From the Forward:
A group of presidents of Conservative synagogues is threatening rebellion and even possibly secession if the Conservative movement’s congregational arm does not make prompt and dramatic structural changes, the Forward has learned.
In a letter addressed to the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s president, professional head and board, the synagogue presidents accuse the organization of being “opaque,” disorganized and even vengeful, and demand serious changes within 90 days. …
The letter levels a series of charges against USCJ, including that its actions are “controlled by a relative few,” that “there appears to be a culture of entitlement and intolerance on the part of the professional and lay leadership,” that complaints are met with “a fervent attempt to quash dissent” and that “the official governing bodies are so large and/or so insular that they are unresponsive or unworkable.”
It also requests a number of changes in USCJ’s policies. The letter demands, among other things, that USCJ publish its recent budgets and the contract of its current executive vice president, hold a series of open discussions for congregations to voice their concerns, and shrink and reorganize its governing boards. The letter sets deadlines for action on these items ranging from 30 to 90 days.
In response to a description of the letter, USCJ’s international president, Raymond Goldstein, said that he agreed with a number of the concerns raised, including the need for greater transparency and the description of the organization’s governance structure as unwieldy. He said that he and others at USCJ had worked to try to address these issues. He also said that a number of the demands, such as posting the budget online and holding town hall meetings, seemed reasonable. But Goldstein strongly disagreed with the assertion that USCJ tries to quash dissent.
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