An official of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the organization of the Reform rabbinate, disclosed today that the question of continued Reform participation in the draft of rabbinic students for the military chaplaincy would be discussed fully at the CCAR 79th annual convention in Boston in June.
Widespread debate about the desirability of the chaplaincy draft led Orthodox Yeshiva University to drop its participation, starting last January, in favor of a one-year experiment in which graduates of its Rabbi Isaac Elchanon Seminary have been given the option of volunteering for the military chaplaincy. Last week, the Jewish Theological Seminary announced plans for a new chaplaincy school, starting next fall, which will offer an accelerated training program for rabbinic candidates choosing to accept military chaplaincy assignments on graduation. Those attending the present Conservative Seminary program will be required to serve stints as civilian chaplains. Last month, the Rabbinical Assembly, the association of Conservative Rabbis, voted in convention to cancel participation in the chaplaincy draft.
Rabbi Sidney Regner, executive vice-president of the CCAR, said that the CCAR executive board had agreed that a discussion would be held on the chaplaincy draft and that two CCAR members will discuss the pros and cons of the issue, with a full discussion by the rabbinic delegates to follow after which the convention would take action.
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