

74%

If my congregation employs gay rabbis and cantors I will join another movement

Agree

12%

9%

11%

13%

Disagree

80%

85%

79%

77%

It doesn’t matter to me if my rabbi or cantor would be openly gay

Agree

62%

72%

61%

64%

Disagree

30%

21%

28%

26%

I would not attend a same-sex Jewish commitment ceremony

Agree

25%

13%

19%

16%

Disagree

65%

79%

71%

74%

I hope the 4 rabbis who resigned from the CJLS will return

Agree

62%

48%

55%

45%

Disagree

20%

18%

12%

17%

The CJLS should have circulated the draft teshuvot for study by interested members of the Conservative movement

Agree

51%

52%

51%

59%

Disagree

31%

22%

25%

13%

CJLS members who voted to liberalize the stance on gays were strongly influenced by family, friends and congregants

Agree

41%

26%

26%

28%

Disagree

21%

19%

15%

12%

CJLS members who voted to keep the previous stance on gays were strongly influenced by family, friends and congregants

Agree

20%

16%

17%

19%

Disagree

39%

26%

23%

19%

Homosexuality is in-born, not chosen voluntarily

Agree

77%

82%

78%

80%

Disagree

7%

4%

7%

6%

With reparative therapy, many homosexuals can change their sexual orientation

Agree

5%

2%

3%

3%

Disagree

82%

89%

86%

88%

The legal reasoning in the permissive paper that was approved by the CJLS was outside the pale of acceptability of halakhic reasoning

Agree

35%

25%

29%

28%

Disagree

50%

42%

41%

35%

Those who walk to shul on Shabbat are really orthodox

Agree

4%

7%

8%

10%

Disagree

94%

88%

87%

83%

It was a mistake for the CJLS, years ago, to have legitimated driving to shul on Shabbat

Agree

41%

22%

13%

27%

Disagree

50%

70%

81%

61%

Conservative Judaism would be better served if there were no centralized Law Committee

Agree

15%

8%

7%

8%

Disagree

68%

65%

69%

60%

Conservative Judaism is a halakhic movement

Agree

65%

64%

67%

59%

Disagree

20%

16%

12%

16%

Conservative Judaism should stop pretending it is a halakhic movement

Agree

24%

20%

14%

19%

Disagree

62%

60%

65%

55%

The torah was written by people and not by God or by Divine inspiration

Agree

36%

39%

42%

36%

Disagree

53%

42%

38%

41%

I would not want a women to serve as rabbi of my congregation

Agree

8%

9%

8%

14%

Disagree

89%

86%

87%

80%

I would not want a women to serve as cantor of my congregation

Agree

10%

9%

8%

14%

Disagree

87%

86%

88%

81%

Conservative congregations that are not fully gender egalitarian should leave the movement

Agree

18%

25%

19%

24%

Disagree

75%

64%

72%

60%

Conservative congregations that won’t hire gay rabbis or cantors should leave the movement

Agree

11%

17%

11%

17%

Disagree

80%

69%

77%

66%

Conservative Judaism should adopt “patrilineal descent”

Agree

15%

27%

27%

24%

Disagree

76%

56%

54%

58%

Conservative rabbis ought to be allowed to officiate at marriages between Jews and non-Jews

Agree

6%

17%

21%

21%

Disagree

89%

70%

66%

63%

The Seminaries

Would you favor or oppose the following actions by three of the movement’s training institutions?



Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Accepting gay and lesbian students at the JTS rabbinical school

Favor

65%

76%

68%

70%

Oppose

27%

15%

21%

20%

Accepting gay and lesbian students at the UJ’s rabbinical school

Favor

67%

77%

68%

71%

Oppose

24%

14%

20%

19%

Accepting gay and lesbian students at the Machon Schechter rabbinical school

Favor

59%

74%

67%

68%

Oppose

29%

16%

21%

20%

Accepting gay cantorial students at JTS

Favor

66%

78%

70%

73%

Oppose

26%

14%

20%

18%

Gay and Lesbian Jews in Positions of Conservative Leadership

Would you favor or oppose engaging an openly gay or lesbian person in the following positions?



Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Congregational rabbi

Favor

65%

74%

62%

65%

Oppose

28%

18%

27%

24%

Cantor

Favor

66%

75%

65%

68%

Oppose

27%

16%

23%

20%

Head of religious school

Favor

72%

76%

65%

74%

Oppose

19%

13%

21%

16%

Executive director of a congregation

Favor

84%

84%

78%

82%

Oppose

7%

6%

9%

8%

President of the congregation

Favor

83%

85%

77%

82%

Oppose

8%

6%

9%

8%

Schechter principal

Favor

72%

76%

66%

74%

Oppose

19%

13%

20%

16%

Schechter teacher of general studies

Favor

82%

82%

72%

81%

Oppose

10%

8%

14%

9%

Ramah camp counselor

Favor

72%

75%

63%

76%

Oppose

18%

12%

21%

13%

USY director

Favor

73%

76%

64%

78%

Oppose

18%

12%

21%

13%

Personal Patterns of Observance and Belief


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Dine in restaurants without a kashrut certificate

87%

94%

98%

93%

(If yes) Eat warmed food (e.g., fish) prepared at such restaurants

81%

90%

97%

89%

(If yes) Eat cooked meat at such restaurants

9%

36%

57%

40%

Keep kosher at home

96%

75%

65%

73%

Fast at least part of the day on Tisha b’Av

90%

62%

43%

63%

Say daily prayers at least 3 times a week

83%

40%

33%

33%

Attend Shabbat services at least 3 times a month

95%

79%

82%

69%

Refrain from shopping on Shabbat

94%

60%

43%

49%


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Refrain from turning lights on, on Shabbat

37%

17%

6%

19%

Refrain from driving to shul on Shabbat

64%

27%

11%

31%

Engage in Jewish text study more than once a week

86%

55%

44%

48%

With respect to other conservative leaders in similar position or status as yourself, do you see yourself as…


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Theologically…

Conservative

24%

29%

31%

32%

Moderate

41%

32%

41%

33%

Liberal

35%

38%

28%

34%

Observance…

Conservative

39%

32%

30%

32%

Moderate

41%

37%

43%

37%

Liberal

20%

31%

27%

31%


Background Information

You are…


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Male

74%

35%

59%

46%

Female

26%

65%

41%

54%

You are…


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Under 25

8%

10%

0%

53%

25- 44

36%

36%

16%

17%

45- 59

38%

39%

59%

19%

60+

18%

15%

25%

12%

You are…


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Married

76%

67%

88%

34%

Never married

12%

16%

3%

47%


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Divorced or separated

5%

6%

3%

2%

Widowed

1%

1%

2%

1%

In a committed relationship with a person of the opposite sex

5%

7%

2%

13%

In a committed relationship with a person of the same sex

2%

3%

1%

2%

You live in…


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

The U.S.

90%

93%

96%

93%

Canada

3%

4%

3%

3%

Israel

5%

3%

0%

3%

Elsewhere

2%

0%

0%

1%


About how many families belong to the synagogue with which you are affiliated?


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

0- 99

9%

6%

8%

10%

100- 249

21%

18%

20%

21%

250- 499

31%

30%

35%

30%

500- 749

17%

19%

17%

16%

750- 999

10%

12%

8%

8%

1000 or more

13%

15%

11%

15%

Ever attended…


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Jewish day school

38%

28%

16%

42%

Camp Ramah

46%

28%

15%

36%

Active in USY or LTF

50%

51%

38%

59%

Studied for a summer or more in Israel

80%

54%

25%

46%

JTS

75%

20%

3%

11%

UJ

17%

7%

1%

3%

Machon Schechter

33%

3%

1%

2%

Are openly gay…


Clerical Leaders

Professional Leaders

Lay Leaders

Other

Members of extended family

34%

38%

35%

34%

Close friends

61%

64%

48%

64%

Friends’ children, grandchildren, or parents

55%

54%

50%

43%

You

2%

5%

2%

6%


The Instrument

Dear respondent to the JTS Study:

The three teshuvot accepted by the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards embrace a wide range of conclusions. They may be described succinctly in simplified form as follows:

  • One teshuva reaffirmed the prior position of the CJLS, which denied ordination as clergy to active homosexuals and also prohibited same-sex commitment ceremonies or marriage.
  • One teshuva, while retaining the Torah’s explicit prohibition as understood by the rabbis banning male homosexual intercourse, argued for the full normalization of the status of gay and lesbian Jews. Under this ruling, gay and lesbian Jews may be ordained as clergy and their committed relationships may be recognized, although not as sanctified marriage.
  • A third teshuva upheld the traditional prohibitions, argued that homosexuality is not a unitary condition, and urged the development of educational programs within the community to achieve understanding, compassion, and dignity for gays and lesbians.
Each of these positions is now valid within Conservative Judaism, and individual rabbis will choose which position to follow


5 comments:

FrumWithQuestions said...

Thanks for showing the full results. Based on your comments you should just become orthodox already. We will greet you with open arms. I did not comment on my blog about the results just posted that they were out. Now that i see you have all the results plus commentary I will direct people to your post. What I find most shocking about this survey is that over 90 percent of the movement does not eat kosher! What does that say? Only 94 percents of Clerical leaders don't shop on shabbos! How can the other 6 percent be in leadership positions if they openly viloate shabbos and are not embarassed? The people of this movement are so blind if they really think these decisions are going to increase membership numbers. Like I concluded in one of my posts, if the movement was smart they would ask the people who left the movement what they should do to increase membership, not the leadership of the movement who is continually causing membership to fall.

Fern @ Life on the Balcony said...

I agree with Frum With Questions. It seems obvious that the right wing of the conservative movement really isn't conservative, they're Modern Orthodox. No one agrees 100% with the opinions of the other Jews at their shul, but the differences between the right wing of Conservativism and what appears to be the mainstream of that movement seems to be too great, while the differences between the right wing of Con. movement and Modern Orthodoxy are rather small.

Baconeater said...

Historical evidence (secular) just isn't there to back up the Exodus.

No matter how anyone wants to spin it, it just isn't there, and the more that is learned about the biblical days through archaeological studies, the more doubt arises. And unlike previously, the major archaeological findings are coming out of Israeli universities.

The literal bible has been shattered by science as well.

And you can't even get 2 Rabbis to agree on what is supposedly God's word. Why would he make it so hard to figure out?

I guess ya gotta have faith to believe that the bible was written by God.

FrumWithQuestions said...

Biblical Archeology does not always prove that the Tproah did not happen. I am a subscriber to the BAR magazine and read every issue. There are lots of details on every find and the outcome depends upon the political agenda the archaologists have. At JTS they discuss this in their Intro to Bible class and show how there are two sides to every find. The problem with these Bible Critics and the archeaologists is that there opinion changes with a new find and they are not consistent. The Torah has stayed consisitent for thousands or years where science changes on a daily bases and things are proved and disproved with every new study.

Sheyna said...

I was also one of those who participated in the survey and I was equally dismayed by the results. I was one of those few who believes in the divine origin of the Torah, keeps kosher, and thinks the movement needs to take a more active stand for what it does stand for and not just be the "catch-all" for those who aren't happy with Orthodoxy or Reform.

My shul has consistently been described as "Conservadox" or "Egalitarian Modern Orthodox" (were such a thing to exist). The primary difference between our shul and MO is the role of women. The differences between our shul and the rest of the Conservative movement are too numerous to list.

While this is one of many things that concerns me about the future of the Conservative movement, it certainly does make life interesting, if also pointing toward an unknown and potentially apprehensive future.